Short Story / NovelShort Story / Novel

Literary TermsLiterary Terms

FictionFiction

Fiction is Fiction is proseprose writing that writing that tells about imaginary tells about imaginary characters and events. characters and events.

Some fiction is entirely made-Some fiction is entirely made-up, while other fiction is up, while other fiction is based based onon real events and/or people real events and/or people

SettingSetting The setting of the The setting of the

literary work is literary work is the the timetime andand placeplace of the of the action. action.

Time can include not only Time can include not only the historical period—the historical period—past, present, or future—past, present, or future—but also a specific year, but also a specific year, season, or time of day. season, or time of day.

Place—though Place—though usually physical—usually physical—may also involve may also involve the social, the social, economic, or economic, or cultural cultural environment of environment of the story the story

What do you find in the setting What do you find in the setting of a short story?of a short story?

A.) resolution of the conflictA.) resolution of the conflict

B.) time and placeB.) time and place

C.) the highest point of a storyC.) the highest point of a story

ProtagonistProtagonist

The protagonist is the The protagonist is the main main charactercharacter in a literary work.in a literary work.

He/she is He/she is NOTNOT necessarily necessarily the “good guy”, just the the “good guy”, just the mainmain character character

AntagonistAntagonistAn antagonist is a character An antagonist is a character

or force in conflict with the or force in conflict with the main character main character

This is This is NOTNOT necessarily the necessarily the “bad guy”, just the person “bad guy”, just the person or thing that is working or thing that is working against the main characteragainst the main character

ConflictConflict

INTERNALINTERNAL -Conflict that -Conflict that occurs inside occurs inside the characterthe character

-man Vs. self-man Vs. self

EXTERNALEXTERNAL ––Conflict that occurs Conflict that occurs

outside of the characteroutside of the character-man Vs. man-man Vs. man-man Vs. nature-man Vs. nature-man Vs. society-man Vs. society-man Vs. fate-man Vs. fate

A conflict is a A conflict is a strugglestruggle between between opposing opposing forces. forces. There are two types of conflict: There are two types of conflict:

SymbolSymbol

Something that has a literal Something that has a literal meaning, but also stands for or meaning, but also stands for or represents an abstract idea.represents an abstract idea.

Example: The American Flag– on Example: The American Flag– on a a literal level, it is just a flag, a literal level, it is just a flag, a piece of piece of cloth. However, it also cloth. However, it also stands for stands for this this particular county, particular county, for freedom, etc.for freedom, etc.

Denotation Vs. ConnotationDenotation Vs. Connotation

Denotation: Denotation:

The dictionary The dictionary meaning of a meaning of a word, independent word, independent of other of other associations that associations that the word may the word may havehave

Connotation: Connotation:

The set of ideas The set of ideas associated with associated with a word in a word in addition to the addition to the word’s actual, word’s actual, explicit meaningexplicit meaning

IronyIrony The difference between appearance The difference between appearance

and reality, expectation and result.and reality, expectation and result.

There are THREE kinds of Irony:There are THREE kinds of Irony:

--Verbal IronyVerbal Irony: a word or phrase used to : a word or phrase used to suggest the opposite of its actual meaningsuggest the opposite of its actual meaning

--Dramatic IronyDramatic Irony: When there is a : When there is a contradiction between what a character contradiction between what a character thinks and what the readers know is truethinks and what the readers know is true

Irony (continued)Irony (continued)--Situational IronySituational Irony: When an event : When an event

directly contradicts expectations of directly contradicts expectations of the reader or of the characters the reader or of the characters

DialogueDialogue

A dialogue is a A dialogue is a conversation conversation between characters. between characters.

It is often used to It is often used to reveal things about a reveal things about a character’s thoughts, character’s thoughts, motivations, and motivations, and personality to the personality to the reader, and to reader, and to advance the action advance the action of the plot.of the plot.

