Name: ______Literary Terms for Language Arts
Character:
Character is: a being (human, animal, other) who takes part in the action of the story
Main character: the most important character
Minor character: a character who takes part in the action of the story, but is not the focus of attention
Antagonist: a person who opposes (goes against) another person (usually the main character)
Protagonist: the main character (most important) in a novel, play, movie, etc.
Motivation: a character’s reasons for his or her actions
Example: Jason swung the bat harder than usual during the last game of the season to try and hit his first homerun!
Characterization: The way the author shows the character’s personality
Direct Characterizations:
Direct description: Jamie was a twelve year old middle school student. She was full of energy and kind to each person that she met.
Indirect Characterizations:
S.T.E.A.L.- Use this acronym to help you remember the ways the author indirectly teaches us about the characters.
Speech: You can learn a lot by what the character says and HOW he or she says it.
Example: “I hate you! You never let me do anything!” Stan snapped.
Thoughts: What does the character think about?
Example: Grace sat by the window watching the rain pound against the windows. She wondered sadly if she were ever going to be able to go outside to play again.
Effect on Others: How does the character make other people feel?
Example: Tammy’s mother smiled and went to grab her camera as she watched Tammy kindly pushing her brother on the swing in the backyard.
Actions: What does the character do? How does he or she act?
Example: Lila jumped out of her seat to help Kristy after she saw Kristy drop all of her books on the floor.
Looks: Think about the physical description of the character. Also, consider the character’s body language.
Example: Todd smiled and sat up a little taller when he received his test back and he realized he got his first ‘A’ on an essay.
PLOT
PLOT= a series of related events that make up the story. Each event is connected and put into a certain order.
1. Exposition:This usually occurs in the beginning of the story. We learn background information about the characters, setting and we are introduced to the conflict or problems in the story. / 2. Rising Action:
Here, the reader starts to get much more interested in the novel. We learn much more about the conflict and we see the events that complicate the situation. / 3. Climax:
This is the turning point in the story. It is the critical point where an event changes the story, and often times changes the character as well.
4. Falling Action:
Events after the climax of the story. The loose ends are being tied up and we are on our way to the resolution. / 5. Resolution:
The end of the story, showing how the conflict is resolved, or settled. / Beginning:
~Exposition
~Rising Action
Middle:
~Climax
End:
~Falling Action
~Resolution
This is the most exciting part of the story
This is also known as the turning point of the story
CONFLICT:
Conflict: A struggle between opposing forces or people; the main problem in the story. Without a conflict, there is NO PLOT!
Main conflict: The major problem in the novel. This should become clear to the reader between the exposition and rising action.
Minor conflicts: Smaller conflicts that arise throughout the novel.
Internal Conflict: Conflict occurring within the character
Person vs. Self: The problem takes place in the mind of the character.Example: Marsha’s sister, Jan, told her a very serious secret. Marsha couldn’t decide whether to be loyal to her sister and keep the secret, or tell her mom and possibly save Jan from getting into a lot of trouble
External Conflict: Conflict occurring between the character and another force
Person vs. Person: The character struggles against another character. Protagonist vs. Antagonist./ Person vs. Nature: The character struggles against a force of nature (example: hurricane, drought, etc.)
/ Person vs. Society: The character struggles against society. He or she may fight for freedom, a certain cause or other rights.
Additional Conflicts:
Person vs. Supernatural: The character struggles against ghosts, aliens, zombies, monsters, etc.
Person vs. Technology: The character struggles against machines, computers, etc.
Setting
The setting is illustrated both directly and indirectly. There are many factors that contribute to the setting of the story.
Time: The past, present, future or a specific date
Place: The physical location of the story, whether it is real or made up
Environment: The details of the setting that contribute to the feeling of the story:
~Attitudes of the characters or of society
~Values that are important in the story
~Morals of the characters
~Ethnicity
~Type of community
Types of settings:
Cultural: The real culture in which a story is set
Historical: The real time, place, and events in which a fictional story is set
The setting impacts the mood of the story:
Mood: The feeling created by the setting. How do you feel while you are reading the story?
Example: I sat on the balcony overlooking the ocean as the moon reflected off of each rolling wave. The quiet breeze made the palm trees swish and sway, swish and sway, swish and sway. I curled up in the hammock and let the breeze pull me gently back and forth as the birds sang their nighttime lullaby.Point of View (POV)
Point of view is the perspective, or vantage point, from which an author presents a story. Think about how different the story may be if it was told from someone else’s point of view!
First Person: Stories with a first-person point of view are told by one of the characters in the story. The reader knows only what this character knows, thinks, and feels.
Example: I can’t believe I broke my brand new bike! I should have tried to avoid that tree at the end of the hill! My mom is going to be so mad at me when she sees the giant dent in the red handle bars. I hope that she will just be happy that I am not hurt!
Third Person: Stories with a third-person point of view are told by a narrator who is not a character in the story.
Gary stood in the kitchen making dinner for his family. He was making lasagna, which was his specialty. The sauce was made with a secret ingredient, which had been passed down from his grandmother.
o Omniscient: This narrator may share the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters. This is called an all-knowing or omniscient narrator.
o Limited: The narrator will relate the thoughts and feelings of just one character. This is called limited narration.
Second Person (Rare, but it DOES exist!): The author turns the reader into the character.
As you walk up the hill, you will see the beautiful trees and flowers in the valley below. You will smell the pine trees and feel the sun on your shoulders.
Theme
Theme: What the reader is supposed to learn from a literary work. This is the author’s message, moral or life lesson. The theme is rarely directly stated and the reader must be able to infer what the theme is.
Theme IS:~A general life lesson
~A general moral or message / Theme is NOT:
~The main idea
~Specific to the story
~A summary
Common Themes:
Honesty PerseveranceSurvival Friendship
Love Courage
Family Acceptance
Responsibility Cooperation/Teamwork
Patience Trust
Confidence/Self-confidence Good vs. Evil
To determine the theme, ask yourself:
· What did the character learn over the course of the story?
· How did the character change throughout the story?
· What is some good advice that the reader could gather from the story?
Once you have determined the theme, you must turn it into a theme statement:
Examples:
Theme: Honesty
Theme Statement: It is important to be honest and always tell the truth
Theme: Perseverance
Theme Statement: No matter how hard a challenge is, you should never give up.