Fiction Terms for AP Literature and Composition

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards for key terms related to fiction, literature, and composition.

theme

The central meaning or dominant idea in a literary work which provides a unifying point around which the plot, characters, setting, point of view, symbols, and other elements are organized.

flat character

A character who embodies one or two qualities, ideas, or traits that can be readily described in a brief summary.

point of view

In fictional writing, the narrator's position in relation to the story being told.

first person point of view

A narrative style in which a character in the story/novel is telling that story from his/her point of view, using the pronouns 'I' or 'We'.

first person unreliable narrator

A character in the story who narrates and may be untruthful, misguided, or deceptive in perception.

second person

The narrator reports the story using the pronoun 'you'.

third person narration

A narrative mode in which each character is referred to as 'he', 'she', 'it', or 'they', without using 'I' or 'you'.

third person omniscient

A story told by a narrator who knows everything about the characters and events in the story.

third person limited omniscient

Narration written in the third person, limited to one character’s thoughts and feelings exclusively.

third person dramatic/objective

A narrator who reports actions and dialogue without telling us what the characters think or feel.

stream of consciousness narration

A literary style depicting a character's thoughts, feelings, and reactions in a continuous flow.

foil

A person or thing that contrasts with and emphasizes the qualities of another character.

catalyst

A minor character who sets the plot in motion.

round/dynamic character

A character that undergoes change in the story, displaying inconsistencies and internal conflicts.

static character

A character who does not change throughout the conflict of the story.

stock character

A type of flat character who embodies stereotypes.

anti-hero

A protagonist who has the opposite of most traditional attributes of a hero.

protagonist

The main character of a narrative, engaging the reader’s interest and empathy.

antagonist

A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something.

caricature

A depiction in which certain characteristics are exaggerated to create a comic or grotesque effect.

plot

The main events of a work devised as an interrelated sequence.

achronological plot

A plot in which events are not arranged in the order that they occur.

chronological plot

A plot devised and presented in chronological order.

climax

The turning point of a narrative, considered the point of highest tension or drama.

conflict

The struggle within the plot between opposing forces.

denouement

The final part of a narrative where the strands of the plot are drawn together.

deus ex machina

An unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation.

episodic plot

A plot presented by a series of loosely connected parts or events.

in medias res

When the plot begins in the middle of a narrative.

resolution

The action of solving the main conflict in a work of fiction or drama.

rising action

Action and events that build toward the climax.

subplot

A subordinate plot in a narrative.

subtext

An underlying and distinct theme in a piece of writing.

allegory

A story where characters, things, and events represent qualities or concepts.

anecdote

A short account of an interesting event.

aphorism

A short, astute statement of a general truth.

archetype

A recurrent pattern or motif in literature, art, or mythology.

aside

A remark meant to be heard by the audience but unheard by other characters.

bildungsroman

A novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education.

canon

A list of literary or artistic works considered to be of the highest quality.

catharsis

The release of the emotions of pity and fear by the audience at the end of a tragedy.

dialogue

Conversation between two or more people as featured in a book or play.

emblem

A thing serving as a symbolic representation of a particular quality or concept.

epic

A long narrative poem telling the deeds of heroic or legendary figures.

epigram

A brief, witty statement.

epiphany

A moment of sudden revelation or insight.

fable

A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral.

farce

A comic dramatic work using buffoonery and absurd situations.

flashback

A scene that marks a break in the narrative to inform the reader about past events.

frame story

A story within a story.

foreshadowing

A warning or indication of a future event.

generalization

A statement about a class based on an examination of some of its members.

genre

A category of artistic composition characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.

interior monologue

A piece of writing expressing a character's inner thoughts.

invocation

The action of appealing to something or someone for assistance.

melodrama

A sensational dramatic piece with exaggerated characters.

monologue

A long speech by one actor in a play or movie.

motif

A repetition of imagery, diction, or figurative language that enhances the theme.

narrative

A spoken or written account of connected events.

parody

An exaggerated imitation of a serious work for humorous purposes.

prose

Written or spoken language in its ordinary form without metrical structure.

reversal

An adverse change in fortune for a character.

rhetorical question

A question posed for effect that requires no answer.

setting

The time and place of a fictional work.

soliloquy

An act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself.

stereotype

A generalization about a group that has become a cliché.