Fiction Terms

Fiction: Any narrative about invented characters and action

Plot: The arrangement of action - exposition, inciting action, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution

Exposition: First phase of a plot. Establishes setting and characters

Rising Action: The conflict moves toward its peak/turning point

Climax: Story peak, Main conflict is the strongest. Falling action begins. turning point

Falling Action: The conflict moves towards the resolution

Resolution: Conflict is resolved

Physical Setting: The location of the story, barn meadow, etc

Chronological Setting: When the story takes place, past, present, future

Protagonist: The main character of the story

Antagonist: A character or nonhuman force that opposes the protagonist - villain

Static Character: A character that does not change throughout the story

Dynamic Character: Characters that change throughout the story

External Conflict: Conflict is against the protagonist physically

Internal Conflict: Opposing forces are within the protagonist

Literary (contextual) Symbol: the use of words to represent an idea

Narrator: The person or character telling the story

Dramatic narrator: The narrator reports events in the story without looking into the character’s mind/perspective

First-Person Point of View: The story is from one’s perspective

Third-Person Point of View: Story from the perspective of all parties

Theme: The explored topic in literary works

Tone: Attitude of the story

Style: a distinctive matter of expression

Diction: Choice of words

Syntax: Word order

Dialogue: Words spoken by characters