Story Elements
The time and place where a story occurs.
Setting
The reason the author wrote the text (to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain).
Author's Purpose
A comparison using "like" or "as."
Simile
Hints found within a text to understand unknown words.
Context Clues
The words that characters speak to each other.
Dialogue
The main character in a story, usually facing a conflict or challenge.
Protagonist
The author’s attitude toward the subject or audience.
Tone
A comparison without using "like" or "as."
Metaphor
The most important point or message in a passage.
Main Idea
A scene that interrupts the present action to show an earlier event.
Flashback
The character or force that opposes the protagonist.
Antagonist
The feeling or atmosphere created for the reader.
The Mood
Giving human qualities to non-human things.
Personification
Specific details or quotes that support a claim.
Text Evidence
Clues or hints about what will happen later in a story.
Foreshadowing
The sequence of events in a story, including the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
The Plot
The perspective from which a story is told (first person, third person limited, third person omniscient).
The Point of View
An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis.
Hyperbole
A logical guess based on text evidence and prior knowledge.
Inference
The central message or lesson of a story.
Theme
A struggle or problem faced by characters; can be internal or external.
The Conflict
When an object, person, or event stands for something beyond its literal meaning.
Symbolism
Words that imitate the sound they represent.
Onomatopoeia
To examine closely to understand deeper meaning or details.
Analyze
The way an author reveals a character’s personality, traits, and motivations.
Characterization