Misc Fiction Notes
Narrative
Narrative
Narrative-- story that can be interpreted to
reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or
political one.
Characters and Character Types
Characterization
Direct characterization--the author steps in to
describe and sometimes judge the character for
the reader
Indirect characterization•the reader has to
figure out what kind of person the character is
by seeing their thoughts, actions, and what they
say
Characters
1. Protagonist---is the central character who
engages the reader’s interest and empathy NOT
THE GOOD GUY
2. Antagonist ---is the character, force, or
collection of forces that stands directly opposed
to the protagonist and gives rise to the conflict
of the story. NOT THE BAD GUY
Characters
1.Static--does not change throughout the
work, and the reader’s knowledge of that
character does not grow
2.Dynamic--a character that changes from
the beginning of the play to the end
Characters
1. Flat--embodies one or two qualities, ideas, or traits
that can be easily described in a brief summary. They
are not complex characters and therefore are easy to
understand to readers.
2. Round--are more complicated than flat characters, and
are often have malfunctions similar to most real
people. They are more fully developed, and therefore
are harder to summarize.
Characters
1. Major-- characters are vital to the development
and resolution of the conflict In other words,
the plot and resolution of conflict revolves
around these characters.
2. Minor--serve to complement the major
characters and help move the plot events
forward
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing - Clues that suggest events
yet to come.
Flashback
Flashback
Flashbacks are interruptions that writers do
to insert past events in order to provide
background or context to the current events
of a narrative.
Irony
•Irony, or something ironic, is the contrast between what is
stated explicitly and what is really meant. The difference
between what appears to be and what actually is true. Irony
is used for many reasons, but frequently, it’s used to create
poignancy or humor.
Verbal Irony
•In verbal irony, the words literally state the opposite of the
writer’s (or speaker’s) true meaning.
–Sarcasm--“Don’t move or anything, wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself”
–Hyperbole-- Someone tells an off-color joke about a grandmother and
then realized to his surprise that his own grandmother, a prim and
proper lady, happened to be standing right behind him. "I literally died,"
he says.
–Understatement-- “He's very poor at spelling.” but the person is a
great speller
Situational Irony
•In situational irony, events turn out the
opposite of what was expected. What the
characters and readers think ought to
happen is not what does happen.
Dramatic Irony
•In dramatic irony, facts or events are
unknown to a character in a play or piece of
fiction but known to the reader, audience, or
other characters in the work.
Allegory
Allegory
Allegory-- An allegory is a complete
narrative which involves characters, and
events that stand for an abstract idea or an
event.