IntroductiontoLiterature,

Part II

Some literary terms you MUST know . . .

Protagonist—The character(s) we want to succeed.

Antagonist—The natural force, person, idea, government, disease, zombie, possessed vehicle, animal, or whatever is working against the protagonist

Round – a fully developed character; we know her motivations and desires

Flat – a supporting character; we do not know his motivations or desires; these types are often the first to be killed in suspense/action genres.

Static – a character (round or flat) who doesn’t change (The men in Ocean’s Eleven don’t change at the end).

Dynamic – The character (probably round) changes or grows (almost every character in a Disney movie)

Without conflict, you don’t have a story.

How do soap operas last so long? Conflict. What makes us watch that PBS special where the tiger hunts the antelope? Conflict. What makes Harry Potter so fascinating? CONFLICT.

There are 3 types of conflict:

1) MAN VS MAN: One human protagonist against a human antagonist.

Westerns Action movies Superhero movies Horror movies Crime thrillers, etc. The Rocky movies Patricia Highsmith’s Talented Mr. Ripley

2) MAN VS FORCES GREATER THAN HIMSELF: One protagonist faces a conflict larger than he/she

Man vs the giant spider, snake, Godzilla, King Kong, etc.

Man vs nature (the tornado, the perfect storm, the deadly virus, etc.)

Man vs the government Child vs divorce, illness, etc. Man vs a plague, a powerful villain, a

corporation, or any force that is larger than he/she is

3) MAN VS HIMSELF: A protagonist faces an internal conflict

The man vs his guilt (Crime and Punishment) The man vs his nature, conscience, desires,

etc.(The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) The movie Capote

NOTE: This one isn’t usually found in movies as audiences often find this type of conflict boring as it takes time to develop

Sound clip

Inciting Moment

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Dénouement/ Resolution

Conclusion