Short Story Literary Terms Flashcards
1st person point of view
When the narrator uses words like “I “, “we”, “ us”
3rd person point of view
When the author only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character, but refers to that character as “ he” or “ she”
Antagonist
A person or force that opposes the protagonist or central character
Protagonist
The central character in a literary work around whom the main conflict revolves.
Characterization
The methods a writer uses to reveal the personality of a character
Climax
The most exciting part of the story. OR. The place in the story where the character learns something
Plot
The sequence of events in a drama or a narrative work of fiction.
Rising Action
The events in a story that lead up to the climax and add to the conflict
Plot
The sequence of events in a drama or work of fiction.
Falling action
The events in the story that lead to the resolution
Resolution
The final outcome of the story. ( how the conflict is resolved)
Exposition
Introduces the story’s characters, setting, and situation.
Conflict
The struggle between two opposing forces
Round character
A character who reveals several aspects of their personality. The reader knows several things about them.
Flat character
A character who only reveals one aspect of their personality
