Exam Review Team Challenge

The sequence of events or happenings in a story Plot The sequence of events or happenings in a story

Foil A character who emphasizes another character by emphasizing differences

Exposition Action is introduced. Reader gains background information about setting, characters and conflict

Rising Action Tension builds. Working to solve the problem. Leads to the turning point

Action of the story reverses. Determines how the action will turn out. Turning Point Action of the story reverses. Determines how the action will turn out.

Action after the climax. The plot winds down. Falling Action Action after the climax. The plot winds down.

The final outcome of the story. How the conflict is resolved. Resolution The final outcome of the story. How the conflict is resolved.

Struggle between two forces Conflict Struggle between two forces

Man vs. Self Struggle is within the mind of the character Internal Conflict Man vs. Self Struggle is within the mind of the character

External Conflict Struggle against some outside force. Man vs. man; man vs. society; man vs. nature; man vs. supernatural

Characterization DARTS Ways that the writer reveals the personality of a character to the reader. DARTS

Theme What the story means. What the author wanted you to gain from reading the story

The main character. Who the story is about Protagonist The main character. Who the story is about

The character or force in conflict with the protagonist Antagonist The character or force in conflict with the protagonist

Secondary Characters Characters other than the protagonist and antagonist, but are necessary to the plot

Drama A story acted out usually on a stage by actors who take parts of specific characters

Juxtaposition When two words or ideas are placed side by side for contrast

Static Characters Stay the same throughout the story. They do not grow or change in any important way

Soliloquy A speech, usually lengthy, in which a character alone on stage expresses his thoughts out loud

Dynamic Characters Change or grow during the story. They learn something from their experiences that changes them internally.

Aside Words spoken by a character in a play, usually in an undertone, not intended to be heard by other characters on stage

Monologue A long uninterrupted speech that is spoken in the presence of other characters

The reader only learns one or two traits of the character. One-sided Flat Character The reader only learns one or two traits of the character. One-sided

Tragedy A literary work in which the central character, a person of nobility, meets an unhappy or disastrous end. Gives the audience an opportunity for catharsis.

The reader learns about many sides of the character’s personality Round Character The reader learns about many sides of the character’s personality

Time, place and atmosphere of the story given in the exposition Setting Time, place and atmosphere of the story given in the exposition

Dramatic Irony A device whereby the audience understands more of a situation or of what is being said than the character does.

Situational Irony Events or issues in the story happen opposite of what is expected

Verbal Irony Writer or speaker says one thing but really means something completely different

Imagery Language that appeals to the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell

The author’s/ narrator’s attitude toward the subject or audience Tone The author’s/ narrator’s attitude toward the subject or audience

Prologue A preface to a play or story giving background information related to the setting and characters

Hints about what will happen later in the story; a clue Foreshadowing Hints about what will happen later in the story; a clue

Onomatopoeia Use of words that sound like what they mean. POW!

Who is telling the story Point of view Who is telling the story

Theme The big idea that the writer wants the reader to gain from the literature. Theme is a truth about life, not a moral or a single word topic.

Imagery Language that appeals to the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell.

Figurative Language Use of the language that describes one thing in terms of another and is not mean to be understood on a literal level.

Metaphor Comparison between two unlike things that is stated directly. There is no connecting word.

Simile Figure of speech comparing two things using a connecting word such as “like, as, than…”

Personification A special kind of metaphor in which a nonhuman thing or quality is given human traits.

Hyperbole Exaggeration to express strong emotion or create comic effect.

Speaker The voice that talks to the reader. It is NOT always the writer.

Characterization How the writer reveals the personality of a character to the reader. There are 5 ways. DARTS

Conflict A struggle between opposing forces. Can be either internal or external

Alliteration Repetition of similar consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

Connotation All the meanings, associations or emotions that a word suggests.

Diction A writer’s or speaker’s choice of words. Often reflects his tone.

Tone Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject or a character.

Mood The feeling that the reader gets from reading a piece of writing.

Allusion Reference to a statement, a person, place or an event from literature, history, religion, mythology, politics, sports, science or pop culture.

Sonnet Fourteen line lyric poem usually written in iambic pentameter. Either structured as an Italian with an octet (octave) and a sestet or as a Shakespearean with three quatrains and a concluding couplet.

Symbol Person, place or thing that stands for itself and for something beyond itself.

Rhyme Scheme The pattern of rhyme in a poem. Can include exact rhymes (moon, June) and approximate rhymes (hollow, mellow).

First person Uses “I”. The narrator is a character in the story, usually a main character.

Third objective Uses “he, she, it”. Narrator only reports what characters say and do. Shows no thoughts or feelings. “fly on the wall”

“All knowing” narrator can tell what all characters think and feel. Third omniscient “All knowing” narrator can tell what all characters think and feel.

Narrator can tell what one or two characters think and feel Third limited Narrator can tell what one or two characters think and feel

Stage Directions Instructions in a play, usually in parenthesis or italics, which tell the actors or technicians what to do

Autobiography The story of a person’s life written by that person.

MYTH Genre in which a traditional story, rooted in a particular culture, usually serves to explain a mystery of life

Dialogue Conversation between characters

Personification An animal, object, natural force, or idea is given human traits

Pun Humorous use of a word or phrase to suggest two or more meanings at the same time

Biography The story of a person’s life written by someone else.

Fiction Genre in which the content is made up; a made up story.