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Jim Roth’s Website FICTION TERMS AND DEFINITIONS PLOT The Classical Plot Line
end
of the story
beginning of the story
PLOT--continued Ø Protagonist—the central character Ø Antagonists—characters, forces, etc., that
oppose the protagonist Ø Conflict—where opposing forces meet—a
clash of actions, ideas, desires, or wills. Ø Suspense—the quality in a story that makes
us want to read on. Ø Mystery—an unusual set of circumstances
for which readers crave an explanation. Ø Dilemma—two choices—neither favorable. Ø Plot Manipulation (deus
ex machina)—a plot turn
unjustified by the situation or characters. CHARACTER Ø Direct Presentation—we are told straight out what the
characters are like. Ø Indirect Presentation—we are shown what the characters
are like by watching them in action and then making inferences. Ø Flat Character—a character about which we know
little—one-dimensional. Ø Round Character—a character about which we know a
great deal—multi-faceted, more fully developed. Ø Stock Character—a character who is of a
recognizable type and whose actions are predicable. Ø Static Character—a character that does not change
significantly through the action of the story. Ø Developing (Dynamic) Character—a character that changes
significantly through the action of the story. THEME Ø Theme—the central insight or unifying
generalization about life presented in a story. Not all stories have themes. In addition, a theme is stated as a
generalization about experience rather than specific to the story in which it
is found. NARRATIVE POINT OF VIEW Ø First Person Narration—a character is the narrator. Ø Limited Omniscient Narration—the narrator is outside of the
story—one character’s thoughts are revealed. Ø Omniscient Narration—the narrator is outside of the
story—at least two characters’ thoughts are revealed. Ø Objective Narration—the narrator is outside of the
story—no character’s thoughts are revealed.
Often called “camera eye” or “fly-on-the-wall.” SYMBOL Ø A symbol—something that means more than
what it is. It is something that
represents itself plus something of a different kind. It is an object, a person, a situation, an
action, or some other item that has a literal meaning in the story but
suggests or represents other meanings as well. IRONY Ø Verbal Irony—when the opposite of what is said
is meant. (Not to be confused with
satire). Ø Dramatic Irony—a contrast between what the character says and what the reader knows to be true. Ø Situational Irony—when the opposite of what is
expected to happen happens. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE—FIGURES OF SPEECH Personification, Metaphor, and Simile |
