1. Story Elements

2. The main character of a novel, play, or story.
Protagonist
The main character of a novel, play, or story.

3. A major character who opposes the protagonist in a story or play.
Antagonist
A major character who opposes the protagonist in a story or play.

4. The events that make up a story – aka the storyline.
Plot
The events that make up a story – aka the storyline.

5. Setting
The “somewhere” of the story. The setting may include the historical time period, season, time of day, weather, landscape, objects, and so on.

6. The problem that extends throughout the story.
Conflict
The problem that extends throughout the story.

7. Types of Conflict Person vs. person Person vs. self Person vs. nature
Person vs. society

8. The characters, setting, and conflict are introduced.
Exposition
The characters, setting, and conflict are introduced.

9. Rising Action
The main character tries to solve the conflict, which becomes more and more complicated. Events that lead up to the climax.

10. Climax
The main character succeeds or fails once and for all; the excitement is usually greatest at this point.

11. Falling Action
The characters feel the effects of the events that are related to the climax. This is where the loose ends of the story start to tie up.

12. Resolution
The story comes to an interesting conclusion; the main character may learn a life lesson.

13. Plot line
Climax Rising Action Falling Action Exposition Resolution

14. Gives clues to hint at events that will happen later in a story.
Foreshadowing
Gives clues to hint at events that will happen later in a story.

15. Literary Devices

16. Literary Devices
The tools an author can use to affect the way you, as a reader, learn about the plot, characters, and setting and the way you feel about the story.

17. Point of View The vantage point from which a narrative is told
1st person- the narrator participates in the action; uses “I” and “me”
3rd person omniscient- the narrator knows everything about all characters
3rd person limited- the narrator knows everything about one character

18. Narrator
The person (or animal or object or fantastical being) that tells the story.

19. Flashback
A scene that shows events that happened before the present action of the story.

20. Style
The way an author uses words. An author’s style can be simple, direct, flowery, fast-paced, straight-forward, and so on.

21. Tone
The overall “feeling” of the author’s words. The tone can be humorous, sad, cautious, loving, etc. The tone of the author’s words affects the story’s mood.

22. Mood
The mood is the general atmosphere of the story. Feelings the text arouses in a reader.

23. Words that are true to fact, no exaggeration or metaphor.
Literal Language
Words that are true to fact, no exaggeration or metaphor.
Ex: He is tall.

24. Figurative Language
Used to create a vivid picture and/or idea. It is language that compares, exaggerates, or means something other than what it first appears to mean.

25. Simile
A comparison of two unlike things that uses “like” or “as”. For example, “I’m as hungry as a wolf,” or “My love is like a rose.”

26. Metaphor
A comparison of two unlike things that doesn’t use “like” or “as”—such as “He’s a rock” or “I am an island.”

27. Personification
Giving inanimate object human characteristics. For example, “The flames reached for the child hovering in the corner.”

28. Hyperbole
An extreme exaggeration. For example, “Dan’s the funniest guy on the planet!” or “That baseball card is worth a zillion dollars!”

29. Expression in which the words have a figurative vs. literal meaning
Idioms
Expression in which the words have a figurative vs. literal meaning
Example:
They were two peas in a pod.
He let the cat out of the bag.
It was raining cats and dogs.

30. Alliteration
Alliteration: similar beginning sounds in neighboring words. (Like a tongue twister in the extreme form)
Ex. Her stunning smile was like sunshine.

31. Recurring final sounds in words at the end of lines.
Rhyme
Recurring final sounds in words at the end of lines.

32. To answer a question or confirm an inquiry.
Clarifying
To answer a question or confirm an inquiry.

33. When a reader finds familiarity with the story.
Connecting
When a reader finds familiarity with the story.

34. To guess what will happen next.
Predicting
To guess what will happen next.

35. To ask or make an inquiry regarding the story.
Questioning
To ask or make an inquiry regarding the story.

36. Making judgments or opinions of a story.
Evaluation
Making judgments or opinions of a story.

37. A story illustrating a moral or religious lesson.
Parable
A story illustrating a moral or religious lesson.

38. Connotative
An association that a word calls to mind; beyond literal. Ex: There is no place like home.

39. Literal or standard dictionary meaning of a word. Ex: House
Denotative
Literal or standard dictionary meaning of a word. Ex: House

40. Sound words (when you say them, you’ve made the sound)
Onomatopoeia
Sound words (when you say them, you’ve made the sound)
Examples: sizzle, crack, pop, zip, bang