General Narrative Structure
exposition: first stage in the plot which provides background information, introduces setting and characters, and may introduce a conflict rising action: stage in a plot where significant details are used to develop the conflict, which leads to the climax climax: the point of maximum tension or interest in the plot; the climax may also be a turning point in the story falling action (denouement):details in the plot which follow the climax and show the result of the climax; tension eases and the resolution follows resolution: how the author decides to resolve the conflict in the story; occasionally, stories end without a resolution Elements of Fiction
setting: when and where the story takes place character: individuals who participate in the action plot: the sequence of events in a story central idea/theme: a general statement about the human experience, human nature, or life Characterization
protagonist: main character antagonist: character or force in opposition to the protagonist dynamic: refers to a character who undergoes change static: character who remains the same round: character who is highly developed; variety of traits flat: character who is one-sided |
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Literary Terms Bank suspense: excitement or tension that readers feel as they wait to find out how a story ends or how conflict is resolved foreshadowing: hints or clues used by an author to suggest events that will occur later in the story More help? Try this: Foreshadowing flashback: an account of a conversation, an episode, or an event that happened before the beginning of the story conflict: struggle between opposing forces. External: involves a character who is pitted against another character, an outside force, nature, or a physical object Internal: a problem which occurs within the characters (thoughts) point of view: the method of narration used in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry; in first-person point of view, the narrator is a character in the story as in "The Model," where the narrator is a good friend of Jean Summer, the painter. In third-person point of view, the narrator is not one of the charatcers in the story. In third-person omniscient (all-knowing), the narrator, who again is not a character in the composition, "sees" into the mind of all the characters and provides this knowledge to the reader. However, third-person limited, the narrator tells us what only one character thinks, feels, and observes. Irony: Irony occurs when reality is opposite of what it seems. We study three types:
symbol: person, place, object, or an activity that stands for something beyond itself motif: a recurring object, person, symbol, or action which is used to affect the theme tone: the attitude a writer takes toward a subject; tone reflects the feelings of the author through diction, imagery, details, syntax and figurative language. For a list of the figurative language terms we use in our study of fiction, scroll down to the poetry terms list at the bottom of the page. Poetry Terms
primary source and secondary source documents: a primary source document is a firsthand account, which directly expresses the thoughts and feelings of the writer. Secondary sources summarize or analyze events, which do not require the firsthand presence of the author. Primary sources, while important in identifying the viewpoint of one person tend to be biased. A secondary source can explore various resources to gather a broader view. Which is better? Depends on what you want to find! Analyze the main idea, purpose, and audience of a nonfiction. Evaluate the author's tone and style. Evaluate and judge the author's use of facts and opinions. Then, you're ready to draw connections and make critical judgments of nonfiction pieces, regardless of the sources. Informational Text Elements:
Persuasive Elements:
Diction: an author's choice of words(does the author use strong, descriptive, loaded language, which can suggest positive or negative connotations to stir the emotions of the reader?) Anecdote: a brief, typically entertaining story used by an author to support a point Appeals: Ethical Appeal (Ethos) means appealing to the reader’s sense of right or wrong or by appealing to the character of the author. Emotional Appeal (Pathos) means persuading by appealing to the reader's emotions. Diction affects the audience's emotional response as well as anecdotes, or small stories to prove the reader’s point. Logical Appeal (Logos) means persuading by the use of reasoning. Giving reasons is the heart of argumentation. Types include facts, statistics, data, expert opinions, endorsements. Rhetorical Strategies:
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Text Organization
Main Idea
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