Narrative Elements
fable
a short story meant to teach a lesson; uses animals as characters
second person
The narrator tells a listener what he/she has done or said, using the personal pronoun "you."
Climax
The turning point of a story that eventually leads to the resolution.
character vs. character
a conflict describing Harry Potter vs. Voldemort or Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader
first person
a point of view where the narrator is a character in the story; uses pronouns like I, my, we, and us
narrative essay
a short piece of writing that expresses an idea on a subject that is based on true experience
antagonist
A character or force in conflict with the main character
foreshadowing
A literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story.
The inciting incident of "One Man Band"
A little girl shows up with a coin.
The exposition of "One Man Band"
A man is playing music in a town square and no one is around.
flashback
A scene that interrupts the normal chronological sequence of events in a story to depict something that happened at an earlier time
The rising action of "One Man Band"
A second musician shows up and competes for the little girl's coin.
Rising Action
A series of events that builds from the conflict. It begins with the inciting incident and ends with the climax.
plot
A series of related events in a story, each connected to the next.
legend
A story that has some historical truth to it, but is not entirely true.
tone
A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through word choice
direct characterization
Author directly describes character
imagery
Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)
Resolution
End of the story where loose ends are tied up and the problem is finally resolved
Slow pacing
Ex: "As the rain fell, he looked out his window with his head resting gently upon his folded arms. He contemplated all that had happened that day with a somber attitude, filing through the days events like slides in a mental slideshow."
Quick pacing
Ex: "He grabbed his sword. Forcefully, he thrust it toward his foe. The enemy struck back. They battled, back and forth, for an hour. Feet moved in a flutter. Sweat poured from their brows."
mood
Feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader
Exposition
Introduces the characters, settings, and opening situations of a story
setting
It refers to the time and place which the events of a story take place.
PIE
The acronym for purpose; it stands for persuade, inform, and entertain
protagonist
The central character in a work of literature
theme
The central idea or insight in a literary work. Can also be the moral or message that a writer is trying to present.
indirect characterization
The character is revealed through their personality, appearance, words, actions, and effect on others
Falling Action
The events that happen as a result of the climax.
The falling action of "One Man Band"
The girl demands payback for her lost coin from the two musicians and receives a violin.
The climax of "One Man Band"
The girl drops her coin and it falls down the drain.
The resolution of "One Man Band"
The girl takes the money she earned and throws it into the fountain.
third person omniscient
the narrator knows all of the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters in a story
third person limited
the narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character
Inciting Incident
the scene that "gets the plot going" - start of the conflict
character vs. society
a conflict describing Katniss Everdeen vs. the government of Panem or a man who opposes the law
character vs. supernatural
a conflict describing a man fighting Zeus or trying to escape fate
character vs. technology
a conflict describing someone fighting a robot or a computer program
character vs. nature
a conflict describing someone running away from a tornado or trying to survive an earthquake
folktale
a story handed down from one generation to another
myth
a story with gods, goddesses, or mythological creatures that was once believed to be true but is actually false.