Mr. Williams

Fiction Terms – Eng. 12

Allegory - a pattern of reference in the work which evokes a parallel action of abstract ideas. Usually allegory uses recognizable types, symbols and narrative patterns to indicate that the meaning of the text is to be found not in the represented world but in a body of traditional thought. Thus in Animal Farm by George Orwell, the pigs are seen to stand for communists because having led the revolution against the farmer they invent the phrase “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”

Allusion - allusion is a brief, direct, or indirect reference to a presumably familiar figure, place, or event from history, literature, mythology, or the bible. Most allusions expand on or develop a significant idea, impression, or mood.

Analogy - the comparison of two pairs which have the same relationship. The key is to ascertain the relationship between the first so you can choose the correct second pair. Part to whole, opposites, results of are types of relationships you should find. Example: hot is to cold as fire is to ice OR hot:cold::fire:ice

Atmosphere - refers to the mood or feeling in which a piece of writing is pitched. It is the intangible, subjective, mental and spiritual quality which represents the tone of the work and the effect of the writing on the reader.

Character Terms

Protagonist - the main character(s) who must meet and overcome the struggle or conflict of the story. “Protagonist” is a preferable term to “hero”, as protagonists are not always heroic.

Antagonist – the opposing character of force which may or may not be overcome by the protagonist. The antagonist creates the conflict for the protagonist. It may be a person(s), the environment, or a psychological force(s).

Round character – a complex and not easily explained character. A character with many different traitslike a real person. Should have two opposing traits.

Flat character – summed up easily, with one major character trait.

Dynamic character – a dynamic or developing character who undergoes a permanent change in some aspect of his character attitudes, personality, or behavior. She may deteriorate, she may develop strength as a result of his struggle, or she may change her philosophy and habits under the stress of her social or psychological environment.

Static character – a static character remains the same at the end of the story as he was in the beginning. No change in his personality or behavior has occurred.

Stock characters – the stereotyped figures in fiction who have occurred so often they are easily recognized: Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes, the frontier sheriff.

Character foil – a character who, in sharp contrast to the protagonist, helps define the central character(s).

Direct characterization – the author develops the character directly through exposition and analysis. We are told what the character is like. The author uses description, analysis, commentary, and interpretation.

Indirect characterization – the author shows us the character through his actions and reactions; we interpret and analyze the character for ourselves. A character is revealed through what she says, does, thinks, and feels and through what other character think, say, and feel about her.

Motivation - the cause a character has for his actions or behavior; that is, his reasons for what he does and the decisions he makes. His actions and decisions will be the direct result of the makeup of his character.

Dialogue – when characters speak. Dialogue is placed in quotation marks.

Epiphany - an epiphany is a moment of significant realization and insight experienced by a protagonist

Escapist Fiction – fiction written solely for entertainment. The work contains no strong theme. Often work marked by intense action. Opposite of interpretive literature.

Extended Metaphor – a metaphor is a comparison of two unlike things, using the verb “to be”. “He is a pig”, is a well-used metaphor. An extended metaphor is when the author continues the comparison in more detail.

Figurative language - literary language which uses various figures of speech: antithesis, apostrophe, climax, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, metonymy, personification, simile, synecdoche. It gains strength and freshness of expression through these figures of speech and creates poetic effects.

Flashback - A device that allows the writer to present events that happened before the time of the current narration or the current events in the fiction. Flashback techniques include memories, dreams, stories of the past told by characters, or even authorial sovereignty. (That is, the author might simply say, "But back in Tom's youth. . . .") Flashback is useful for exposition, to fill in the reader about a character or place, or about the background to a conflict.

Foreshadowing - the author hints at what is to come without giving away any information that will destroy the reader’s interest. It is used to build suspense.

Image – when writing appeals to the senses. An appeal to sight is the most common.

Imagery - use of words which appeal to our senses and create images in our minds that recall experiences of taste, touch, smell, sound, sight and temperature. The abstract is made concrete through sensory imagery.

Interpretive literature – opposite of escapist. Some theme or message is important in the text.

Irony - the actual intended meaning is expressed in words which carry the opposite meaning.

Dramatic irony – the reader is aware of something that one or more characters has not learned. The words or acts of a character may carry a meaning unperceived by herself but understood by the audience. Usually the character’s own interests are involved in a way that she cannot understand. The irony lies in the contrast between the meaning intended by the speaker and the added significance seen by others.

Situational Irony - when a set of circumstances turns out differently from what is expected or considered appropriate.

Verbal Irony - which occurs when a contrast is evident between what a character says and what the character actually means.

Mood - the emotional atmosphere which gives color and texture to the story. Mood may take many forms: sadness, fear, despair, happiness, etc.

Myth – a traditional story serving to explain some phenomenon, or custom.

Parody - not to be confused with satire, parody is the imitation of either formal or thematic elements of one work in another for humorous purposes. The most high-profile parodist in modern America is Weird Al Yankovic, who takes others' songs and rewrites the words. Many parodies follow their originals closely, Not all parody needs to be bitter; some parodies are merely gentle and even affectionate ribbing.

Plot - the sequence of incidents or events which comprise the story.

Rising action - the part of plot which includes the complication of the action. It start with the inciting force, gains strength as the antagonist(s) comes into conflict with the protagonist and reaches a climax or turning point in the story.

Introduction/ Antecedent action – the beginning of a piece of literature when the characters, setting, and situation are introduced.

Inciting force/ Complicating incident - the person or incident or a combination of both which cause the protagonist to behave or think in a manner that initiates the conflict and the series of crises that result.

Conflict – conflict grows out of the interplay of two opposing forces in a plot. It is the struggle which the protagonist must attempt to overcome. It may be physical, psychological, emotional, or moral and involve a clash of action, ideas, desires, or wills. Conflict may be singular or multiple.

Internal: the character is in a struggle with his or her own character. Ex. A decision

External:a. person vs. person – both are aware of conflict

b. person vs. nature – weather, animal, landform

c. person vs. society – when neither of the above two, could be a conflict to “make a mark in the world”, or change society.

Crisis: - that part of the plot which presents the critical stage in the dramatic action; the episode or incident wherein the situation in which the protagonist finds himself is either to improve or to grow worse. Crisis frequently precedes the climax in time; yet it is related to the climax in that the decision made by a character at the point of crisis largely determines the nature of the climax.

Climax – when the main problem or conflict no longer exists. In drama it may occur in the middle of the action and begin the change of fortune either for or against the protagonist.

Falling action - the second half or resolution of a dramatic plot. It involves the working out of the problems, Suspense decreases.

Resolution – when and how the conflict is resolved.

Denouement - the final solution to the mystery; the explanation or outcome, It involves not only a satisfactory outcome of the main situation, but also an explanation of all the secrets and misunderstandings connected with the plot complication.

Endings:

  1. Happy endings: the protagonist is able to solve his problems and overcome his antagonist.
  1. Unhappy endings: the protagonist fails to overcome the conflict or her character is destroyed; however she probably changes in some aspect of her character. This ending is the most realistic and true to life.
  2. Surprise ending: the unexpected occurs but the ends are tied up.
  3. Indeterminate ending: no ending or solution to the conflict and no definite conclusion is reached. The story does end satisfactorily, however.

Point of view - refers to the consistent outlook which may be from one person’s point of view to that of several persons. Four basic points of view exist:

  1. Omniscient: uses third person. The author is free to go where he wants, He can enter the minds of all his character, interpret their behavior and comment on the significance of the story. He knows all, sees all, hears all.
  1. Limited omniscient: uses third person, singular. The story is told through the eyes of only one person, but the author moves both inside and outside this character.
  1. First person: uses the first person “I”. The author slips into one of his characters, either a major or minor character, and stays with him throughout the story.
  1. Objective: the author disappears into a kind of roving camera which can go anywhere but records only what is seen and heard. She cannot comment, interpret, analyze or present unseen or unheard thoughts or feelings from within any character’s mind. Like a TV camera.

Sarcasm – a biting or hurtful remark usually including some element of irony.

Satire - the ridicule of some vice or imperfection. An attack on someone or something by making it look ridiculous or worthy of scorn. Although satire is usually funny, it differs from comedy in at least one important way: whereas comic laughter needn't be directed at any particular target, satire is always derisive. Satire is not the same thing as parody, although satire can use parody as a technique.

Setting - the setting of a story is the physical, emotional, moral, or spiritual background where the action takes place. There are two concepts of setting that must be considered: general setting and immediate setting.

  1. General setting: the general setting concerns itself with the broad historical periods and places. Time periods, social and political eras, or even centuries are in influential in many writings. In relation to such broad time periods, authors use various geographic settings: a city, a rural setting, a nation, or a continent.
  1. Immediate setting: the immediate setting locates the story in a particular time and place.

Suspense – excitement felt because the reader is unsure of what will happen during the climax

Symbolism - an object, a person, a situation, an action or some other item, which has a literal meaning in the story, but also suggests or represents other meanings as well. Three basic ways of employing symbols:

  1. the author may choose names for his characters which serve not only to label them, but also to suggest something about them.
  2. Objects and actions may be used to symbolize an idea.
  3. A symbol may be a very concrete object that stands for an abstract idea and be familiar to all in what it represents. For example the “flag” symbolizes “patriotism” and “country”, the “red rose” symbolizes “love”, the “crown” symbolizes the “powers of royalty”.

*It is important to remember that most stories operate at the purely literal level, so that it is dangerous to run wild in trying to see symbols or symbolic meaning in everything.

Theme - the main idea of central insight into life either stated or implied. It may occur as a moral, a lesson, a human value, quality or truth. The theme is implicit in the work. You may or may not agree with a theme. A piece of work often contains more than one theme.

Theme statement - must be expressed in a sentence containing a subject and a predicate.

  1. Theme is stated as a generalization
  2. Generalizations of theme must not be all encompassing.
  3. All major details must relate to theme.
  4. Theme must exist within the story: no details or events must contradict your statement of theme.
  5. Trite statement or cliches must be avoided.
  6. Theme may be implicit or explicit

Tone - the attitude a writer takes towards a subject or character: serious, humorous, sarcastic, ironic, satirical, tongue-in-cheek, solemn, objective.

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