Fairy Tale NotesLiterary Terms

1. Plot: The sequence of events in a literary work

› 1a. Exposition: introduces the setting, characters, and basic situation.

› 1b. Initial Incident: introduces the central conflict

› 1c. Climax: highest point of interest or suspense

› 1d. Falling Action: events leading to the end

› 1e. Resolution: ending of the central conflict

Plot Diagram

Exposition Initial Incident

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

2. Genre

A category or type of literature› 3 Major types: poetry, prose and drama

3. Fiction

Prose writing that tells about imaginary characters or events

4. Character: a person or animal who takes part in the action of a literary work

4a. Dynamic Character: develops or grows during the course of the story

4b. Static Character: Character that does not change

5. Setting

The time and place of the action Geographic location As well as the social, economic or

cultural conditions

6. Theme

A central message or insight revealed through the literary work. It is a generalization about people or life.

7. Imagery

***We know this!*** So you tell me…

What’s imagery?

8. Conflict

a struggle between two opposing forces

9. Foreshadowing

The use of clues that suggest events that have yet to occur. This helps to create suspense

10. Suspense

A feeling of curiosity or uncertainty about the outcome of events in a literary work

11. Irony

Portrays the differences between appearance and reality; expectation and result; or meaning and intention

12. Simile

A comparison between two unlike things using like or as

13. Metaphor

A comparison between two unlike things without using like or as

14. Denotation

The literal or dictionary meaning of a word

15. Connotation

Interpretation of a word beyond its dictionary meaning

16. Allusion

Statement making reference to a person, place, event or thing that is known from literature, history, religion, etc.

17. Symbol

Anything that stands for or represents itself and something beyond itself. It has its own meaning, but it also represents abstract ideas.