the main part of the story where complications arise
rising action
a folktale with unbelievable exaggerations
tall tale
hints or clues that suggest what may happen later in a story
foreshadowing
the person (or force) in conflict with the protagonist
antagonist
a comparison that uses the words like or as
simile
a short autobiographical story that focuses on one or few events
memoir
what happens in a story; the chain of events that make up a story
plot
a point of view where the narrator knows all
third person omniscient
the narrator is not in the story but focuses on one character’s point of view
third person limited
a character who undergoes a deep change from within in a story
dynamic character
exposition
where the setting, characters, and basic situation are revealed
the author interrupts the plot to recreate an event of earlier time
flashback
a very short folktale that teaches a moral or a lesson
fable
the anxiety a reader feels about what may happen next in a story
suspense
a genre of fiction that contains magical elements
fantasy
the atmosphere or feeling created by a work of literature
mood
a repetition of consonant sounds among words
consonance
a truth about life that is revealed in a story
theme
any story that has been passed down from generation to generation
folktale
a comparison of unlike things by saying that one thing is a dissimilar object or thing
metaphor
the standpoint from which a story is told
point of view
character traits
adjectives that describe a character on the inside
a group of words whose collective meaning is quite different from their individual, literal meaning
idiom
giving human qualities to nonhuman things
personification
the most exciting or intense part of the story for the protagonist; a turning point in the story
climax
a character that remains the same throughout the story
static character
the time and place of a story
setting
the main character in a story
protagonist
a folktale that explains something about the world such as frightening or mysterious natural forces
myth
the attitude of the writer or speaker
tone
the repetition of vowel sounds among words
assonance
a folktale that takes place in a magical land ruled by royalty
fairytale
a folktale that usually has some connection to a real historical person or event, combining factual and fictional events with exaggerations that are not meant to be humorous
legend
a genre that is set in the past and may include real people, places, or significant events from history
historical fiction
a point of view in which the narrator is a person in the story
first person
an exaggeration that cannot possibly be true
hyperbole
the author shows you what a character is like through his thoughts, feelings, choices, words, and actions
indirect characterization
a genre that is set in the future and based on the impact of real, potential, or imagined technology
science fiction
a genre that is set in the modern present with human characters
realistic fiction
events that follow the climax and lead to the resolution
falling action
words whose sounds suggest their meaning
onomatopoeia
the end of the story where the main conflict is resolved
resolution
the repetition of the same initial consonant sound among words
alliteration
the author tells you explicitly what a character is like
direct characterization
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