Example: Example:

After walking into the After walking into the kitchen, Susie cried, kitchen, Susie cried, ““Mom, how could Mom, how could you eat the last you eat the last cupcake?!cupcake?!” ”

Mom replied, Mom replied, “I was “I was hungry, and you hungry, and you weren’t here. It was weren’t here. It was delicious, my dear!”delicious, my dear!”

DictionDiction

Word choice, including Word choice, including vocabulary used, word vocabulary used, word appropriateness, and vividness appropriateness, and vividness of languageof language

MoodMoodThe The feelingfeeling created in the created in the

reader by a literary workreader by a literary work

ToneToneThe The attitude toward the attitude toward the

subject subject that an author that an author conveys in a piece of writingconveys in a piece of writing

PurposePurpose

The author’s reason for writing a The author’s reason for writing a specific piece specific piece

(Examples: To entertain, to (Examples: To entertain, to inform, or to persuade the inform, or to persuade the reader)reader)

ForeshadowingForeshadowing

Clues in a literary work that suggest Clues in a literary work that suggest events that have yet to occurevents that have yet to occur

This literary This literary device helps to device helps to create suspense, create suspense, keeping readers keeping readers wondering about wondering about what will happen what will happen next.next.

GeneralizationGeneralization

A broad principle that is supported by A broad principle that is supported by evidence or particularsevidence or particulars

EvidenceEvidence Particulars, or details, that lead to Particulars, or details, that lead to

generalizationsgeneralizationsEvidence

Evidence

Evidence

Evidence

GENERALIZATION

(BIG PICTURE!!!)

ThemeTheme

The The central message central message or insight or insight into life revealed through a literary into life revealed through a literary workwork

– This is the This is the deeper meaningdeeper meaning, the , the

main lessonmain lesson//messagemessage//moralmoral that the that the author hopes the reader will author hopes the reader will understand at the end of the storyunderstand at the end of the story

SimileSimile

A comparison between two unlike A comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as”.things using “like” or “as”.

Similes are used to make descriptions Similes are used to make descriptions of objects or people more powerful.of objects or people more powerful.

Example: Example: Without a simile: “It was dark outside.”Without a simile: “It was dark outside.”With a simile: “The night was as dark as With a simile: “The night was as dark as

thick, black velvet.” thick, black velvet.”

AllusionAllusion

When one literary work references a When one literary work references a well-known person, place, event, work well-known person, place, event, work of art, or another literary work to make of art, or another literary work to make a point.a point.

Example: In Taylor Swift’s song “Love Example: In Taylor Swift’s song “Love Story”, she Story”, she alludesalludes to the play “Romeo to the play “Romeo and Juliet” and the novel and Juliet” and the novel The Scarlet The Scarlet LetterLetter to enhance her message. to enhance her message.

MetaphorMetaphor A comparison between two unlike A comparison between two unlike

things, without using the words “like” things, without using the words “like” or “as”.or “as”.

Instead, one thing is spoken of as Instead, one thing is spoken of as though it though it isis something else completely. something else completely.

Example (from the Langston Hughes poem Example (from the Langston Hughes poem “Dreams”):“Dreams”):

“…if dreams die“…if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly”That cannot fly”

PersonificationPersonification

A type of figurative language, where a A type of figurative language, where a non-human object is given human non-human object is given human characteristicscharacteristics

Examples: Examples:

--The desk coughed and grunted as I shoved it across the old wooden floor.

-The tea kettle whistled once the water was boiling.

ImageryImagery The The descriptivedescriptive or figurative or figurative

language used in literature to language used in literature to create create word picturesword pictures for the for the reader.reader.

These word pictures/images, are These word pictures/images, are created by details of sight, sound, created by details of sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, or movement.taste, touch, smell, or movement.

