Literary Terms

The character readers most likely root for in a story is called the

What is the role of the antagonist in the story?

A struggle between a character and something else.

The underlying purpose or reason for our actions is called

A writer uses an omniscient narrator to tell the reader

An action that interrupts the story to introduce an event that took place in the past.

Indirect characterization allows readers to

Writing that describes one's opinion or belief is known as

Many stories have _______, or minor characters to help move the story forward.

The mood or feelings brought on by a story's setting.

Characterization is

A series of related events in a story, each connected to the next.

Literary critics sometimes use the term persona to refer to a/an

the attitude a speaker or writer takes toward a subject, character, or audience is called

Situational irony occurs when

In fiction, a symbol can be described as a/an

A story contains dramatic irony when the

An allegory is a story that

Writing that describes a statement or fact is known as

A struggle between two forces.

The very end of a story, when loose ends of the plot are tied up.

Themes that deal with basic human concerns such as good and evil or life and death are called

Verbal irony occurs when

The time and place in which a story happens.

In an allegory, characters and setting are

The opening of a story, when the characters and their conflicts are introduced.

A struggle that takes place within a character's mind or heart.

The narrator of a story can best be described as the

The central idea or message that the writer wants you to get; usually indirectly stated.

A static character is one that often

A first-person narrator is

Finding a theme helps the reader understand

The order in which a story's events take place.

The author often reveals the theme through

When a writer uses direct characterization

Writing that describes a story or a personal experience is known as

A third-person limited narrator

A character with only one or two different traits is called

A writer's unique use of language and overall style is called the writers

Mysterious situations the readers must analyze to figure out.

Hints in the story that certain events are going to happen later.

The surprise ending is a form of

The most exciting part of a story; the moment when the outcome of the conflict is determined.

An unreliable narrator may be described as one who

An action that jumps ahead of the story to narrate an event that happens at a later time.