ELA 30 Word Bible

In character types: flat

their fundamental beliefs, personality, or outlook remain relatively unchanged.

• limited personality

• does not change or grow

In character types: static

has relatively few developed personality traits or dimensions.

In character types: dynamic

they undergo a meaningful internal change, often learning something or changing their beliefs.

In character types: round

has multiple traits, motivations, contradictions, and complexities that make them feel like a real person.

In character types: foil

is a person in a story whose traits contrast with another character

In character types: anti-hero

protagonist that lacks traditional heroic traits - dont necessarily have to be villains

• may lack courage (Bilbo Baggins from Lord of the Rings)

In character types: stock

• a character that fit stereotypical societal ideas

• Represents a fixed idea or bias about a person or group of people

•  the dumb blonde, nerdy scientist, wicked stepmother

In character types: catalyst

• a character who triggers change in another character

• or sets the main events of a story into motion.

• a character who is introduced to help the protagonist reach an epiphany

• the person who makes something happen

Lisa Tepes changes Dracula’s life by re-introducing him to the world, and then changes it again when she is killed and he declares wars on humans.

Direct vs Indirect Characterization

• Direct: The author tells us what the character is like through descriptions

  • “He felt like sh*t”

• Indirect: The author hints to the reader what the character is like by describing the character’s

  • “He sighed deeply, sitting and running his hands down his face”

  • basically the “show dont tell”

In devices: Pathetic Fallacy

using setting to describe a character’s emotions

• rain —> sadness

• night time/dark —> evil or idk

I’m pretty sure after lisa dies the sky turns dark and red to show Dracula’s anger and sorrow.

Motif

reoccuring element that reflects the theme

• mocking jay —> defiance

The controlling idea, main message, or central insight in a work of literature.

• Theme doesn’t teach a lesson as a moral does; however, it can be a message about life that the writer wants to present.

verisimilitude

the quality of seeming true, real, or believable

• what makes a fictional story or character feel believable, even when the story itself is completely imaginary.

Harry Potter sets up a whole magical world from a Muggle world, it makes the creatures and wizards feel real within that world.

We dont have zombies, but in Resident Evil it feels real because we see the backstory of them being made and everything

Not like we have a magical dragon pop in Gilmore Girls —> they wouldnt match realistically.

Theme Statement Model (4 parts)

In name of text, author presents the idea that topic & statement about topic

In to Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee presents the idea that an education requires more than just what is learned at school.