Important Terms
What is a cliche?
a phrase or expression that has lost its originality or force through overuse.
What is the plot of a story?
The storyline, the plan, the sequence of related events or actions in a short story
Which types of characters are "dynamic" and "round"?
Major characters
The person who tells the story is called the ____.
Narrator
When talking about short stories, what is "theme"?
The central idea of the story
What does emphasis mean in fiction writing?
the placement of words and ideas in key positions to give them stress and importance or the use of repetition and figurative language to call attention to an idea or term.
What is a protagonist?
The central character in conflict
Which types of characters are "static" and "flat"?
Minor characters
Which point of view uses the perspective of "I"?
First-person
What does "chronological order" mean?
That events are told in the order that they occur.
Give an example of an "allusion".
Deadpool references pop culture situations, superheros from other films, etc. under the assumption that the viewers will understand.
What are the 3 types of irony?
Situational
Dramatic
Verbal
What are the 2 types of characteristics an author can give a character?
Internal and External
Which point of view uses the perspective of "he/she/it"?
Third-person
What do themes express?
An insight or generalization about life, or a moral that is intended to teach some rule of conduct of life.
Give an example of an onomatopoeia.
Bang!
What are the 3 types of conflict in a short story?
Character vs. Character
Character vs. Environment
Character vs. Self
What is it called when an author tells the reader directly what a character is like?
Direct characterization
What is it called when the author allows the reader to have free access to the thoughts, feelings and motivations of the characters?
What is diction?
The arrangement of words
What is an "inference"?
A conclusion drawn by a reader from the hints and suggestions provided by the writer. Writers sometimes express ideas indirectly rather than stating them outright. Readers must use their own experience and knowledge to read between the lines and make inferences to gather the full meaning of a work.
What is the typical plot order in a short story?
Background information--> opening incident--> conflict-->rising action-->climax-->falling action
What is it called when the character’s actions and dialogue allow the reader to draw his/her own conclusion about what a character is like?
Indirect characterization
What is it called when the story's observer tells the reader what the characters say or do, but does not reveal their thoughts and feelings?
The objective or dramatic point of view
What does the term "episodic" mean in relation to fiction writing?
There isn't a clear relationship between one event in another