Narrative Elements
character vs. nature
when a character has a problem with a force such as cold, storms, earthquakes, an animal etc.
character vs. fate
when a character has a problem with something they can't do anything about such as god, luck, death, etc.
limited point of view
a perspective restricted to a single character, whether a first person or a third person
foil
A character who is in most ways opposite to the main character. The purpose of the character is to emphasize the traits of the main character by contrast only
irony
A contrast between what is expected and what actually happens
theme
A message about life or human nature that is revealed through a piece of literature
foreshadowing
A narrative device that hints at coming events
flashback
A scene that interrupts the events in a story to show something that happened at an earlier time
third person point of view
A story where the narrator is not a character and the author reveals only a single character's thoughts and feelings by using pronouns such as he, she, it, they, and them.
mood
A story's atmosphere or the feeling it creates in a reader
external conflict
A struggle between a character and an outside force
conflict
A struggle between opposing forces
symbol
A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.
anatagonist
Character or force that opposes the protagonist
character vs. society
Conflict between the main character with culture, community, or a larger group of people
resolution
End of the story where loose ends are tied up
falling action
Events after the climax, leading to the resolution
rising action
Events leading up to the climax (not including the exposition)
protagonist
Main character in a story
narrator
One who tells a story
plot
Sequence of events in a story
point of view
The perspective from which a story is told
first person point of view
Told from the viewpoint of one of the characters using the pronouns "I," "We," etc.
internal conflict
a struggle that takes within the character's own mind.
four types of external conflict
character vs. character character vs. society character vs. fate character vs. nature
exposition
the beginning of a story that provides background information about the characters and the setting
Omniscient point of view
the narrator knows and can tell the reader the thoughts of any character
character vs. character
the protagonist is in conflict with another character; external
climax
the turning point of the story (which leads to the resolution of the conflict)
setting
time and place in which the action of a story occurs.
four types of characterization
what a character looks like what a character says/thinks what a character does what others say/think about that character