Characters & Conflict
The main character in a story, the one with whom the reader is meant to identify.
What is the Protagonist?
The highest dramatic point or major turning point in a story where everything changes.
What is the Climax?
A direct comparison between two unlike things that does not use the comparative words "like" or "as".
What is a Metaphor?
A form of structural irony where the reader or audience knows an important secret that the actual characters do not know.
What is Dramatic Irony?
A feeling of deep appreciation, thankfulness, and acknowledgment for a benefit or kindness received.
What is Gratitude?
The character who directly opposes, fights, or provides the main source of conflict for the protagonist.
What is the Antagonist?
The very first specific event in a narrative that sparks the core conflict and sets the plot in motion.
What is the Inciting Incident?
Words that spell out or directly imitate the natural audio sound they describe, such as buzz, hiss, or hum.
What is Onomatopoeia?
A punctuation mark used strictly to connect independent clauses together, or to separate items in a list that already uses commas.
What is a Semicolon (;)?
A state of calm, quiet, peace, and complete serenity.
What is Tranquility?
A simple, two-dimensional character who has very little emotional depth and stays completely unchanged throughout a text.
What is a Flat Character?
The opening part of a story where the author introduces background information, characters, and the setting.
What is the Exposition?
A side-by-side contradiction in terms, placing two opposite words right next to each other, like "bittersweet" or "jumbo shrimp".
What is an Oxymoron?
A literary text or genre designed to make fun of a specific writer, style, or original artwork using humorous, exaggerated imitation.
What is a Parody?
Complete anger mixed with disgust; righteous anger sparked by something unfair, unjust, or insulting.
What is Indignation?
A character whose specific traits, values, and characteristics directly contrast and highlight the traits of another character.
What is a Foil?
A secondary, smaller plot strand that runs alongside the main story to develop minor characters or themes.
What is a Sub Plot?
Substituting a harsh, blunt, or painful phrase with a mild, indirect, or softer expression, like saying someone "passed away".
What is a Euphemism?
Arranging a sentence so that matching grammatical forms are used for a series of phrases or items to create clear balance and rhythm.
What is Parallel Sentence Structure / Parallelism?
An ominous feeling or internal warning of a coming misfortune; an intuitive sense that something bad is about to happen.
What is Foreboding?
An oversimplified, conventional, or generalized character type that follows a rigid, highly predictable cultural pattern.
What is a Stereotype?
The social, historical, and environmental background conditions surrounding a given literary situation.
What is Context?
A structural device where animals or objects are portrayed behaving entirely as human beings—walking, talking, or wearing clothes.
What is Anthropomorphism?
A comic illustration or text description of a person that heavily exaggerates specific physical traits or quirks.
What is a Caricature?
An act of passive acceptance, giving up, or yielding to a situation that you cannot change.
What is Resignation?