Short Story and Novel Terms and Devices

PLOT

*Antecedent Action: the actions taking place before a story begins. A story typically begins “in media res” which means “in the middle of things.” As readers, we often need to understand the action before the story takes place to derive deeper meaning from the text and understand character motivations.

1. Introduction/Exposition: the presentation of background information on characters, establishing SETTING (time and place) 2. Inciting Incident: the establishing of CONFLICT in a story and is the event which sets the rising action in to motion 3. Rising Action: the series of events in a story leading to the climax 4. Climax: the highest point of action and the turning point of the story 5. Falling Action: the events that take place immediately after the climax leading to the resolution/denouement 6. Conclusion/Resolution: how the story in tied up and how the conflict is resolved

*Red Herring: a clue to deliberately mislead the reader

*Foreshadowing: a clue of hint as to what is to come later in the story

*Flashback: a plot device used to show past events to provide further detail about plot or character

*Suspense: the feeling of growing tension and excitement felt by the reader as the plot develops

Mood/Atmosphere: the “emotional colouring” of the story. The feeling that the story gives to the reader

Imagery: the use of descriptive language to appeal to the 5 senses

CHARACTER

Protagonist: the main character in a story

Antagonist: the oppositional force in a story the protagonist is struggling with (not always a villain). Could be a natural force like a blizzard or the protagonist’s self.

There are four ways we can learn about a character in a story:

• From what the character says • From what the character does • From what the other characters tell us about him/her/them • From what the author tells us about the character Character Types

Flat: an undeveloped character with few traits. Can be described in a few sentences

Round: a fully developed character whom we know much about

Static: a character that does not change over the course of the story

Dynamic: a character who changes in their thoughts and opinions over the course of the story. This character often has an epiphany, or realization towards the end of the story, that changes their thinking

Stock: a stereotypical character who is well recognized by specific character traits

Foil: a character whose traits purposely contrast with another character, usually the protagonist, to highlight qualities of the other character

Anti-Hero: protagonist who lacks conventional heroic qualities such as idealism, courage, and morality

Motivations: a character may be driven by “Hubris” (pride), which may lead to the inevitable downfall of the character due to their “Hamartia” (tragic character flaw). Characters often encounter a DILEMMA (problem) in their journey, in which they must make a critical choice. This may lead to an EPIPHANY (sudden realization).

Dilemma: a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, both equally undesirable

Characterization: the method the writer uses to develop a character in a story

 Direct: what the author tells us directly about the character (physical attributes and character trait)  Indirect: when we infer character traits due to the speech and actions of the character, or how others treat that character.

POINT OF VIEW

Narrative/First Person: when the story is told from the main character’s point of view. (Eg. “I” ). The reader only knows the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist. This protagonist is often referred to as the “unreliable” first person narrator

Limited Omniscient: the narrator tells the story from a third person perspective and reader the only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character. The author uses “he” or “she” instead of “I”

Omniscient: the narrator tells the story from a third person perspective and can see the thoughts and feelings of all characters in the story

Objective: the narrator functions like a film camera, observing the people and environment in the story. The reader does not know the thoughts and feelings of any of the characters.

Tone: The way the writer’s choice of words reveals his/her attitude toward the subject

*when describing tone use an appropriate word ex. Pessimistic, enthusiastic, sarcastic

Colloquial (informal) Language vs. Formal Language CONFLICT

The conflict is the main problem in the story that the protagonist must deal with. If a story does not have a conflict, there is no story.

Internal: Person vs Self

External: Person vs Person

Person vs Society

Person vs Nature/Environment

IRONY

• Situational Irony: when the outcome of a situation is in contrast to our expectations

• Verbal Irony: when a character says one thing, but means another. Sarcasm is a mean form of verbal irony meant to mock or ridicule

• Dramatic Irony: when the reader or the audience knows something that is going on in the story that the protagonist or the other characters do not know.

Symbolism: the use of an object (colour, or character) to represent or stand for an abstract thought or concept ex. Dove=peace, a heart = love

Metaphor: an indirect comparison that does not use like or as (ex. “He was a storm of anger that day”)

Allegory: is a form of extended metaphor, in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative, are equated with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself.

Motif: a recurrent idea, image, symbol, theme, etc. (ex. Light and dark imagery, the conch in LOTF)

Satire: is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, government or society itself, into improvement.

 Parody/Caricature/Irony/Hyperbole/Incongruity

Allusion: a reference to a famous literary text, author, event in history, etc.

THEME

The overall message/purpose/or universal truth the author is attempting to communicate through the story. This is often a comment on human nature.

E.g. It is better to judge someone by their personality and their actions than by their outward appearance.