1. Short Story Terms to Know

2. Characters A person in a literary work.
PROTAGONIST– main character in the story
ANTAGONIST --The opposer of the main character

3. Setting
The time and location in which a story takes place is called the setting.

4. Plot
The sequence of events in a story, novel, or play. (events)

5. Parts of the Plot
Exposition—Beginning of story—introduces characters, setting and conflict.
Rising Action—adds complications to the conflict

6. Parts of the Plot
Climax—Point of greatest interest/suspense in a story
Falling Action—events after climax leading to resolution.
Resolution—conclusion of story (ending)

7. Plot Diagram

8. Conflict
The central struggle between opposing forces in a story or drama

9. Types of Conflict
External - A character struggles against some outside force
Internal - A struggle between opposing needs, desires, and emotions within a character’s mind

10. Miscellaneous Terms
Compare—to examine two or more things in order to note similarities
Contrast—to compare to show unlikeness or differences

11. Miscellaneous Terms…
Mood- the feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader.
Tone- expresses the writers attitude toward his/her subject
Foreshadowing- when a writer provides hints that suggest future events in the story.

12. Miscellaneous Terms…
Flashback- an interruption of the action to present events that took place at an earlier time.
Irony- reality is opposite of what it seems.
Theme- message about life or human nature that the writer shares with the reader.

13. Point of View POV- refers to the method of narration.
Subjective POV- give personal opinions or views
Objective POV- only gives facts

14. Point of View
3rd person limited- the narrator tells what only one character thinks, feels, and observes.
3rd person omniscient- the narrator sees the mind of all characters.
1st person- the narrator is a character in the story.

15. Character
Static Character- remains the same throughout the story, never changes.
Dynamic character- undergoes important changes as a plot unfolds.

16. Character
Round Character- major character in a work of fiction who encounters conflict and is changed by it. Round characters tend to be more fully developed and described.
Flat Character- a minor character in a work of fiction who does not undergo substantial change or growth in the course of a story