Short Story Unit Literary Terms

Allusion

A reference to a famous person, place, or event in a literary work, the Bible, work of art, mythology etc.

Example: “It was raining so hard, I was ready to build an Ark” is an allusion to the story of Noah and the Ark from the Bible.

Antagonist

A person or force in society or nature that opposes the protagonist or main character in a story.

Examples: Voldemort vs Harry Potter, the Wicked Witch vs Dorothy in the Wizard of Ox, society vs. Katniss in The Hunger Games

Character

An individual in a literary work

Main character: is central to the story and fully developed. Minor character: displays few personality traits and is used to develop the story.Round character: is a main character, fully developed and will be involved in and changed by the conflict. Flat character: is not fully developed and will possess only one or two personality traits.

Character

Static character: does not change during the storyDynamic character: grows, learns, changes as a result of the story’s action

Static vs Dynamic characters

Characterization

The methods used to present the personality of a character in a work of literature and to make that character more believable.

There are two types of characterization:1. Direct Characterization2. Indirect Characterization

Direct Characterization

The author directly reveals the personality of a character.

Example: The impatient student watched the clock

incessantly.

Indirect Characterization

The author reveals the personality of a character indirectly through five methods:1. What the character looks like2. What the character says3. What the character does4. How other characters react to him/her5. The character’s thoughts and feelings

Indirect Characterization

What the character looks like.

Example: When Mary ran into the room we noticed her hair had not been combed, she had two different colored socks on, a Pop-Tart in one hand, and her toothbrush in another.

This description indicates Mary woke up late and she feels flustered because she’s late for class.

Indirect Characterization

Speech: What the character says.

Example: A character from James Hurst’s story “The Scarlet Ibis” says, “I jumped up, knocking over my chair, and had reached the door when Mama called, 'Pick up that chair, sit down again, and say excuse me.”

This says a lot about the narrator and his mother: He is excited about something, and she is a mother who is concerned with manners.

Indirect Characterization

Actions: What the character does.

Example: When Cassie dropped her books in the hallway, Thomas stopped to help her pick them up even though he knew he would be late for class.

This tells the reader that Thomas is a considerate and selfless person.

Indirect Characterization

Other characters’ reactions to him/her

Example: When Uncle Charlie walked into the room, the children, squealing with delight, all ran toward him waiting for his warm embrace.

This tells the reader that Uncle Charlie is a loving uncle whom the children adore.

Indirect Characterization

The thoughts and feelings of the character.

Example: Ben thought about what his family would be doing right now. What were they eating? What were they talking about? He remembers they were always able to make him laugh.

This tells the reader that Ben misses his home and his family.

Conflict

The struggle between opposing forces in a story. This is the main problem that causes all other action in the story to occur. There are two types of conflict:

1. Internal conflict: this occurs when a character struggles within him or herself

2. External conflict: these will occur between the character and a person, society, nature, or fate.

Diction

The writer’s choice of words. Diction creates the mood, tone, and meaning in a story.

Example: In the story “The Most Dangerous Game,” one of the

characters describes an island they are passing while on their yacht: “Even cannibals wouldn’t live in such a God-forsaken place. But it’s gotten into sailor lore somehow. Didn’t you notice that the crew’s nerves seem a bit jumpy today?”

The author’s diction creates creepy and suspenseful mood.

Irony

A discrepancy or contrast between appearance and reality or between what is expected and what actually happens. There are three types of irony:

1. Situational Irony occurs when the opposite of what you expect, happens.

Irony

2. Verbal Irony occurs when what is said is the opposite of what is meant.

Examples:

➢ Clear as mud➢ Saying “that’s fantastic” when you realize you have a flat

tire ➢ As pleasant as a root canal

Irony

Dramatic Irony occurs when the audience knows more than characters do in a story

Example: In William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows that Juliet just took a potion that makes her appear to be dead but in reality is not. However, Romeo does not know that and he believes she is dead.

Foil

A character who provides a strong contrast to another character, usually the main character. The two characters are very much alike, but there are important differences. The differences may highlight strengths or weaknesses.

Examples: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Whitney and Rainsford in “The Most Dangerous Game”

Video

Flashback

An interruption in the chronological order of a narrative in order to describe something that happened earlier. It is important for filling in information to the reader/viewer

Example: Severus Snape flashes back to Lily and James Potter’s house

Foreshadowing

The author’s use of clues to prepare readers for events that will happen later in the story.

