Short Story Vocab

Conclusion

when the situation becomes stable and conflict is resolved

Conflict

struggle between opposing forces

Exposition

sets the scene, introduces characters, identifies situation

External conflict

when the struggle is outside the character or against another

Fiction

a made up story or piece of literature

Flash forward

a fictional scene from the future that is inserted into the fictional present

Flashback

a fictional scene from the past that is inserted into the fictional present

Flat character

relatively simple and often predictable

Focus

what the story “spotlights”

Foreshadowing

a hint or clue about the future plot

Internal conflict

when the opposing drive is apart of a single character

Narration

telling a story

Nonfiction

a piece of literature, real events, or facts

Plot

arrangement of action

Point of view

the perspective a story is viewed in

Resolution

when conflict is stabilized

Round character

complex, multifaceted, and unpredictable

Setting

where a story takes place

Spatial character

the place(s) where action unfolds

Static character

does not change

Theme

the main message the literature focuses on

Tone

attitude if a literary work that is revealed through diction

Voice

the source of the story’s words