1. Novels/Short Stories

2. NOVEL
A long fictional story, whose length is normally somewhere between one hundred and five hundred pages
Uses the elements of storytelling: PLOT, CHARACTER, SETTING, THEME, and POINT OF VIEW

3. SHORT STORY
A short fictional prose narrative that usually makes up about 10 to 20 book pages
Follows the elements of plot-introduction/exposition, complications/rising action, climax, falling action, resolution
1st written in the 19th century
More limited than novels-usually have only 1 or 2 major characters and one important setting

4. PLOT The series of related events that make up a story
INTRODUCTION/ EXPOSITION: tells us who the characters are and, usually, what their conflict is
COMPLICATIONS/RISING ACTION: arise as the characters take steps to resolve the conflict
CLIMAX: the most exciting moment in the story, when the outcome is decided one way or another
FALLING ACTION: final part of a story when the characters’ problems are solved
RESOLUTION: the story is closed

5. CONFLICT
A struggle or clash between opposing characters, or between opposing forces.
INTERNAL CONFLICT: a struggle occurs within the character’s own mind
Man vs. self
EXTERNAL CONFLICT: a character struggles against some outside force
Man vs. man
Man vs. nature
Man vs. society

6. POINT OF VIEW The vantage point from which a story is told
OMNISCIENT: All knowing, the narrator knows everything about the characters and their problems; past, present, and future
3RD PERSON LIMITED: the narrator focuses on the thoughts and feelings of just one character
1ST PERSON: one of the characters is actually telling the story, using the personal pronoun “I”

7. The time and place of a story or play
SETTING
The time and place of a story or play

8. ATMOSPHERE/MOOD The overall mood or emotion of a work of literature
Ex: scary, dreamy, happy, sad
Atmosphere is created through a writer’s use of words to create images, sounds, and descriptions that convey a particular feeling.

9. CHARACTER
A person, animal, or thing in a story, play, or other literary work.
Static character: one who does NOT change very much throughout the story or piece of work
Dynamic character: one who changes as a result of the story’s events.

10. PROTAGONIST The main character in a work of literature
ANTAGONIST: a character who is opposing the protagonist

11. CHARACTERIZATION
The process of revealing the personality of a character.
6 ways to reveal characterization
By letting us HEAR THE CHARACTER SPEAK
By DESCRIBING how the character LOOKS AND DRESSES
By letting us LISTEN to the CHARACTER’S INNER THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS
By revealing what OTHER PEOPLE IN THE STORY THINK OR SAY about the character
By showing us WHAT THE CHARACTER DOES
By TELLING US DIRECTLY what the character’s personality is like (i.e. cruel, kind, sneaky, brave, and so on)

12. FORESHADOWING
The use of clues or hints suggesting events that will occur later in the plot
Used to build suspense or anxiety in the reader

13. SUSPENSE
The uncertainty or anxiety we feel about what will happen next in a story

14. FLASHBACK
Interruption in the present action of a plot to flash backward and tell what happened at an earlier time
FLASH FORWARD: a break in the movement of a plot to an episode in the future

15. IRONY
A contrast between what appears to be true and what is really true or between expectation and reality
VERBAL IRONY-contrast between what is said or written and what is really meant
SITUATIONAL IRONY-occurs when what happens is very different from what we expected would happen
DRAMATIC IRONY-occurs when the audience or reader knows something that a character does not know

16. TONE
The attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character
Conveyed through the writer’s choice of words and detail
EX: humorous, sad, serious

17. THEME A main idea of a work of literature NOT the same as a subject
Theme must be expressed in a statement or sentence, not just one word