Example: From The Lion King: “Simba, let me tell you something my father told me. Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars. So Whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide. And so will I.”

Here, Mufasa tells his own fate. That he too one day will die and live among the stars with the great kings.

Mood

The feeling or atmosphere the writer creates for the reader. The diction (word choice) the author uses creates the mood and atmosphere.

Example:

Plot

The sequence of events in a story.

There are five basic parts of the plot: Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution (sometimes called the denouement). The plot is best visualizedusing the plot diagram.

Plot

Exposition: This is the introduction to the story when the major characters, the situation, the setting, and the mood are all established.

Complication: This is the main conflict introduced in the story and will often be introduced in the exposition.

Plot

Rising Action: A series of events that occur as a result of the conflict. They build on one another and eventually lead to the most intense moment in the story.

Plot

Climax: The turning point or most exciting moment in the story. The main character comes face to face with the conflict and makes a decision that will affect the outcome of the story.

This is also called the turning point of the story when the plot changes for

better or worse for the main character.

Plot

Falling Action: The events that occur following the climax, after the conflict has been resolved.

Plot

Resolution/Denouement: In this part of the plot, the outcome is revealed and loose ends are tied up.

Let’s practice with the story of Cinderella

The story of Cinderella

Point of View

The perspective from which a story is told. There are three types most commonly used:

1. First person point of view2. Third person limited3. Third person omniscient

Point of View

First Person: In this point of view, the story is narrated by one of the main characters in the story. The narrator will you the pronoun “I” in order to tell about the events that occur.

First person point of view limits the perspective of the story, because everything is told through the eyes of that one character.

Point of View

Third Person Limited: In this point of view, the narrator tells the story through the eyes of only one other character and will refer to that character as “he” or “she.”

Point of View

Third Person Omniscient: In this point of view, the narrator is not a character in the story at all, but stands outside the story and comments on the action. The omniscient (meaning all-knowing), narrator knows what all the characters are thinking and feeling, and may reveal things to the reader that the characters themselves do not know.

Setting

The time and place of a story

Time (When the action occurs): Historical era, time of year, time of day, day of week

Place (Where the action occurs): Building, room, city, country, woods, farm, etc.

Weather: Does it change? What is it during parts of the story?

Setting

Social Conditions: What is daily life like? What do you know about beliefs, attitudes, or traditions of the character?

Atmosphere: What mood is created? What is the author’s tone?

Geographical location: City, country, state, mountains, ocean, etc.

Suspense

A feeling of uncertainty and curiosity about what will happen next in a story.

Example:

Theme

Theme is defined as a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work that may be stated directly or indirectly. The theme will be a general statement, and not story-specific.

Example: "Little Red Riding Hood"Think about "Little Red Riding Hood". Remember how much trouble Red got into because she wandered through the woods alone? Remember how she told a "stranger" (the Wolf) where she was going?

We could say that one theme of this story is, "Never talk to strangers." Or, we could say "Never travel alone."

Theme

In the “Little Red Riding Hood” example, notice the theme is stated in general terms, not specifically about the story.

Another Example:

In William Shakespeare’s classic tale, Romeo and Juliet, readers are reminded frequently that the main characters are youthful. So, we could say that one theme of this play is "Quick decisions made by young people often lead to tragedy."

Tone

The author’s attitude toward the subject matter of his writing. Tone can be “heard” in the words the author uses and how he/she describes or explains things.

Example:

Let’s Practice

It was the clove of seasons, summer was dead but Autumn had not yet been born, that the Ibis lit in the bleeding tree. The flower garden was stained with rotting brown magnolia petals and iron weeds grew rank amid the purple phlox. The five-o’clocks by the chimney still marked time, but the oriole nest in the elm was untenanted and rocked back and forth like an empty cradle. The last graveyard flowers were blooming, and their smell drifted across the cotton field and in every room of our house, speaking softly the names of our dead.

Let’s practice

The previous selection is the opening of James Hurst’s famous story, “The Scarlet Ibis.” This brief selection tells us a lot right away. What do you learn about the following?

The settingThe moodThe tone (What is the author’s attitude toward his subject?)