Vocabulary Notebook
Vocabulary Word: narrative
writing
Definition: writing that entertains
(tells a story)
Root: narrate (to tell)
narration (re-telling)
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: archetype
Definition:
Is a character, symbol, story pattern,
or other element that is common
across cultures and that occurs
frequently in literature.
Synonyms:
Common impression or belief
Graphic Representation:
Examples: damsel in distress; mad scientist; the wise old man; the hero; illfated or star-crossed lovers (Romeo and Juliet)
Vocabulary Word: stereotype
Definition:
Commonly held belief about a
particular group of individuals
Synonyms:
judgments; labels
Generalizations
Examples:
gender stereotypes
age stereotypes
racial/ethnic stereotypes
Vocabulary Word: imagery
Definition:
Descriptive or figurative language
used to create word pictures in a
reader’s mind
Graphic Representation:
Synonyms:
Mental image
Vocabulary Word: details
Definition:
Words that describe a character,
setting, or event
Synonyms:
Specifics, fine points,
technicalities
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: Context
Definition:
the circumstances or facts that
surround a particular event or
situation
Graphic Representation:
Synonyms:
background
situation
surroundings
Vocabulary Word: setting
Definition:
Time and place in which a narrative
occurs
Graphic Representation:
Examples:
England 1506
NYC 2004
Vocabulary Word: point of view
Definition:
The perspective from which a story is
told
First person: story told from
character’s own perspective
Third person: story is told by a
narrator
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: conflict
Definition:
A struggle between opposing forces,
either internal or external
Common Examples:
man vs. self
man vs. man
man vs. society
man vs. nature
Graphic Representation:
Write four sentences using four different
vocabulary words from your VCNB
and/or Word Wall.
• Use context clues to show me you
know the meaning of the words.
• Use a minimum of 3 different
coordinating conjunctions throughout
your sentences.
Vocabulary Word: technique
Definition:
A way of carrying out a particular
task
Synonyms:
approach, manner, mode
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word:
visual technique
Definition:
Ways images can be used to convey
narration
Types of visual techniques:
framing, angles, point of view, and
lighting
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: mood
Definition:
the overall emotion, which is created
by the author’s language and tone
and the subject matter
Graphic Representation:
Synonyms:
feeling,
Emotion
attitude
Vocabulary Word: protagonist
Definition:
the leading character or a major
character in a drama, movie, novel,
or other fictional text
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: plot
Definition:
the sequence of related events that
make up a story
Five main elements:
Exposition, rising action, climax,
falling action, resolution
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: pacing
Definition:
A narrative technique that refers to
the amount of time a writer gives to
describing each event and the
amount of time a writer takes to
develop each stage in the plot
Graphic Representation:
Synonyms:
Vocabulary Word: epic
Definition:
a long narrative about the deeds of
heroes or gods
Graphic Representation:
Synonyms:
Vocabulary Word: concise
Definition:
to be brief and to the point
Graphic Representation:
Synonyms:
Vocabulary Word: tone
Definition:
a writer’s or speaker’s attitude
toward the subject
Synonyms:
Attitude, feeling, mood
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: diction
Definition:
refers to the writer’s choice of words
& use of language
Synonyms:
Vocabulary, writing style, word
choice
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: connotation
Definition:
the emotional or imaginative
meaning of a word or words
Synonyms:
meaning, association
Graphic Representation:
EXAMPLE OF CONNOTATION
A stubborn person may be described as being
either strong-willed or pig-headed. Although
these have the same literal meaning (i.e.
stubborn),
• strong-willed suggests admiration for the level
of someone's will  , while
• pig-headed suggests frustration in dealing
with someone  .
Vocabulary Word: denotation
Definition:
the direct or dictionary definition of
a word or words
Synonyms:
Definition, literal meaning
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: nuance
Definition:
A subtle difference or distinction in
meaning
Graphic Representation:
Synonyms:
variation
EXAMPLES
DOVE
denotation:
connotation:
EXAMPLES
DOVE
denotation: a small, white bird
connotation:
EXAMPLES
DOVE
denotation: a small, white bird
connotation: peace
EXAMPLES
HOME
denotation:
connotation:
EXAMPLES
HOME
denotation: a building where you live
connotation:
EXAMPLES
HOME
denotation: a building where you live
connotation: a place of warmth
& comfort
EXAMPLES
SUNSHINE
denotation:
connotation:
EXAMPLES
SUNSHINE
denotation: the sun’s rays
connotation:
EXAMPLES
SUNSHINE
denotation: the sun’s rays
connotation: cheerfulness &
happiness & warmth
EXAMPLES
RAT
denotation:
connotation:
EXAMPLES
RAT
denotation: a rodent, larger than a mouse
connotation:
EXAMPLES
RAT
denotation: a rodent, larger than a mouse
connotation: disgusting, dirty, sneaky, etc.
EXAMPLES
 Negative
Positive 
Difficult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EXAMPLES
 Negative
Positive 
Difficult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
EXAMPLES
 Negative
Positive 
Difficult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Cheap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EXAMPLES
 Negative
Positive 
Difficult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Cheap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inexpensive
EXAMPLES
 Negative
Positive 
Difficult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Cheap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inexpensive
Stubborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EXAMPLES
 Negative
Positive 
Difficult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Cheap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inexpensive
Stubborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determined
EXAMPLES
 Negative
Positive 
Difficult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Cheap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inexpensive
Stubborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determined
Picky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EXAMPLES
 Negative
Positive 
Difficult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Cheap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inexpensive
Stubborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determined
Picky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Particular
EXAMPLES
 Negative
Positive 
Difficult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Cheap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inexpensive
Stubborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determined
Picky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Particular
Loud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EXAMPLES
 Negative
Positive 
Difficult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Cheap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inexpensive
Stubborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determined
Picky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Particular
Loud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outspoken
Vocabulary Word:
definition essay
Definition:
a type of expository writing that
explains, or defines, what a topic
means
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: function
Definition:
Synonyms:
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: negation
Definition:
Synonyms:
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: allegory
Definition:
Allegory is an e x t e n d e d
metaphor, in which objects, persons,
& actions in a narrative have
meanings outside the narrative itself
Synonyms:
e x t e n d e d metaphor
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: oxymoron
Definition:
A figure of speech in which the
words CONTRADICT each other
Graphic Representation:
Examples:
Jumbo shrimp
Friendly fire
Cold sweat
Vocabulary Word: rhyme scheme
Definition:
A consistent pattern of rhyming
words at line endings throughout a
poem
Example:
There once was a big brown cat
That liked to eat a lot of mice.
He got all round and fat
Because they tasted so nice.
Graphic Representation:
a
b
a
b
Vocabulary Word: free verse
Definition:
Poetry WITHOUT a fixed pattern of
meter and rhyme
Example:
Heroes Are
sometimes
courageous collaborators,
sometimes
originators of opportunities,
sometimes
champions of coincidence or
circumstance.
Sometimes
heroes act through intelligence
and at other times
through ignorance.
Graphic Representation:
Vocabulary Word: formal style
Definition:
school or academic writing that
shows care and appropriate language
Graphic Representation:
Synonyms:
Vocabulary Word: informal style
Definition:
less formal language used in texting
or conversation
Graphic Representation:
Synonyms:
Vocabulary Word: coherence
Definition:
the clear and orderly presentation of
ideas in a paragraph or essay
Roots and Affixes:
Coherence contains the Latin root –
her-, meaning “to stick” and the
prefix co- meaning “together.”
Graphic Representation: