Plot

1. Plot Literary Elements of Narrative Text Type

2. Plot • The series of related events that make up a work of fiction. Plot is what happens in a short story, novel, play or narrative poem. climax Rising action Falling action Plot line: the graph that plots out the events and actions that occur throughout the story. It is a “picture of the story in sequential order. resolution exposition

3. Exposition • The introduction • The part of plot in which the major characters, setting, and basic situation are introduced. • The first part of the plot line.

4. Inciting incident • “incite”: to encourage or prompt into action • The event that sparks the action of the plot. • This is the event that moves the story from the exposition into the rising action. Inciting incident

5. Rising action • The part of the plot line that presents situations that move the plot along until it reaches the climax. • The characters take steps to resolve the conflicts.

6. Complication • The part of the plot in which the conflict, problem, or struggle between opposing sides is made known to the reader. • Complications arise when the characters take steps to resolve the conflict. • Complications make up the rising action of the story.

7. Climax • The part of the plot which is the turning point or most important event in the story. • The outcome is decided one way or another. • The situation is never the same for the protagonist after the climax.

8. Falling action • The situations in the plot that happen after the climax. • Usually, the major conflict is solved in some way, so the remaining events serve to bring the story to a close.

9. Resolution • The conflict is resolved and the story is brought to a close.

10. Parallel episodes • These are repeated elements of the plot. • Each time an event is repeated in the story it is labeled a parallel episode. • In “Those Three Wishes” a wish is made three times with the same result which makes those episodes parallel.

11. subplot • A minor plot that relates in some way to the main plot.

12. theme • The general idea or insight about life that a work of literature reveals. • The theme is the idea or message that the writer wishes to convey about a certain subject such as friendship, life experiences, love, or human suffering. • Example: Innocent people often suffer in times of conflict.

13. Universal Theme • Recurring themes that will appear in works from different cultures and across time periods. • Example: Good will triumph over evil.

14. Setting • The time, place, and environment of the action of the story. • It may play an important role in the plot, especially in stories or novels involving a conflict between a character and nature.

15. Mood • The overall feeling or atmosphere of a work of literature. • The mood can often be described in one or two adjectives (ex. Scary, sad, happy, nostalgic). • The writer produces mood by the use of descriptive words, setting, images, and specific details.

16. Suspense • The uncertainty or anxiety that a reader feels about what will happen next in a story, novel, or drama.

17. Foreshadow • An author’s use of hints or clues to suggest events that will occur later in the story. • Often used to build suspense and keep readers interest by preparing readers for the events that will follow. • For example: The author may tell us that the story is taking place on island with a bad reputation. This may foreshadow that something dangerous may happen.

18. Flashback • Interruption in the present action of a plot to show events that happened at an earlier time. • It breaks normal forward movement of a narrative. • Example: In The Outsiders, Ponyboy goes back in time to relive the day the gang found Johnny in the vacant lot after the Soc beating.

19. Character Terms A guide to key narrative terms

20. Character • An imaginary personality created by an author. The character may be a human or an animal Rikki-tikki-tavi Ponyboy Curtis

21. Types of Characters • Protagonist: the main character who faces a problem and in his/her attempt to solve it, becomes involved in a conflict with an opposing force. • Antagonist: The person, force, or idea that opposes the main character who is the protagonist

22. Types of Characters • Dynamic character: a character who changes as a result of his/her experiences within the work. • Static character: a character who remains the same throughout the course of the conflict.

23. Characterization • The process by which the author reveals the personality of the character. • Characterization can be done directly or indirectly.

24. Characterization (Direct) • Direct characterization: a writer simply tells the reader the character’s personality. • Example: Rikki-tikki was a brave mongoose.

25. Characterization (indirect) • Indirect characterization: a writer reveals the character’s personality without directly telling the reader. • The reader must infer the character’s traits based on what is told to us about the character.

26. Five methods of Indirect Characterization • The author reveals character through the following ways: • 1.) through words of the character • 2.) through description of the character’s looks and clothing • 3.) through description of the character’s thoughts and feelings • 4.) through comments made about the character by other characters in the story • 5.) through the character’s behavior

27. Character’s Motivation • The motivation of a character is any force that drives the character to behave in a particular way (such as love or fear or jealousy).

28. Conflict • A struggle between opposing characters or forces. • A character can face an internal conflict or an external conflict.

29. Conflict • Internal conflicts: the conflict takes place within a character’s own mind. • It is a struggle between opposing needs, desires or emotions. • These conflicts are referred to as man vs. self

30. Conflict • External conflicts: struggles with an outside force. • These conflicts are referred to as… • man vs. man • man vs. nature • man vs. society