Short story Terms Flashcards
(20 cards)
Literary work in which characters, action and settings have two connected levels of meaning. Elements of the literal level signify (symbols) a figurative level that often imparts a lesson or moral to the reader
Ex. John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress
Allegory
Character or nonhuman force that opposes or is in conflict with the protagonist
Antagonist
Struggle between opposing forces. Can be external when character is facing something outside of himself/herself. Can be internal when opposing forces are apart of the character
Conflict
Sudden revelation of truth, often inspired by seemingly simple or common place event.
Epiphany
Plot-structuring device where a scene from the fictional past is inserted into the fictional present or is dramatized out of order
Flashback
In the middle of, refers to opening a plot in the middle of action, then filling past details by means of exposition or flashback
In media res
A recurrent device, formula or situation within a literary work.
Motif
Perspective from which people, events, and other details in a work of fiction are viewed; also called focus and includes voice
Point of view
Most neutral and broadly applicable term for the main character in the work
Protagonist
Have same meaning within a culture
Ex. American Eagle, number 3, fate
Cultural/conventional symbols
Meaning a symbol’s meaning can differ in different stories
Ex. Chrisantimum flowers mean different things in different stories
Literary/contextual symbol
One whom the audience likes or roots for
Sympathetic character
One whom the audience does not connect/ like
Unsympathetic character
Has same meanings across culture and time
Ex. Circle = eternity, cycle
Universal symbol
Narrator is a minor character not directly involved in action who related when he or she observes about the characters and action
First person observer
The narrator is a central character in story, and is directly involved in the action
First person participant
One who is accurate and impartial
Reliable narrator
Narrator is not a character and relates the action by limiting the viewpoint to one character’s perspective
Third person limited
Narrator is not a character in the story, but is able to penetrate the thoughts of the character and describe the actions and thought of the characters as the need arises
Third person omniscient
A narrator who tells a story without describing any character’s thoughts, opinions or feelings; instead, it gives an objective, unbiased point of view
Third-person objective
