CurriculumShort Story Terms |
protagonist: main character. A more general term than hero; not all protagonists are heroic.
antagonist: a character (or sometimes a thing) in conflict with the main character or protagonist. conflict: the central problem or issue to be resolved in a plot, involving the main character struggling against another character(s) or obstacle (man vs man/ man vs. himself/ man vs. society or societal condition / man vs. nature/supernatural/ man vs. technology. If you determine the conflict correctly, you discover the antagonist and the protagonist. exposition: the revelation (usually early) in a story or play of necessary background information . setting: the location of a story. Both time and space, era and location foreshadowing: a hint that is fully understood only in retrospect after the reader discovers more information later in the plot. The term does not simply mean an omen or an explicit prediction of something that will happen later. Foreshadowing is always a noun; foreshadow is a verb. climax: the high point of tension in a plot, when the outcome is decided. dénouement (DAY-new-MAW), resolution or conclusion: the scene in which a plot reaches its final outcome: mysteries are solved, questions answered, and the main conflict settled. epiphany: a sudden moment of realization in a story or play, often triggered by a mundane event. Originally a religious term for a worldly manifestation of God’s presence. symbol: a thing that suggests more than its literal meaning. A symbol can be a thing (e.g., the flowers in “The Chrysanthemums”) or an action (Sammy’s punching the No Sale tab at the climax of “A & P”). Recurring images (such as light in “Araby”) can take on symbolic overtones. Symbolism is the collective function of symbols in a work, or an author’s use of symbols. flashback: “an interruption of the chronological sequence (as of a film or literary work) of an event of earlier occurrence” irony: a literary term referring to how a person, situation, statement, or circumstance is not as it would actually seem. Many times it is the exact opposite of what it appears to be Dramatic irony: when the reader is aware of something that is going to occur in a story that a character is unaware of. Verbal irony: when the writer says one thing but means something entirely different. motif (moh-TEEF): a recurring object, concept, or structure in a work of literature. A motif may also be two contrasting elements in a work, such as good and evil diction: the intended language used by an author in order to create a greater sense of locale tone- the attitude the author expresses of his/her topic point of view:the perspective from which a story is narrated. The author can choose among various possibilities. Second-person narrative is possible, but two classes are common: third-person or non-participant narrator: a narrator who is not a character. objective: narrative that only describes and does not enter characters’ thoughts. limited or selective omniscience: narrative that sees into one (major or minor) character. omniscience: narrative that sees into different characters. In editorial omniscience, a variant of omniscience, the third-person narrator adds comments judging characters. first-person or participant narrator: a narrator who is a (major or minor) character in the story. ironic point of view: a first-person narrator who does not understand the implications of the story. unreliable narrator: a narrator who misinterprets the story due to prejudice, madness, etc. naïve narrator: a narrator who is too innocent to understand the story fully. |
Character Terms |
flat character: a one-dimensional character who has only a few, easily defined traits. Most minor characters are flat. Not to be confused with a static character.
round character: a multi-faceted character, especially one who is capable of choosing right or wrong. Usually a protagonist is a round character; in most short stories no more than one or two characters are round. Not to be confused with a dynamic character. dynamic character: a character who changes, especially one who comes to a major realization. The realization may or may not change the character’s actions, but the character must never be able to see the world in quite the same way. Not all protagonists are dynamic. Rarely does a short story have more than one or two dynamic characters. static character: a character who undergoes no such change. stock character: a character type used repeatedly, often a stereotype like the mad scientist of horror stories or the blonde airhead of teen movies. Stock characters are usually encountered in popular fiction. However, excellent writers have sometimes used stock characters in original ways. . |