english 10 short story terms

allusion

a brief, direct, or indirect reference to a person, place, or event from history, literature, or mythology that the author hopes or assumes the reader will recognize

antagonist

the major character or force that opposes the protagonist

antecedent action

the significant action that takes place before the story begins

anticlimax

a sudden shift from a relatively serious or elevated mood to one more comic or trivial

antihero

a protagonist who has none of the qualities normally expected of a hero

atmosphere

the prevailing feeling created by the story

character

refers to both a fictional person in a story, and the moral, dispositional, and behavioural qualities kf that fictional person

characterization

the process through which the author reveals to the reader the qualities of a character

character sketch

a short description and analysis of a character's moral, dispositional, and behavioural qualities, including adjectives, specific examples, and quotations from the story

climax

the highest point of emotional intensity in a story

complicating incident

the event that initiates a conflict

conflict

the struggle between opposing characters or forces

contrast (juxtaposition)

refers to a difference, especially a striking difference, between two things being compared

crisis

a moment of intense conflict

denouement (resolution)

refers to the unknotting of the plot or conflict

dialect

a manner of speaking or variation on a language peculiar to an individual, a people, a social class, or a geographic region

dialogue

any conversation between two or more characters in a story

confidant

the person with whom a character, usually the protagonist, shares her or his thoughts, feelings, and intentions

diction

the vocab used by a writer, and the choice and arrangement of words in a selectiom

dilemma

a situation in which a character must make a choice between two undesirable or equally destructive alternatives

dynamic character

a character who undergoes a significant, lasting change, usually in her or his outlook on life

flat character

has only one apparent quality

round character

a realistic character with several dimensions

realistic character

multidimensional and clearly has complex relationships and motivations

epiphany

refers to a moment of significant realization and insight experienced by the protagonist, often at the end of a story

episode

an incident or event within the main plot of the story

escapist fiction

refers to stories written solely to entertain the reader, thus helping the reader to escape the daily cares and problems of reality

exposition

background info provided by the author to further the development of plot, conflict, setting, and characterization

falling action

the section immediately following the climax and lasting until the end of the story

fantasy

a highly exaggerated or improbable story

fiction

any narrative that is imagined or invented

flashback

a sudden switch in the plot from the present to the past

foil

a character whose behaviour, attitudes, and/or opinions contrast with those of the protagonist

foreshadowing

device that hints at or warns of events to happen later in the story

form

can refer to the more fundamental genres of literary work or to the way those stories are told

hero (heroine)

protagonist of a story who possesses heroic qualities, such as courage, or virtues, such as honesty

humour

refers to writing that is intended to amuse the reader or provoke laughter

images

concrete details and figures of speech that help the reader form vivid impressions of the subject of the writing

indeterminate ending

an ending in which there is no clear outcome, result, or resolved conflict

in medias res

a latin term that refers to readers joining a story "in the middle of things"

interpretive fiction

refers to stories that have meaningful, usually realistic plots, conflicts, settings, and characters

irony

involves contrast between two elements and, as a literary device, provides depth of meaning and impact

verbal irony

occurs when what a character says contrasts with what the character also or actually means

dramatic irony

when what a character says or believes contrasts with what the reader or other characters know to be true

situational irony

occurs when what finally takes place is different from what was expected or seemed appropriate

local colour

the details in a story that is specific to a geographic region or an environment

moral

the stated or implied lesson of a story

motivation (and goal)

both what causes a character to do what he or she does and the characters aim in taking that action

narrative

another word for "story" and contains the following elements: plot, conflict, characters, setting, and point of view

narrator

the storyteller

plot

the story line or organization of events or episodes within a story is called the plot

point of view

the perspective from which a story is seen or told

first person narrative

a character telling the story directly to the reader using "i, me, my" pronouns

limited omniscient

when a story is told from "outside" the characters, but from the perspective of one character

omniscient narrative

tells the story with knowledge of the thoughts and feelings of more than one or all of the characters

objective narrative

no special knowledge and the story is factually presented in an unemotional way

predicament

a difficult problem or unpleasant situation

prose

ordinary language or literary expression not marked by obvious rhythm or rhyme

protagonist

the main character of a story from whose viewpoint the story is presented

purpose

refers to the main effect the author hopes to achieve

realism

any subject matter or techniques that create a "true-to-life" impression for the reader

regionalism

refers to stories in which setting is of significance to the text and necessary to the writer's purpose

rising action

consists of the incidents that precede the climax

romance

entertaining stories that contain one or more lf the following characteristics: fantasy, improbability, extravagance, naiveté, love, adventure, and myth

satire

the use of irony to ridicule an idea, person, or a thing, often with the aim of provoking change

science fiction

writing that speculates about the effects of technology or science on the future of human beings

setting

the time and place of a story

short story

a brief fictional prose narrative. having one character, a single plot, limited setting, and one main effect

stereotype

any fixed pattern of plot or character

stream of consciousness

a modern narrative technique that attempts to depict the uninterrupted flow of feelings and random thoughts of a character's mind

style

the individual manner in which an author expresses herself or himself

subplot

a minor story line, secondary to the main plot

surprise ending

the sudden twist in the direction of a story, producing a resolution that surprises the reader and often the story's characters as well

suspense

the feeling of anxiety and uncertainty experienced by the reader about the outcome of events or the protagonist's fate

symbol

something that stands for or represents something else

thematic statement

one-sentence, general statement about life or human nature that can be derived by interpreting a story's overall message

theme

the theme is the central idea of the story, usually implied rather than directly stated

universality

the quality of a story that gives it relevance beyond the narrow confines of its particular characters, subject, or setting

verisimilitude

a lifelike quality possessed by a story as revealed through its plot, setting, conflict, and characterization

vicarious experience

refers to the reader sharing imaginatively in a character's feelings and experiences

parable

a short narrative presented in which a comparison is made between the characters and circumstances to reality to provide a moral or religious lesson

fable

short narrative, especially with animals as characters, conveying a moral

fairy tale

fictional story that usually features fantastic characters

myth

part of a system of stories passed through the generations by a particular cultural group which were once believed to be true and which served to explain why the world is as it is and why things happen as they do

tall tale

a story about impossible or exaggerated happenings related in a realistic, matter-of-fact, and often humorous way

legend

stories from the past that are believed to contain some historical truth

imagery

words or word groups that help the reader to picture or sense what is being described

narrative hook

a device by which a writer catches the reader's attention

initial incident

begins or reveals the conflict of the story. holds the reason for the characters in the story doing the things that they do

complications

an incident or a series of incidents which interfere with the plans of the protagonist

happy ending

protagonist's conflict is resolved in his/her favour

unhappy ending

protagonist's conflict is not resolved in his favour

direct characterization

through the author's comments on the character

indirect characterization

through the character's speech, thoughts, and actions