Point of ViewPoint of View The perspective or angle from which a The perspective or angle from which a

story is being toldstory is being told

There are several types:There are several types:– First-Person-Point-of-ViewFirst-Person-Point-of-View: When the : When the

narrator telling the story is one of the narrator telling the story is one of the characters, and tells the story as a characters, and tells the story as a personal accountpersonal account

– Third-Person-Point-of-ViewThird-Person-Point-of-View: When the : When the narrator is not one of the characters (has narrator is not one of the characters (has no name, and does not participate in any no name, and does not participate in any of the action of the plot)of the action of the plot)

Point of View (continued)Point of View (continued)

There are also two types of Third-There are also two types of Third-Person-Point-of-View:Person-Point-of-View:

– Third-Third-Limited-Point-of-View-Point-of-View: When the : When the narrator sees the world through narrator sees the world through oneone character’s eyes and reveals character’s eyes and reveals onlyonly thatthat character’s thoughtscharacter’s thoughts

– Third-Third-Omniscient-Point-of-View-Point-of-View: When : When the narrator sees into the minds of all the the narrator sees into the minds of all the characterscharacters

Dynamic CharacterDynamic Character

A character that develops and changes A character that develops and changes through the course of a storythrough the course of a story

Example: Ebenezer ScroogeExample: Ebenezer Scrooge at the at the beginning of “A Christmas Carol”, he is beginning of “A Christmas Carol”, he is a mean, lonely man that is only a mean, lonely man that is only interested in money. By the end of the interested in money. By the end of the story, he is generous, and interested in story, he is generous, and interested in the “true spirit of Christmas.”the “true spirit of Christmas.”

Static CharacterStatic Character

A character that does A character that does notnot change or change or develop through the course of the develop through the course of the storystory

Example: Example:

Wile E. Coyote Wile E. Coyote

CharacterizationCharacterization

The way a writer reveals a character’s The way a writer reveals a character’s personality and traitspersonality and traits

There are two methods:There are two methods:– Direct CharacterizationDirect Characterization: The author : The author

directly states a character’s personality directly states a character’s personality and/or physical traitsand/or physical traits

– Indirect CharacterizationIndirect Characterization: Uses a : Uses a character’s thoughts, actions, and character’s thoughts, actions, and feelings, to suggest the character’s traits.feelings, to suggest the character’s traits.

NarratorNarrator

The person The person from from whose whose perspectivperspective a story is e a story is toldtold

Round CharacterRound Character

A character that exhibits many traits, A character that exhibits many traits, faults as well as virtuesfaults as well as virtues

Flat CharacterFlat Character A character who seems to have only A character who seems to have only

a single personality traita single personality trait

FantasyFantasy

A work of A work of fiction with fiction with characters, characters, places, and places, and events that events that could not could not really existreally exist

PlotPlot

The The sequence of sequence of events events that make up that make up a story, usually a story, usually centering around a centering around a main conflictmain conflict

The Five Stages of PlotThe Five Stages of Plot

ExpositionExposition

The first stage of plot!The first stage of plot!

In the Exposition, the scene is set: In the Exposition, the scene is set: – this part of the story introduces this part of the story introduces

the the characterscharacters, tells the reader , tells the reader the the settingsetting, and provides all of , and provides all of the necessary the necessary background background informationinformation

Rising ActionRising Action

The second stage of plot!The second stage of plot!

This is where the action usually This is where the action usually begins. begins. In the Rising Action, the In the Rising Action, the conflictconflict is introduced is introduced (either (either between characters, or with an between characters, or with an outside force). This conflict will build outside force). This conflict will build up pressure until the Climaxup pressure until the Climax

ClimaxClimax The climax is The climax is

the the highest highest point of point of conflict conflict in the in the story!! story!!

Generally, this is the Generally, this is the point after which point after which everything is everything is different. All of the different. All of the pressure or events pressure or events of the Rising Action of the Rising Action have stacked up to have stacked up to this moment, when this moment, when something must something must change change

Falling ActionFalling Action

This stage begins the This stage begins the downward slopedownward slope the conflict the conflict lessens, and the plot moves lessens, and the plot moves towards closuretowards closure

Resolution/DenouementResolution/Denouement

In the final stage of plot, the conflict In the final stage of plot, the conflict concludes, and loose ends are tied concludes, and loose ends are tied up. up.