Short Story Vocabulary

when and where a story occurs

the central problem or issue to be resolved in a plot...

the highest point of tension in a plot (when the outcome is decided)

the main character (a more general term than hero)

the resolution or conclusion

a symbolic device in which characters or events in a story represent of symbolize ideas, etc.

a short prose fiction usually depicting a single incident (unlike most novels)

a stereotypical character that's used repeatedly in stories

the revelation (usually early) in a story of necessary background information

a hint that is fully understood after the reader discovers more information later in the plot

the narrator can see into the minds of some (not all) of the characters

a narrator who is a character in the story

a multi-faceted character, especially one who is capable of choosing right or wrong

when the writer says one thing but means something entirely different

a character who experiences significant changes over the course of a story (personality, etc.)

the narrator can see into the minds of all of the characters in a story

the perspective from which a story is told

reference in a literary work to a person, place, or thing in history or in another piece of lit

a character (or sometimes a thing) in conflict with the main character or protagonist

interruptions used in order to insert past events and provide background to current events

when the reader is aware of something in a story that a character is not aware of

a third person narrative that does not describe the feelings and thoughts of any character

a character who does not undergo any significant changes over the course of a story

any element, subject, idea, or concept that is constantly present throughout the entire story

a narrator who misinterprets the story due to prejudice, madness, etc.

words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning..

the main idea of a work of literature

a one-dimensional character who has only a few, easily defined traits

a narrator who is not a character in the story