Honors English l Lit Terms

Plot

 The sequence of events in a story

Exposition

is the first stage of a plot in a typical story. The exposition provides important background information and introduces the setting and the important characters. 

Rising Action

is the stage in a plot in which the conflict develops (see Conflict section below) and story events build toward a climax. During this stage, complications arise that make the conflict more intense. Suspense builds as the characters struggle to resolve the conflict.

Climax

is the turning point and the moment of greatest suspense. It is the point of maximum interest or tension. Think of the climax as the “can’t go back” moment.

Falling Action

follows the climax and reveals the outcome of the story’s climax. The falling action shows how the main character resolves the conflict. The falling action eases the suspense; however, the final outcome of the story is not yet fully worked out in this stage.

Resolution

The resolution reveals the final outcome and ties up any loose ends. Some stories leave readers with some unanswered questions in the resolution.

Conflict

a struggle between opposing forces. There can be multiple conflicts occuring in the same story.

Internal Conflict

is a conflict that occurs within a character’s mind (person vs. Self).  The struggle usually centers on a choice or decision the character must make.

External conflict

is a clash between a character and an outside force.Setting

• Person vs. Person

• Person vs. Nature 

• Person vs. Society 

• Person vs. the Supernatural

Setting

Time and location that a story takes place. When examining how setting contributes to a story, there are multiple  aspects to consider: 

• Place - Geographical location ⇨ Where is the action of the story taking place?

• Time - Historical period, time of day, year, etc. ⇨ When is the story taking place?

• Weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy? 

• Social conditions - What is the daily life of the character like? Does the story contain local color (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)?

Mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Cheerful? Eerie?

Foreshadowing

a writer’s use of hints or clues to suggest events that will occur later in a story. The hints and clues might be included in a character’s dialogue or behavior, or they might be included in details of description. Foreshadowing creates suspense. 

Flashback

an account of a conversation, an episode, or an event that happened before the beginning of a story. Often, a flashback interrupts the chronological flow of a story to give the reader information needed to understand a character’s present situation. Flashbacks also help create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise. 

Suspense

Suspense is the excitement or tension that readers feel as they wait to find out how a story ends or how a conflict is resolved. Writers create suspense by raising questions in readers’ minds about what might happen next.

Theme

or universal message, is an underlying message about life or human nature that a writer wants the reader to understand. Think of theme as a statement. A story might be about Friendship, but when talking about the theme, think about what the author is trying to communicate about Friendship through the story. EX: A good friend is priceless OR Friends often betray you 

Recurring themes

• are themes found in a variety of literary works. For example, authors from varying backgrounds might convey similar themes having to do with the importance of family values. 

Universal theme

are themes that are found throughout the literature of all time periods. For example, the Odyssey and The Lord of the Rings both contain a universal theme relating to the hero’s search for truth, goodness, and honor.

Characterization

The way a writer creates and develops characters’ personalities is known as characterization. 

Direct Characterization

• The writer makes direct comments about a character’s personality or nature through the voice of the narrator.

Indirect Characterization

The writer indicates or shows what a character ‘s personality is like through descriptions of their actions, speech, appearance, and interactions with other characters.

• Methods of Characterization

• The writer may describe the character’s physical appearance.

• The writer may present the character’s own thoughts, speech, and actions.

• The writer may present pertinent thoughts, speech, and actions of other characters. How do the other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character?

Protagonist

• is the main character in a work of literature - the character who is involved in the central conflict of the story.  

  • Usually, the changes after the central conflict reaches a climax. 

  • He or she may be a hero, but they do not have to be a “good” person

Antagonist

• a principal character or force in opposition to a protagonist, or main character. 

• The is usually another character but sometimes can be a force of nature, a set of circumstances, some aspect of society, or a force within the protagonist.

Unreliable Narrator

Someone who is not always perceptive about what is going on in a story OR someone who is deliberately not telling the whole truth

Dynamic Character

•  is one who undergoes important 

changes as the plot unfolds. The change is usually internal and may be good or bad, Main 

characters are usually, though not always, dynamic.

Static Character

• is one who remains the same throughout a story. The character may experience events and have interactions with other characters, but he or she is not changed because of them. 

Round Character

one who is complex and highly developed, having a variety of traits and different sides to his or her personality. Round characters tend to display strengths, weaknesses, and a full range of emotions. The writer provides enough detail for the reader to understand their feelings and emotions.

Flat Character

• one who is not highly developed. A flat character is a one-sided character: he or she usually has one outstanding trait, characteristic, or role. Flat characters exist mainly to advance the plot, and they display only the traits needed for their limited roles. Minor characters are usually flat characters. 

Point of View

refers to the method of narration used in a short story, novel, narrative poem

Third Person Point of View

The narrator is a character in the story. 

• The narrator refers to himself or herself as I or me. 

• The narrator presents his or her own thoughts and feelings. 

• The narrator does not have direct access to the thoughts and feelings of other characters.

Second Person Point of View

• Story told by a narrator who addresses the reader or some other assumed “you”

•  Ex. You wake up to discover that you have been robbed of all your worldly possessions. 

• This is the least utilized POV

Third Person Point of View

The narrator is not one of the characters.

Third Person Omniscient

This is an all-knowing point of view. The narrator sees into the minds of all the characters.

Third Person Limited

The narrator focuses on the thoughts, feelings, and observations of one character.

Situational Irony

When a character or the reader expects one thing to happen but something else happens instead. 

Verbal Irony

When what is said is the opposite of what is meant.

Dramatic Irony

the audience knows something the character does not know.

Imagery

descriptive words and phrases that recreate sensory experiences for the reader. usually appeals to one or more of the five senses - sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch - to help the reader imagine exactly what is being described.

Simile

a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two things, using the words like or as.

Metaphor

 a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two things that have something in common. Unlike similes, metaphors do not contain the words like or as, but make comparisons directly.

Allusion

is an indirect reference to a famous person, place, event, or literary work.

Symbolism

is a person, a place, an object, or an activity that stands for something beyond itself. For example, a flag is a colored piece of cloth that stands for a country. A white dove is a bird that represents peace.

Mood

is the feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader. 

• Descriptive words, imagery, and figurative language contribute to the mood of a work, as do the sound and rhythm of the language used. 

Tone

the attitude a writer takes toward a subject. 

• Unlike mood, which is intended to shape the reader’s emotional response, tone reflects the feelings of the writer.  

• A writer communicates tone through choice of words and details. 

Tone may often be described by a single word, such as serious, humorous, formal, informal, somber, sarcastic, playful, ironic, bitter, or objective.

Frame Story

a story set within a story, narrative, or movie, told by the main or the supporting character. A character starts telling a story to other characters, or he sits down to write a story, telling the details to the audience. The technique is also called a frame narrative.