Prose Terms Review – Elements of Prose Literature (Plot, Setting, Character, Point of View, Theme, Atmosphere, Mood, Style, Tone, Symbolism, Irony)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key prose terms from the notes, including plot structure, setting, character, point of view, theme, mood, atmosphere, style, tone, symbolism, and irony.

Plot

A sequence of events in a narrative carefully constructed for artistic purpose; unlike a simple chronological account, it aims to pleasure and convey meaning.

Exposition

Background information on the characters, setting, and other events necessary for understanding the story.

Complication (Rising Action)

The conflict is developed, suspense is created, and foreshadowing may be used.

Conflict

The interplay between opposing elements; there are three types: protagonist vs. self (internal), protagonist vs. other(s) (external), and protagonist vs. environment (external).

Technical Climax

The turning point at which the outcome of the action is determined; the protagonist may change or have an opportunity to change, but often does not.

Resolution (Falling Action)

The events following the technical climax in which the outcome is worked out.

Conclusion

The final event of a story's plot.

Dramatic Climax

The point of greatest interest or intensity in a story that is not related to the plot’s structural climax.

Setting

The represented time and place of events in a literary work.

Functions of Setting

Four functions: (a) provides time and place for characters and events, (b) helps understand characters and their actions, (c) helps create mood and atmosphere, (d) facilitates plot development.

Character

A fictional personality created by an author; a short story typically spotlights one main character.

Characterization

The technique used to create and reveal characters; credibility and consistency are essential.

Expository Revelation (Expository Description)

Telling the reader about a character in a straightforward manner.

Dramatic Revelation

Showing what a character is like through thoughts, dialogue, action, etc.—an indirect but engaging method.

Motivation

The reasons that cause characters to act as they do.

Protagonist

The central character in a work of fiction whom the audience is most concerned with.

Antagonist

The principal opponent of the main character.

Round Character

A well-described character whose thoughts and actions are revealed during development.

Flat Character

A character who is not well developed and represents a type (stock or stereotyped character) rather than an individual.

All characters are either Round or Flat

A general statement indicating characters are classified as either round or flat.

Dynamic Character

A character who grows, learns, or changes in a significant way.

Static Character

A character who resists or refuses to change during the story.

Foil Character

A character who contrasts in an important way with a more important character.

Consistent Character

A character whose speech, thoughts, and actions align with what the reader has come to expect.

Stock Character

A type of character usually found in a particular literary form (e.g., stock roles like the good cowboy or the hero in certain genres).

Stereotyped Character

A character created from widely held, narrow-minded ideas (e.g., the jock, the nerd).

Point of View (POV)

The relationship between the narrator and the story’s characters and events.

Narrator

The teller of the story.

First Person

The narrator is a character in the story.

Third Person Objective

The narrator is not a character and reports only what can be seen and heard.

Third Person Limited Omniscient

The narrator is not a character and reports not only what can be seen and heard, but also the thoughts and feelings of a few characters.

Third Person Omniscient

The narrator is not a character and reports what can be seen and heard, along with the thoughts and feelings of all the characters.

Theme

The controlling idea of a literary work—a general truth about life that is revealed in the story; not a plot summary or a moral.

Guidelines for Stating Theme

Must be a complete declarative sentence; must state a general truth about life; must be clearly conveyed throughout the entire work.

Atmosphere

The overall mood or feeling created by the setting, tone, and other details in a story.

Mood

The reader’s state of mind at the end of or during a story.

Style

The writer’s distinctive handling of language through diction and syntax, which helps indicate tone.

Tone

The author’s or narrator’s attitude toward the characters, events, or audience.

Symbolism

The use of a concrete object to represent an abstract idea, quality, or condition.

Irony

A contrast between appearance and reality; three types include verbal, dramatic, and situational.

Verbal Irony

A discrepancy between the literal meaning of a word and its intended meaning; sarcasm is a form.

Dramatic Irony

A discrepancy between what the reader knows and what a character knows.

Situational Irony

A discrepancy between the expected outcome and the actual outcome.