English 7 Spring, 2006 Short
Story
LITERARY
TERMS
CHARACTERIZATION is the method used to present
the personality of a character in a work of literature.
Types
of characters: 1. Protagonist
is a central character who is the hero and usually admirable.
2.
Antagonist is a person or force who opposes or obstructs the protagonist.
Can be an enemy to the protagonist.
3.
Static/flat characters are characters who are
one-dimensional, not fully developed, minor who usually remain the same
throughout the plot.
4.
Dynamic/round characters are characters who are3-dimensional, complex, fully
developed, major who undergo some kind of change in personality or attitude.
PLOT is the series of events in a literary work.
The
PLOT of a literary work is the series of related events which presents a
CONFLICT, leads to a CLIMAX (or point at which the conflict must be resolved),
and finally result in a CONCLUSION
to the CONFLICT.
Two
Types of Conflict: 1. External
Conflict is a conflict in which the character struggles against another
character, nature or society.
2.
Internal Conflict is a conflict in which the character struggles against some
element of his own personality or conscience.
YOUR STORY MIGHT HAVE EXAMPLES OF BOTH TYPES OF CONFLICT. BE SURE
TO INCLUDE THEM BOTH IN YOUR STATEMENT PAGE ON PLOT.
SETTING is the TIME and PLACE in which the events
of the literary work take place.
POINT OF VIEW is the relationship between the
narrator of the story and the story itself.
A.
FIRST PERSON 3 types
1. first person detached: The narrator is a
major or minor character who tells the story from the vantage point of time
& reflection.
2. first person
observer: The narrator is a minor character who reports what the main character
says & does & who acts as a confidant
to the main character. Has no special insights.
3. first person
subjective: The narrator is a major or minor character who tells the story from
his/her own personal viewpoint.
B.
THIRD PERSON 2 types 1. third person objective: The narrator acts as an anonymous
reporter, relating only what can be seen or heard, drawing no conclusions.
2. third person
omniscient: The narrator is anonymous & possesses insight into what
characters thin k as well as what they say or do.
THEME is the underlying main idea or conception
of a literary work. Themes may be stated directly or implied in the writing.
Some literary works may have more than one theme.
THE THEME FOR YOUR LITERARY BOOK SHOULD BE STATED IN A COMPLETE SENTENCE
ON THE LAST PAGE OF YOUR BOOK.
MANY OF YOUR STORIE WILL HAVE HAD EXAMPLES OF THE FOLLOWING
LITERARY TERMS. INCLUDE
SYMBOL is an object used to represent an abstract
idea or concept.
FLASHBACK is a scene in a literary work that
interrupts the present actions to tell about events that happened at an earlier
time.
FORESHADOWING is the use of clues that hint at
important plot developments that are to follow in the story line.
IRONY is the contrast or a discrepancy between
what is stated and what is really meant, or between what is expected to happen
and what actually does happen.