Q2- Prose Analysis Vocab

Direct Characterization

When the narrator explicitly describes a character’s traits.

Indirect Characterization

When a character’s traits are revealed through actions, dialogue, thoughts, and interactions.

Flat Character

A one-dimensional character with limited development

Round Character

A complex, fully developed character with multiple traits.

Static Character

A character who remains unchanged throughout the text

Dynamic Character

A character who undergoes significant growth or change

Foil

A character who contrasts with another to highlight particular character traits.

Stock Character

A stereotypical character type (the wise mentor, the trickster)

Archetype

A universally recognized character model (the tragic hero, the outcast)

Internal Conflict

A character’s struggle with emotions, desires, or beliefs.

External Conflict

A struggle between a character and an outside force (society, nature, another character)

Protagonist

the character or characters on whom a narrative primarily focuses

Antagonist

A character or element that opposes the protagonist(s)

Exposition

Introduction of background information, setting, and characters.

Rising Action

The events leading to the climax that build tension

Climax

The moment of greatest intensity or turning point

Falling Action

The events following the climax leading to resolution

Denouncement

The resolution or conclusion of the narrative.

Nonlinear Narrative

A structure that does not follow a chronological order (flashbacks, fragmented narrative).

In Medias Res

A narrative that begins in the middle of the action

Frame Story

A story within a story, often used to provide context or contrast perspectives.

Epistolary narrative

A story told through letters, journal entries, or documents.

Stream of Consciousness

A narrative mode that captures a character’s continuous flow of thoughts and feelings.

Verbal Irony

When a speaker says something but means the opposite.

Situational Irony

When there is a discrepancy between the realistic expectations of the characters and the audience and what actually occurs.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows something that the characters do not

Cosmic Irony

When fate or the universe seems to mock or thwart human efforts

Socratic Irony

When a character pretends ignorance to expose the ignorance or flaws of others.

First-Person Narrator

A character narrates using “I” or “we”.

Third-Person Limited Narrator

The narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character.

Third-Person Omniscient Narrator

The narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters

Third-Person Objective Narrator

The narrator reports events without revealing characters’ thoughts or emotions.

Unreliable Narrator

A narrator whose credibility is compromised due to bias, limited knowledge, or deception.

Detached Observer

A narrator who reports events without emotional involvement

Interior Monologue

A narrative technique that presents a character’s thoughts in a flowing, uninterrupted manner.

Free Indirect Discourse

A blending of third-person narration with the character’s own thoughts, creating a seamless perspective shift.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as”.

Simile

A comparison using “like” or “as”

Personification

Attributing human qualities to non-human things.

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or effect

Understatement

Deliberately downplaying something for ironic or rhetorical effect.

Allusion

A reference to a well-known work, historical event, or figure.

Symbolism

The use of an object, character, or event to represent a larger idea.

Motif

A recurring element that reinforces a theme

Allegory

A narrative in which characters and events symbolically represent broader concepts

Sensory Detail/Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses and creates a visual, auditory, or other sensory experience. (visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory, gustatory)

Concrete Detail

Specific, tangible details that create vivid imagery.

Abstract detail

Details that describe ideas, emotions, or concepts rather than physical things.

Juxtaposition

Placing contrasting elements side by side for effect

Cataloging

The listing of details or items for emphasis- to show abundance, to equalize catalogued elements, or to create momentum, etc.

Foreshadowing

Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story

Ambiguity

Deliberate uncertainty or multiple interpretations of a detail