1. Plot Notes 7 th Grade ELA

2. Plot Diagram ExpositionResolution Rising Action Falling Action Climax

3. Exposition Situation: The basic situation at the start of the story. (Meet the characters. How the story starts) Setting: The time, place, and location a story takes place

4. Rising Action A series of events that lead to the climax

5. Climax The turning point in the story

6. Falling Action The events that happen after the climax and before the resolution

7. Resolution How the story ends. Loose ends may be tied up

8. Point of View 3 kinds of point of view 1 st person POV: story teller is IN the story – personal pronouns: I, me, us, mine, etc 2 nd person POV: story teller talks to audience – personal pronouns: you 3 rd person POV: story teller is OUTSIDE the story (narrator, author) – personal pronouns: he, she, they, them, etc

9. Characters Protagonist – The main character of a story Antagonist – The character that works against the main character (usually “the bad guy”) – Be sure to explain why you think he/she is the antagonist (How do they work against the protagonist?)

10. Characterization Direct: The author comes right out and tells you what a character looks like or the type of person he/she is. – Becky is a nice girl. Indirect: The writer reveals information about a character and his personality through that character's thoughts, words, and actions. – Billy pushed Sam down in the hall.

11. Theme Central message Lesson learned Main idea of the story

12. Types of Conflict External (outside) Person vs. Person: fight, argument Person vs. Nature: tornado, storm, bear Person vs. Society: go against an organization, group, or societal “norm” Internal (inside) Person vs. Self: making a decision

13. Symbolism When an object or character represents something else The object or character usually represents an abstract idea. Look at examples Its still the object/character but it also stands for something bigger.

14. Irony The opposite of what you expect to happen occurs Examples – A teacher cheats on a test – A murder detective turns out to be the killer – The Titanic, which was said to be “unsinkable”, sunk on its maiden voyage

15. Foreshadowing The author hints at something that will occur later in the story Many times we discover foreshadowing AFTER we have finished a story Example: – He felt a cold chill as he walked through the dark alley ( foreshadowing something bad will happen).