LITERATURE Terms

Plot: what happens in a story.

Setting (time and place) Basic Situation Who are the characters? What do they want? Setting (time and place)

CONFLICT External Conflict: a character struggles against a person, a group, or a force of nature (earthquake, hurricane, a bear etc.) Internal Conflict: a struggle in one’s mind, like being shy or accepting the death of a loved one.

FORESHADOWING: when authors hint at future events

COMPLICATIONS: a series of events that take place that makes it hard for the character to get what they want.

CLIMAX: the story’s most emotional or suspenseful moment

RESOLUTION: the last part of the story where the story is closed out.

“Little Red Riding Hood” Basic Situation: Red, wolf, Granny What do they want? Wolf wants to eat the people. Red just wants to go see her Grandma. 4 or 5 Complications: Wolf asks Red to ride on his motorcycle. Red turns the wolf’s offer down. Wolf races to Granny’s, when he scares her away and takes her place. The wolf tries to eat Red. Climax: Most suspenseful part? Granny rides the motorcycle, catches him in the handlebars, and he hurls into a thorn bush. Resolution: Any loose ends? The wolf goes to jail, Granny does talk shows, Red lives happily ever after.

Direct Characterization When a writer tells you directly what a character is like. (the old way of writing) Example: She was mad at her sister.

Indirect Characterization You observe a character Then come to your own conclusion Example: You could almost see steam pouring from her ears as she look at her sister.

Things to Look For Appearance Actions Speech Thoughts and Feelings Other Character Reactions

Making Predictions: Trying to guess what will happen in a story.

Motive: Reason for a character’s behavior

Suspense: A feeling of anxious curiosity

Making Inferences: Making an educated guess using the details we know