Short Story Terms

Theme

The issue or idea explored in a story

Conflict

The main problem or struggle between characters in a story

Person versus person

Two or more characters who are in conflict with each other

Person versus nature

A character is in conflict with some aspect of nature, including weather, animals, geography or disease

Person versus self

Conflict with yourself

Person versus divine

Person against the divine, eternal, and omnipotent

Person versus society/culture

A character in conflict with accepted values, practices, and habits of their society or culture

Exposition

Background information of a story

Episode

Self contained unit of action in a larger story

Obstacles

Something that gets in the way of the character’s growth

Complication

A potential setback- when things get difficult - when a problem arises

Static/Flat characters

Characters that don’t change/ not fully developed

Dynamic/round character

Characters that change and evolve across the course of the story

Direct characterization

Straightforward descriptions about a character by the narrator

Indirect characterization

A character characterized through his actions, words, thoughts, and other’s thoughts about them

Plot

Events/action of the story

Point of change/ Inciting action

Event that starts the conflict in the story

Rising action

Episodes of conflict made up of obstacles and complications, increasing tension of the story

Climax

Tension release point- the highest point of interest

Moment when we find out whether the character will succeed or fail

Falling action

Events following the climax

Resolution

Ending of a story

First person perspective

A character in the story is the one telling it (uses the word I)

Third person, omniscient perspective

Narrator is not part of the story but knows everything

Crisis

Points at which the character may live or die

Symbol

an object that stands for something, probably an idea

Metaphor

A comparison, calling one thing another thing to help you understand its qualities

Flashback

A scene that returns to a time before the action of the story that you’re currently in

Foreshadowing

A hint about future events of the story

Active voice

Verbs that convey action (I pat the cat)

Passive voice

Using linking verbs that do not convey action (the cat was patted by me)

Personification

Attribution of a personal nature or human characteristic to something nonhuman or the representation of an abstract quality in human form