Vocabulary$List$One$

The$Curious$Incident$of$the$Dog$in$the$Nighttime$
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1.# Metaphor#(pg.#12):##The#comparison#of#two#seemingly#unlike#things.#
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2.$ Simile#(pg.#13):##A#comparison#between#seemingly#unlike#things#by#the#use#of#
connecting#words#such#as#like,$as,$than,$similar$to,#or#resembles.$
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3.# Novel:##A#long#fictionalHprose#narrative,#usually#of#more#than#fifty#thousand#words.#
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4.# Plot:##The#sequence#of#related#events#in#a#narrative.#
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5.$ Exposition:##The#opening#of#the#plot#that#introduces#the#setting,#characters#and#the#
major#conflict.#It#is#also#known#as#the#basic$situation.$
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6.# Setting:##The#time,#place,#and#framing#social#environment#of#a#story#or#play,#serving#to#
reveal#character#and#suggest#a#theme.#
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7.# Reversal#(peripeteia):##The#point#in#the#plot#where#affairs#turn#in#an#unexpected#
direction.#
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8.# Rising#action:##That#development#of#plot#in#a#story#or#play#that#precedes#and#leads#up#
to#the#climax.#
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9.# Climax:##The#turning#point#or#the#greatest#point#of#emotional#intensity#that#marks#the#
moment#when#the#conflict#is#decided,#one#way#or#another.#
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10.#Falling#action:##That#segment#of#the#plot#that#comes#between#the#climax#and#the#
conclusion.#
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11.#Recognition#(anagnorisis):##The#point#of#the#plot#where#a#character#suddenly#realizes#
and#understands#his#position#and#sees#himself#truly.#It#is#the#point#of#full#selfH
awareness,#usually#occurring#at#the#denouement.#
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12.#Epiphany:##In#a#literary#work,#a#moment#of#sudden#insight#or#revelation#that#a#character#
experiences.#
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13.#Denouement:##Sometimes#called#the#"resolution,"#it#is#the#untying#or#unraveling#of#the#
plot#when#meaning#of#past#events#becomes#clear.#
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14.$Resolution:##The#conclusion#of#a#story,#when#all#or#most#of#the#conflicts#have#been#
settledd#often#called#the#denouement.$
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15.#Characterization:##The#direct#/#indirect#methods#of#presentation#that#an#author#uses#to#
develop#persons#within#a#narrative#physically,#mentally,#emotionally,#and#spiritually.#
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16.#Character:##Any#of#the#persons#presented#in#a#story#or#play.#
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 17.#Direct#presentation:##The#method#of#characterization#in#which#the#author,#by#exposition#
or#analysis,#tells#us#directly#what#a#character#is#like,#or#has#someone#else#in#the#story#
do#so.#
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18.#Indirect#presentation:##The#method#of#characterization#in#which#the#author#shows#us#a#
character#in#action,#compelling#us#to#infer#what#the#character#is#like#from#what#is#said#
or#done#by#the#character.#
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19.#Protagonist:##The#central#character#in#a#conflict,#whether#he#is#a#sympathetic#person#
such#as#Prince#Hamlet#or#an#unsympathetic#person#such#as#Macbeth.#
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20.#Antagonist:##Any#force#arrayed#against#the#protagonist#such#as#other#characters,#
things,#conventions#of#society,#or#a#tragic#flaw.#
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21.#Developing#character:##Undergoes#a#permanent#change#in#some#aspect#of#character,#
personality,#or#outlook.#It#is#sometimes#known#as#a#dynamic$character.#
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22.#Static#character:##Undergoes#no#or#little#change#in#the#course#of#the#story.#
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23.#Stock#character:##Known#also#as#a#stereotypical$character,#occurs#so#often#in#fiction#
that#the#character’s#nature#is#immediately#known.#
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24.#Flat#character:##Usually#a#minor#character#that#has#only#one#or#two#personality#traits.#
He#or#she#can#be#summed#up#in#a#single#phrase.#
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25.#Theme:##The#central#idea#or#insight#of#a#work#of#literature.##It#is#not#to#be#confused#with#
the#subject#of#a#work#such#as#old#age,#ambition,#or#love.##It#is#the#idea#that#the#writer#
wished#to#convey#about#the#subject.##[Theme,#however,#should#not#be#confused#with#
moral,#which#is#a#lesson#or#rule#about#how#to#live.#A#theme#is#stated#this#way:##“One#of#
the#painful#aspects#of#growing#up#is#that#some#of#our#dreams#turn#out#to#be#illusions."]#
Most#themes#are#built#on#the#changing#character#and#the#resolving#of#the#conflict.#
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26.#Editorializing:##Writing#that#departs#from#the#narrative#or#dramatic#mode#and#instructs#
the#reader#how#to#think#or#feel#about#the#events#of#a#story#or#a#character’s#behavior.#
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27.#Allusion:##A#reference,#explicit#or#implicit,#to#something#in#previous#literature#or#history.#
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28.#Simile:##A#comparison#between#seemingly#unlike#things#by#the#use#of#connecting#
words#such#as#like,$as,$than,$similar$to,#or#resembles.#
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29.#Situational#irony:##When#what#actually#happens#is#the#opposite#of#what#is#expected#or#
appropriate.#
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30.#Verbal#irony:##When#a#writer#or#speaker#says#one#thing#but#really#means#another,#such#
as#when#a#person#appears#to#be#praising#something#but#is#actually#insulting#it.#