Short Story Literary Terms

Front 1

the sequence of events and happening in a literary work

Back 1

plot

Front 2

a struggle between 2 opposing forces or characters in a short story, novel, play, or narrative poem

Back 2

conflict

Front 3

a struggle within the mind of a character

Back 3

internal conflict

Front 4

a clash between 2 or more characters, character(s) vs. society or character(s) vs. nature

Back 4

external conflict

Front 5

the main character in a story who readers want to win

Back 5

protagonist

Front 6

the opposing force who goes against the protagonist

Back 6

antagonist

Front 7

the use of hints or clues in a narrative to suggest what action is coming

Back 7

foreshadowing

Front 8

the quality that makes readers eager to know what happens next

Back 8

suspense

Front 9

the attitude a writer takes toward his or her subject, characters, and readers

Back 9

tone

Front 10

the point of greatest emotional intensity, interest, or suspense in a narrative

Back 10

climax

Front 11

the outcome of the conflict in a play or story

Back 11

resolution

Front 12

irony in which a write or speaker says one things and means something different

Back 12

verbal irony

Front 13

an outcome where by a person receives what he or she deserved in a manner that is ironically appropriate

Back 13

poetic justice

Front 14

contrast between what is stated and what is meant or what should happen and what does happen

Back 14

irony

Front 15

when a character's actions bring about unexpected results

Back 15

irony of situation

Front 16

when the reader knows something the character doesnt know

Back 16

dramatic irony

Front 17

a story within a story

Back 17

framework story

Front 18

a writer can develop/reveal a character in a number of ways through:1. physical description 2. actions 3. thoughts/feelings, speeches 4. comments/ reactions of other characters

Back 18

indirect characterization

Front 19

develop a character by direct statements giving the writer's opinion of the character

Back 19

direct characterization

Front 20

character that remains the same throughout the story

Back 20

static character

Front 21

character that experiences some change in personality or attitude

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dynamic character

Front 22

the vantage point from which a narrative is told

Back 22

point of view

Front 23

the story is told by one of the characters in his or her own words that is from the "I" vantage point

Back 23

first person pov

Front 24

the narrator tells the story from the vantage point of "he" or "she"

Back 24

third person pov

Front 25

all knowing observer who can describe all of the characters and actions in the story as well as comment on what the characters think and feel

Back 25

third person omniscient pov

Front 26

a story from the pov of only one character

Back 26

third person limited pov

Front 27

the time and place of action in a narrative

Back 27

setting

Front 28

language that is not intended to be interpreted in a literal sense

Back 28

figurative language

Front 29

a term applied to a specific kind of figurative language, such as simile or metaphor

Back 29

figures of speech

Front 30

a comparison between two unlike things through the use of words like, as, as if, than, such as

Back 30

simile

Front 31

comparison between two unlike things without the use of any special language

Back 31

metaphor

Front 32

invests something nonhuman with human qualities

Back 32

personification

Front 33

a concrete object that represents an abstract idea

Back 33

symbol

Front 34

a reference in one work of literature to a person, place, or event in another work of literature or in history, art, or music

Back 34

allusion

Front 35

the main idea or basic meaning of a literary work

Back 35

theme

Front 36

events existing out of their proper time in history

Back 36

anachronism