1. Literary Terms Bible

2. Literary Terms Literary terms provide useful language to talk and write about literature. They help critical readers to analyze elements of a work and to consider how—and how well—the elements interconnect. The following literary terms are often used in studies of fiction.

3. the sequence of main events in a story – involves conflict a main character (protagonist) struggles with one or more opposing forces (antagonists) – four major types of conflict: protagonist vs. nature (external) protagonist vs. society (external) protagonist vs. another person (external) protagonist vs. self (internal) Plot

4. Rising Action Exposition Falling Action Denouement Crisis/Climax introduces the reader to the situation – Background information – Introduces characters & setting conflict emerges and builds completes the resolution and closes the story high point of the action consequences of the climax

5. Plot Structure Chronological – events in order of occurrence Flashbacks Framing devices – parallel openings and closings Episodic – events related by sequence but not by causation Subplots – shed light (by comparison/contrast) on the main plot

6. In analyzing plot, you may find the following questions helpful: What happens in the story? Why? Against whom or what is the main character struggling? Why? Does the protagonist win or lose? Why? How much action occurs? How significant is it? How has the author sequenced events? Why?

7. Goes beyond events to consider issues of meaning: – What does the story say about human beings, reality, society? – abstracts from specific events and characters – makes a general statement about life Themes are statements (not just topics); express them through complete sentences. Theme

8. Theme can be… a clear moral message, a lesson about how to live a statement about the nature of life stated directly an implication about the nature of human existence

9. These questions may help you in considering theme: Is the story optimistic or pessimistic? What universal situations and general values are involved? Does the narrator or main character arrive at any insights? Why or why not? Does the story leave you with any insights? Remember: Plot is what happens. Theme is what it means!

10. Major – protagonist = main character focus of the story’s action – antagonist Minor – play subordinate roles Characters

11. Static — change very little or not at all Dynamic — change as a result of events Round — complex individuals; cannot be captured with a single word or phrase Flat — easily summed up Stock — a familiar stereotype Caricature — an extreme exaggeration of one or several human characteristics

12. Characterization Direct characterization – overt statements about characters’ backgrounds, motives, and personalities Indirect characterization – reveals characters through their actions and statements.

13. In analyzing characters and characterization, you may want to use some or all of the following questions: Answer these for all Major Characters – Does the character grow or deteriorate? Why or why not? – How complex is the character? – Are the character’s words and actions consistent? – Is the character intelligent? likable? insightful? responsible? happy? believable? How do you know? How important are the minor characters?

14. refers to the narrator, the person who is telling the story – first-person point-of-view easily recognized by the use of first-person pronouns character in the story limited to knowing their own experiences, observations, and thoughts Point of View

15. – third person point-of-view (limited) voice outside the story know one character’s thoughts – third person point-of-view (omniscient) voice outside the story seem to know all the characters’ actions and thoughts

16. Point of View objective narrator – actions speak for themselves – doesn’t state thoughts or feelings directly unreliable narrator – can’t be trusted

17. Here are some questions to use in considering point of view: Who is telling the story? How much does the speaker know and tell? How would the story change if someone else were to tell it? Does the narrator contradict himself/herself, either directly or indirectly? To what extent can the reader accept the narrator’s version of events and their meaning?

18. a story’s placement in time and space – entails both physical and cultural context Setting

19. varies in complexity and importance – may serve as passive background – may generate atmosphere – may function as antagonist – may be the source of an intricate web of allusions – often a key to characterization

20. Setting limits an author’s choices regarding plot, character, and detail anachronism – a choice inconsistent with the time setting

21. In considering setting, ask yourself questions such as these: How vivid or vague is your sense of the story’s time and place? How familiar are you with the cultural context? Does the setting act as a passive background, or does it affect action? How does the setting illuminate the characters and events? How would the story have to alter if set in a different place and/or time?

22. Imagery Similes Metaphors Symbols Rhyme & Meter Diction & syntax – author’s choices in use of language Style – an author’s characteristic choices Other Literary Terms I will let you know what literary terms you need to address!