Short Story Terms A fond review

Exposition The beginning of a story that introduces characters, setting, tone, and any important background information.

Inciting moment An event which introduces the conflict and begins the events of the plot.

Rising Action Events that move the plot along by adding complications or expanding the conflict – builds suspence to the climax of the story.

Climax The turning point of the story, point of highest tension/interest – many times happens towards the end.

Falling Action Occurs after the climax – also called the resolution – conflict is resolved, loose ends tied up.

Dénouement The outcome or end result of a story; sometimes a twist

Protagonist The main character

Antagonist The character or force in conflict with the main character

Characterization Revealed through… The character’s physical appearance The character’s own actions, thoughts and feelings The thoughts, actions, feelings of a different character toward that character The narrator’s direct comments about the character “He was a fearless man…”

Point of View First person – “I” – the narrator is a character in the story Third-person – the narrator is outside of the action, not in the story Third-person omniscient – “all knowing” narrator reveals thoughts/feelings of more than one character Third-person limited – reveals thoughts/feelings of only one character

Allusion A brief reference to a famous person, place, event or literary work.

Types of conflict INTERNAL: Man vs. man EXTERNAL Man vs. self Man vs. nature Man vs. society Man vs. supernatural a.k.a. God

Setting When and where the story takes place

Theme A message that the author wants to communicate to the reader

Foreshadowing Hints that reveal what will happen later in the story

Flashback When the author goes back in time to relay past events

Symbolism An object or character that is important for what/who it is in the story but that also stands for a larger idea in the story

Motif a recurrent image, symbol, concept, or theme that unifies a work. Ex. The time motif in the poem “Those Winter Sundays”

Tone Reveals the author’s attitude toward the subject.

Mood The feeling or atmosphere the writer creates for the reader.

Imagery Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)

Personification Giving human qualities to inanimate objects, animals or ideas Ex. The tall blades of grass danced in the wind.

Simile A comparison between two things using “like” or “as” Ex. School is like a prison. 

Metaphor A comparison between two seemingly unlike things, but have something in common. – NO “like” or “as” Ex. “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women are merely players.”

Connotation All of the feelings and emotional associations a word creates Ex. “chateau” vs. “country house” (both mean country house, but one carries a down-to-earth feel and the other a snobbier/richer feel

Denotation The dictionary definition of a word

Euphemism Saying something in a more polite or  more politically correct way Ex. “passed away” for dead

Paradox A statement that may seem self-contradictory and absurd but actually reveals a truth.

Pun The use of a word or phrase to suggest two or more meanings simultaneously

Cliche A trite, overused, “pre=packaged” statement or phrase (to be avoided in writing!!) Ex. “think outside the box” “push the envelope”

Idiom A common saying / figure of speech whose meaning differs from its literal meaning Ex. “kicked the bucket” = died, not literally kicking a bucket