FICTION TERMS

CHARACTERS

CHARACTERIZATION
Direct characterization happens when the author tells

the reader/audience what to think about a character.

The author directly states the characters describe and
sometimes judge the character for the reader

Indirect characterization happens when the reader

has to figure out what kind of person the character is

by seeing their thoughts, actions, and what they say

STATIC VS. DYNAMIC

A static character does not change

throughout the work. These characters

maintain the same mindset for the whole
story.
A dynamic character that changes
mindset from the beginning of the play to
the end

FLAT VS. ROUND

A flat character 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.

A round character is more complicated than a flat

character.These characters are more fully developed,

and therefore are harder to summarize because they
are multi-faceted like real people.

PROTAGONIST VS.
ANTAGONIST
A protagonist is the central character of the story.

The audience/reader may not see him/her as good

but the story revolves around this character.

An 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. The
character is not necessarily bad, s/he/it just gets in
the way of the protagonists wants/desires.

PLOT

EXPOSITION
Exposition is the introductory

material, which creates the tone,

give the setting, and introduces
the characters.

SETTING
Setting is the physical and social context in which the action of

a story occurs. The major elements of setting are the time, the
place, and the social environment that frames the characters.
a. place - geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking

place?
b.time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day,
year, etc)
c. weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?
d. mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the
story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?
e.social conditions - What is the daily life of the character's like? Does
the story contain local colour (writing that focuses on the speech, dress,
mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)?

CONFLICT
Conflict is the struggle within the plot between

opposing forces. The protagonist engages in the

conflict with the antagonist.
The antagonist can be:
i. Character vs. Character
ii.

Character vs. Society

iii. Character vs. Nature
iv. Character vs Self an aspect of the protagonists
personality, ideas of right or wrong, physical
limitations, choices, etc.

RISING ACTION,
COMPLICATIONS, SUSPENSE
Rising Action is everything from the initiation of conflict to the

climax. This is the part of the story where complications create

some sort of conflict for the protagonist.
a. Complications are all the little things that go wrong while the

character is trying to solve the conflict of the story

b. Suspense is the anxious anticipation of a reader to the

outcome of a story, especially concerning the character or

characters with whom sympathetic attachments are formed,
usually the protagonist. Suspense helps to secure and sustain
the interest of the reader or audience throughout a work.

CLIMAX
Climax the moment of greatest emotional tension in a

narrative, usually marking a turning point in the plot at

which the rising action reverses to become the falling
action.
a. The protagonist usually makes a decision that leads to the

actions that will end the conflict.

b. It is helpful to consider climax as a three-fold phenomenon:
i. the main character receives new information
ii. accepts this information (realizes it but does not necessarily agree with it)
Iii. acts on this information (makes a choice that will determine whether or

not he/she gains his objective).

FALLING ACTION AND

RESOLUTION
Falling action is characterized by

diminishing tensions. This is the time

where the protagonist takes actions
resolve the conflict.
Resolution is the resolution of the
plots conflicts and complications

LITERARY
DEVICES

MOOD, TONE, AND

FORESHADOWING
Mood is the prevailing atmosphere or emotional

aura of a work. Setting, tone, and events can

affect the mood. In this usage, mood is similar to
tone and atmosphere.
Tone describes the authors attitude toward his
material, the audience, or both.
Foreshadowing happens when the author gives
the audience clues that suggest events yet to
come

DICTION, DENOTATION, AND

CONNOTATION
Diction is the choice and use of words and phrases in

speech or writing

Denotation means the literal, dictionary definition of

the word

Connotation means the implied or suggested

meaning attached to a word, or the emotional tag

that goes along with the word

THREE KINDS OF IRONY

Verbal irony, the words literally state the opposite of

the writers (or speakers) true meaning.

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, 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.