Literary Terms, Short Story: Part 1
1.) Speaker: the narrator/storyteller or
“poetic voice” in a text
2.) Characterization: the representation of a
character through description of his/her
appearance, relationships, personality
traits, actions, etc.
3.) Protagonist: the main character, usually
“the good guy/girl”
Example: Superman, Simba in The Lion
King
Example:
4.) Antagonist: the enemy to the main
character; often known as “the bad
guy/girl”
Example: Gaston in Beauty and the Beast,
Scar in The Lion King
Example:
5.) Flat Character: minor character that
lacks characterization; the audience knows
little about this character
6.) Round Character: character whose
personality is complex, like a real person’s,
and the audience knows a lot about this
character
7.) Static Character: character that does not
undergo substantial change or growth
8.) Dynamic Character: a character who
encounters conflict and is changed by it
9.) Foil: a character who differs in at least
one way from another character
Example: Bert is neat, but Ernie is messy.
Example:
10.) Setting: the location, historical time, and
social circumstances in which a story
occurs
Example: Beauty and the Beast is set in
France. Les Miserables is set during the
French Revolution.
Example:
11.) Plot: the actions and events that take
place in a work of fiction
 The plot is made up of the exposition,
rising action, climax, falling action, and
denouement.
12.) Exposition: dialogue or description that
provides background information about
the characters and situation
13.) Rising Action: the part of a story where
the plot or the conflict (problem) is further
developed
14.) Climax: the most exciting point in the
plot; the major turning point in a plot
15.) Falling Action: events that take place
after, and as a result of, the climax
16.) Denouement: the outcome or ending
17.) Freytag’s Pyramid: the storytelling
structure that includes an exposition, rising
action, climax, falling action, and
denouement
18.) Conflict: the problem in the plot
19.) Vignette: a very short piece of narrative
writing that expresses a complete thought
20.) Symbol: something concrete that
represents something abstract
Example: A baby bottle can represent
youth.
Example: A wreath can represent peace
or the holiday season.
21.) Theme: a universal message or lesson
about life or society
Example: Siblings are a great source of
support in times of difficulty.
22.) Flâneur: people-watcher
23.) Point of View: the perspective from
which a story gets told (who is telling the
story)
3 Points of View
24.) First Person Point of View: the story is
told from the “I” perspective
 Benefits? Drawbacks?
25.) Second Person Point of View: the
narrator addresses the audience as “you”
 Benefits? Drawbacks?
26.) Third Person Point of View: the
narrator is not a character in the story, but
tells an account of what is going on
 Benefits? Drawbacks?
27.) 6 Types of Conflict (problems)
 Person versus Person
 Person versus Nature
 Person versus Society (a group, world, or
circumstance)
 Person versus Self
 Person versus Supernatural
 Person versus Machine/Technology
28.) Dialogue: conversation between two or
more characters
 helps to explain relationships between
characters
 may illustrate a character’s mood,
temper, or personality
 may be humorous or set a specific tone
for the writing
 breaks up paragraphs of description
29.) Pathetic Fallacy: when the weather
mirrors a character’s emotions
Example: When the character is scared, it
happens to be a stormy night.
Example: When the character is happy, it
happens to be a sunny day.
3 Types of Irony
30.) Situational Irony: when the opposite of
what is expected occurs
Example: The boy thought he aced an
exam, but he actually failed.
Example: Lily’s brand new cell phone is
not turning on.
31.) Dramatic Irony: when the audience
knows something that a character or
characters do not know
Example: The audience knows the family
won the lottery, but the family has not
found out yet.
32.) Verbal Irony: when the speaker says one
thing, but means another; sarcasm
Example: Saying “Boy, it’s hot,” when it
is snowing out.
Types of Characterization
33.) Direct Characterization: the writer tells
the reader exactly what the character is like
or what a person’s motives are
* My friend is hard-working.
34.) Indirect Characterization: the writer
offers an example or story that allows the
reader to interpret for him/herself who the
character is
* My friend worked for hours on the project.
35.) Deus ex Machina: a person or feature
that suddenly appears in a work of fiction
and provides a contrived or unbelievable
solution to a problem.
36.) Extrovert: an outgoing, expressive
person who prefers to be around people
37.) Introvert: a person who prefers to be by
him/herself; someone quiet and reserved
38.) Optimist: a person who has a positive
viewpoint; “sees the glass as half full”
39.) Pessimist: a person who has a negative
viewpoint; “sees the glass as half empty”
40.) Transitional Words: words that help a
writer move between topics.
Examples: