1. Literary Terms We will be using these literary terms throughout the school year. You need to keep up with your notes. Don’t lose your terms! You might be able to use them on some quizzes– be RESPONSIBLE!!

2. Character A character is a person or an animal that takes part in a story.

3. Protagonist The main character in a story; most of the time, this will be the good guy

4. Antagonist The character in conflict with the main character.

5. Setting The time and place of the action in a story The setting includes all the details of a place and time – the year, the time of day, even the weather. The place may be a specific country, state, region, community, neighborhood, building, institution, or home. The setting includes all the details of a place and time – the year, the time of day, even the weather. The place may be a specific country, state, region, community, neighborhood, building, institution, or home. Details such as dialect, clothing, customs, and modes of transportation are often used to establish setting. Details such as dialect, clothing, customs, and modes of transportation are often used to establish setting. In most stories, the setting serves as a backdrop – a context in which the characters interact. The setting of a story often helps to create a particular mood, or feeling. In most stories, the setting serves as a backdrop – a context in which the characters interact. The setting of a story often helps to create a particular mood, or feeling.

6. Plot The sequence of events in a story.

7. PLOTLINE Exposition Resolution Rising Action Climax Falling Action Conflict Introduced Freytag’s Pyramid

8. Exposition Introduces the characters, the setting, and the basic situation of a story.

9. Rising Action Begins to occur as soon as the conflict is introduced; adds complications to the conflict and increases reader interest.

10. Climax The highest point of interest or suspense in the story.

11. Falling Act ion The action that typically follows the climax and reveals its results.

12. Resolution The part of the plot that concludes or ends the story; the outcome of the conflict is usually revealed.

13. Conflict A struggle between opposing forces. Conflict can be shown in 2 ways Conflict can be shown in 2 ways

14. External Conflict Occurs when a character struggles against some outside force. Examples:Man vs. Man Man vs. Nature Man vs. Machine

15. Internal Conflict Occurs within the mind of a character. This is a struggle within one’s self. Man vs. Self

16. Mood The feeling created in the reader by a story.

17. Flashback A literary device in which an earlier episode, conversation, or event is inserted into the sequence of events.

18. Foreshadowing Clues that hint at what might happen later in the story. This is used to build a readers’ expectations and to create suspense.

19. Suspense The growing interest and excitement readers experience while reading a story.

20. Theme The central message, purpose, or concern in a story. It may be stated directly although it is more often presented indirectly.

21. Narrator The person who tells the story.