LITERARY TERM: CLIMAXBy: Mary Staka

WHAT IS CLIMAX?

Def. a decisive moment that is of maximum intensity or is a major turning point in a plot.

So basically it’s the most exciting point in a story or the turning point.

THIS IS WHAT CLIMAX IS NOT

It’s not always in the very middle of the story.

It’s not the theme or main idea.

WHY ON EARTH DOES THIS EVEN MATTER?

Well first of all the climax is the height of the entire book so if you don’t have a climax get ready for people to start snoring when they read your story.

Secondly, it helps you break the book up into sections so its easier to analyze and understand.

THE CLIMAX OF THE OUTSIDERS

In The Outsiders the climax of the story is when the section of the book when they save the children from the burning church and when Johnny dies.

This is the climax because it’s a change in the setting of the book and it’s the most dramatic part.

THE CLIMAX OF THE GIVER

The climax in The Giver is when Jonas learns about his father “releasing” the other twin.

This is the climax because when Jonas realizes what his dad does and how “cloned” everybody is. At this pivotal point Jonas knows that he has to make a change.

THE CLIMAX OF FAHRENHEIT 451

The climax of Fahrenheit 451 is when Montag uses the flamethrower to murder Beatty when the firemen start burning his house.

This is a huge point in the book because Montag is no longer hiding himself he knows what he has to do and what’s best for everyone and he wasn’t so sure of that before.

THE CLIMAX OF JULIUS CAESAR

The climax in Julius Caesar is when Cassius asks his servant to stab him.

This is the climax because it’s the point at which Julius’s murder is avenged and instead of helping Rome they kind of made the situation worse.

CLIMAX IN POP CULTURE

There is a climax in basically everything which is why its so important. Climax is the most dramatic part and the turning or pivotal point in the book, movie, commercial or even in your own life.

An example is in The Blind Side. The climax in that movie is when Leigh Anne debates whether or not she is a good person due to NCAA suspicions that the Tuohys merely used Oher. This is the climax because after all of their kindness and generosity people think they were only doing it to make a star football player out of Michael.

HOMEWORK ( )

Your homework is to find the climax of the last book you finished and write what makes it the climax. This assignment should be detailed and about 3-5 well developed sentences. Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!