Plot
A careful arrangement of incidents by an author in a story to achieve a desired effect.
What is plot?
Explains the fallout of the climax; tells how the problem is solved.
What is falling action?
The narrator tells the story and is a character in the story (I, me, us, we, our)
What is first-person POV?
The universal statement relating to the story’s main idea.
What is a theme?
The main character or force working toward a goal.
What is a protagonist?
A character who does not undergo significant change throughout the story.
What is a static character?
An author's specific choice of words and language.
What is diction?
The part of the plot diagram that includes the setting, characters, climate/mood (what’s taking place when the story begins).
What is exposition?
Clarification or outcome of the story.
What is resolution?
Character vs. self (fear, abandonment, making decisions)
What is internal conflict?
Hints or clues that suggest what will happen later in a story.
What is foreshadowing?
When the outcome of a situation is very different from what the audience or characters expected.
What is situational irony?
A character who changes in an important way as a result of the events of the story.
What is a dynamic character?
The author's attitude toward the subject, characters, or audience is created through word choice and style.
What is tone?
The turning point of the story: the highest point of tension in the story.
What is the climax?
Tells what a character is like through descriptions (anxious & fearful).
What is direct characterization?
character vs. nature (weather, animals, wilderness)
character vs. society (government, politics, beliefs)
character vs. character (fight, relationship issue)
What is external conflict?
When an object, person, place, action, or event represents a larger idea or meaning.
What is symbolism?
When the audience or reader knows something important that one or more characters do not know.
What is dramatic irony?
A complex, well-developed character with multiple traits, feelings, and dimensions. Your notes describe this as a “3D” character.
What is a round character?
The feeling or atmosphere a reader experiences while reading a story. Your notes refer to this as the story's “vibes.”
What is mood?
A point in the story that disrupts exposition and hooks the reader into the story; usually, a problem/conflict is introduced
What is an inciting incident?
Shows, rather than tells, what a character is like (shaking & whimpering)
What is indirect characterization?
The narrator is not a character in the story but knows the thoughts & actions of ALL characters at ALL times.
What is third-person omniscient?
A narrator whose version of events cannot be completely trusted because they may be dishonest, mistaken, biased, or unable to understand what is really happening.
What is an unreliable narrator?
The main character or force that opposes the protagonist.
What is the antagonist?
A brief reference to a well-known person, place, event, text, myth, or work of art without directly explaining it.
What is an allusion?
Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and helps the reader picture, hear, smell, taste, feel, or experience something.
What is imagery?
3+ main events that lead up to the climax; these events MUST OCCUR in order for the climax to happen
What is the rising action?
What is the acronym for indirect characterization?
Speech
Thoughts
Emotions
Actions
Looks
The narrator is not a character in the story but knows the thoughts and actions of a few characters.
What is third-person limited?
When someone says something but means something different, often the opposite, from the literal meaning of their words.
What is verbal irony?
A simple, uncomplicated character who has few traits and is not deeply developed. Your notes describe this as essentially a “2D” character.
What is a flat character?
A character whose traits contrast with another character's traits in order to highlight or emphasize those traits.
What is a foil character?
A character who has two or more seemingly contradictory qualities or traits at the same time. For example, a character might be both compassionate and cruel or confident and insecure.
What is an oxymoronic character?