Short Story Unit Short Story Unit Literary TermsLiterary Terms

ProtagonistProtagonist

The protagonist is the The protagonist is the main main charactercharacter in a literary work. in a literary work.

He/she is He/she is NOTNOT necessarily necessarily the “good guy”, just the the “good guy”, just the mainmain character character

AntagonistAntagonistAn antagonist is a character An antagonist is a character

or force in conflict with the or force in conflict with the main character main character

This is This is NOTNOT necessarily the necessarily the “bad guy”, just the person “bad guy”, just the person or thing that is working or thing that is working against the main characteragainst the main character

AntiheroAntiherocentral character who central character who

lacks all the qualities lacks all the qualities traditionally associated traditionally associated with heroes. may lack with heroes. may lack courage, grace, or courage, grace, or intelligence.intelligence.

FoilFoilcharacter who acts as character who acts as

contrast to another contrast to another character. character. –Often a funny side kick to Often a funny side kick to the dashing hero, or a villain the dashing hero, or a villain contrasting the hero. contrasting the hero.

AllegoryAllegory

story or poem in which characters, story or poem in which characters, settings, and events stand for other settings, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities.or qualities.

AllusionAllusionA reference to someone or A reference to someone or

something that is known something that is known from history, literature, from history, literature, religion, religion,

politics, sports, science,politics, sports, science,or another branch of or another branch of culture. culture.

ConflictConflict

INTERNAL INTERNAL -Conflict that -Conflict that occurs inside occurs inside the characterthe character

-man Vs. self-man Vs. self

EXTERNAL EXTERNAL ––Conflict that occurs Conflict that occurs

outside of the characteroutside of the character-man Vs. man-man Vs. man-man Vs. nature-man Vs. nature-man Vs. society-man Vs. society-man Vs. fate-man Vs. fate

A conflict is a struggle between A conflict is a struggle between opposing opposing forces. forces. There are two types of conflict: There are two types of conflict:

IronyIrony The difference between appearance The difference between appearance

and reality, expectation and result.and reality, expectation and result.

There are THREE kinds of Irony:There are THREE kinds of Irony:

--Verbal IronyVerbal Irony: a word or phrase used to : a word or phrase used to suggest the opposite of its actual meaningsuggest the opposite of its actual meaning

--Dramatic IronyDramatic Irony: When there is a : When there is a contradiction between what a character contradiction between what a character thinks and what the readers know is truethinks and what the readers know is true

Irony (continued)Irony (continued)--Situational IronySituational Irony: When an event : When an event

directly contradicts expectations of directly contradicts expectations of the reader or of the characters the reader or of the characters

ForeshadowingForeshadowing

Clues in a literary work that suggest Clues in a literary work that suggest events that have yet to occurevents that have yet to occur

This literary This literary device helps to device helps to create suspense, create suspense, keeping readers keeping readers wondering about wondering about what will happen what will happen next.next.

ThemeTheme

The central The central messagemessage or insight or insight into life revealed through a into life revealed through a literary workliterary work

– This is the deeper meaning, the This is the deeper meaning, the

main lesson/message/moral that main lesson/message/moral that the author hopes the reader will the author hopes the reader will understand at the end of the storyunderstand at the end of the story

Point of ViewPoint of View The perspective or angle from which a The perspective or angle from which a

story is being toldstory is being told

There are several types:There are several types:– First-Person-Point-of-ViewFirst-Person-Point-of-View: When the : When the

narrator telling the story is one of the narrator telling the story is one of the characters, and tells the story as a personal characters, and tells the story as a personal accountaccount

– Third-Person-Objective-Point-of-ViewThird-Person-Objective-Point-of-View: When : When the narrator is not one of the characters the narrator is not one of the characters (has no name, and does not participate in (has no name, and does not participate in any of the action of the plot)any of the action of the plot)

Point of View (continued)Point of View (continued)

There are also two types of Third-There are also two types of Third-Person-Point-of-View:Person-Point-of-View:

– Third-Third-Limited-Point-of-View-Point-of-View: When the : When the narrator sees the world through narrator sees the world through oneone character’s eyes and reveals character’s eyes and reveals onlyonly thatthat character’s thoughtscharacter’s thoughts

– Third-Third-Omniscient-Point-of-View-Point-of-View: When : When the narrator sees into the minds of all the the narrator sees into the minds of all the characterscharacters

Dynamic CharacterDynamic Character

A character that develops and changes A character that develops and changes through the course of a storythrough the course of a story

Example: Ebenezer ScroogeExample: Ebenezer Scrooge at the at the beginning of “A Christmas Carol”, he is beginning of “A Christmas Carol”, he is a mean, lonely man that is only a mean, lonely man that is only interested in money. By the end of the interested in money. By the end of the story, he is generous, and interested in story, he is generous, and interested in the “true spirit of Christmas.”the “true spirit of Christmas.”

Static CharacterStatic Character

A character that does A character that does notnot change or change or develop through the course of the develop through the course of the storystory

Example: Example:

Wile E. Coyote Wile E. Coyote

Round CharacterRound Character

A character that exhibits many traits, A character that exhibits many traits, faults as well as virtuesfaults as well as virtues

Flat CharacterFlat Character A character who seems to have only A character who seems to have only

a single personality traita single personality trait

CharacterizationCharacterization

The way a writer reveals a character’s The way a writer reveals a character’s personality and traitspersonality and traits

There are two methods:There are two methods:– Direct CharacterizationDirect Characterization: The author : The author

directly states a character’s personality directly states a character’s personality and/or physical traitsand/or physical traits

– Indirect CharacterizationIndirect Characterization: Uses a : Uses a character’s thoughts, actions, dialogue, character’s thoughts, actions, dialogue, and feelings, to suggest the character’s and feelings, to suggest the character’s traits.traits.

The Five Stages of PlotThe Five Stages of Plot

ExpositionExposition

The first stage of plot!The first stage of plot!

In the Exposition, the scene is set: In the Exposition, the scene is set: – this part of the story introduces this part of the story introduces

the characters, tells the reader the characters, tells the reader the setting, and provides all of the setting, and provides all of the necessary background the necessary background informationinformation

Rising ActionRising Action

The second stage of plot!The second stage of plot!

This is where the action usually This is where the action usually begins. begins. In the Rising Action, the In the Rising Action, the conflict is introducedconflict is introduced (either (either between characters, or with an between characters, or with an outside force). This conflict will build outside force). This conflict will build up pressure until the Climaxup pressure until the Climax

ClimaxClimax The climax is The climax is

the highest the highest point of point of conflict in the conflict in the story!! story!!

Generally, this is the Generally, this is the point after which point after which everything is everything is different. All of the different. All of the pressure or events pressure or events of the Rising Action of the Rising Action have stacked up to have stacked up to this moment, when this moment, when something must something must change change

Falling ActionFalling Action

This stage begins the This stage begins the downward slopedownward slope the conflict the conflict lessens, and the plot moves lessens, and the plot moves towards closuretowards closure

Resolution/DenouementResolution/Denouement

In the final stage of plot, the conflict In the final stage of plot, the conflict concludes, and loose ends are tied concludes, and loose ends are tied up. up.