Where and when a story takes place

Helps to: Provide background where char. lives Reveal information about characters Establish mood or atmosphere

The main character in a story; the character you are rooting for

The character or force opposing the main character

A character who changes over the course of a story Before After

A character who remains the same over the course of a story

Has only one or two traits

Has many different character traits

How an author reveals the personality of a character in a story

 What a character himself says, thinks, does, feels  Physical description of a character  What other characters say, think, or feel  Narrator’s direct comments “Jim and Della were foolish.”

The events that happen in a story

At the beginning of the story; provides background information about characters and setting Who, what, where, and when

The event that gets the action of the story going; the event that gets the story moving

The series of conflicts (struggles) that build the story to its climax

The high point, or turning point, in a story

Occurs after the climax; minor conflicts are solved.

The final outcome in a story; the end result A Royal

Exciting Force Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution Exposition

A struggle (problem) between two forces

A character struggles with an outside force (nature, another character, society, etc.

A struggle with a character’s mind between needs, desires, or emotions

 Man vs. man  Man vs. society  Man vs. nonhuman (nature, supernatural, beast, fate, etc.)  Man vs. self

Perspective from which a writer tells the story

One of the characters is telling the story, using the pronoun “I” The “I” narrator

The person telling the story knows everything there is to know about the characters: their thoughts, actions, problems, etc. The “all-knowing” point of view

The narrator, who plays no part in the story, zooms in on the thoughts and feelings of one character

A story’s message about life; The moral of a story The grass isn’t always greener on the other side Never underestimate your opponent Be careful what you wish for You can overcome your past

The use of clues to hint at events that will happen later in a story

A scene that interrupts the present action to replay something that happened at an earlier time

A story’s atmosphere or feeling it evokes

A person, place, thing, or idea that stands for itself as well as something beyond itself

Anxiety the reader feels about what is going to happen in a story

When the audience knows something important that a character does not know Don’t open the door!

When a writer or speaker says one thing but really means something completely different “Wow, that outfit looks great on you.”

When there is a contradiction between what we expect to happen and what really does take place

The attitude the writer takes toward a subject or character

Resolves a story’s conflicts in an unexpected way

An uncertain ending; an ending that can be interpreted in a number of different ways

May not always know the truth or may purposely choose to deceive us