Honors English Literature: Fiction Signposts, Figurative Language, Plot, Conflict, and Narrative Elements

Fill-in-the-blank practice flashcards covering literary terms, fiction signposts, figurative language, plot elements, character types, points of view, and conflict types.

When a character says or does something opposite of what he has been saying or doing all along, or contrasts our way of thinking, this signpost is __________ .

Contrasts and contradictions

When a character realizes, understands, or finally figures something out, or the reader has a sudden realization, it is called an __________ .

Aha Moment

When a character asks himself a really difficult question while reading, it is known as __________ .

Tough Questions

When a character (who is probably older or wiser) takes the main character aside and gives serious advice, it is called __________ .

Words of the Wiser

When you notice a keyword, phrase, object, or situation mentioned over and over while reading, it is called __________ .

Again and Again

When the author interrupts the action to tell you a memory, this signpost is a __________ .

Memory Moment

A comparison of two unlike things not using like or as is a __________ .

Metaphor

A comparison of two unlike words using the words like or as is a __________ .

Simile

Giving a nonhuman thing human-like traits is defined as __________ .

Personification

An extreme exaggeration is a __________ .

Hyperbole

Words that mimic the sound they describe are an example of __________ .

Onomatopoeia

The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of two or more words is __________ .

Alliteration

A common figurative phrase is an __________ .

Idiom

The series of events in a story is the __________ .

Plot

The stage of plot that serves as the beginning and introduces characters, setting, and background information is the __________ .

Exposition

The event that starts the conflict and sets the plot in motion is the __________ .

Initiating Event

The plot events leading up to the climax where tension builds are called the __________ .

Rising Action

The turning point of a story is the __________ .

Climax

The events between the climax and resolution where tension deescalates are called the __________ .

Falling Action

The end of a story where loose ends are tied up is the __________ .

Resolution

A struggle between two opposing forces is called __________ .

Conflict

A conflict between two characters or groups is classified as __________ .

Person vs. Person

When a character struggles with their emotions, a decision, or their traits, it is a __________ conflict.

Person vs. Self

A character going against the norms, rules, or expectations of society is a __________ conflict.

Person vs. Society

A conflict in which a character goes against the forces of nature (storms, a river, etc.) is __________ .

Person vs. Nature

The perspective from which a story is told is the __________ .

Point of View

In __________ point of view, the narrator is a character in the story and the words I, we, me, etc., are used frequently.

First Person

In __________ point of view, the reader is made to be a character in the story and the word you is used frequently.

Second Person

In __________ point of view, the narrator is not a character and only the thoughts and emotions of the protagonist are known.

Third Person Limited

In __________ point of view, the narrator is not a character and knows the thoughts and emotions of all.

Third Person Omniscient

The main character in a story is the __________ .

Protagonist

The character or force that opposes the protagonist is the __________ .

Antagonist

A character that does not change over the course of a story is a __________ character.

Static

A character that learns or changes over the course of a story is a __________ character.

Dynamic

The author’s attitude toward the subject of a text is defined as __________ .

Tone

The atmosphere or feeling of a text is the __________ .

Mood

The moral or lesson of the story is the __________ .

Theme

The author’s use of descriptive language to create a picture for the reader is __________ .

Imagery

When the author gives hints or clues of what is to come to build suspense, it is called __________ .

Foreshadowing

The use of recurring symbols to signify a deeper idea or meaning beyond the literal symbol itself is __________ .

Symbolism