Literary Terms

Elements of a Story

6th Grade Pre-AP Lang. Arts

Setting

the time and place in which events in a short story, novel, play, or narrative poem take place

Characterization

all of the techniques used by an author to help readers understand the personality of the characters in a story

Plot

the sequence of events or actions in a short story, novel, play, or narrative poem

Expositionthe introduction to a story. The setting and one or more characters are usually “exposed” to the reader.

Climax

the moment of highest tension in a story, when events could go one way or another. It is sometimes known as the “turning point” of the story.

Rising Action

the events in a story that lead up to the climax. The readers keep wondering what will happen next.

Falling Action

the events in the plot that follow the climax and lead to the resolution of the problem.

Denouementthe way the story

turns out, one way or another. The story now feels finished.

Exposition

Denouement

Climax

Plot Diagram

event

event

event

event

event

event

Protagonist

the central character of a drama, novel, short story, or narrative poem

Antagonist

the character in a story who works against the protagonist. the “bad guy” in the story.

Point of View

the perspective from which a story is told. Can be first person (I, me) or third person (he, she, it, they, etc.)

Foreshadowingthe use of hints or

clues in a story to suggest future action

ConflictConflict

a struggle between opposing forces

one of the most important story elements because it causes the action

External ConflictExternal ConflictExternal conflict occurs when a character struggles against some outside force.The outside force might be another person, a group of people, or it might be nature.

InternalInternal ConflictConflictInternal conflict takes

place within the mind of a character.

The character struggles to make a decision, take an action, or overcome a feeling.

Flashback

a scene that interrupts the action of a story to show a previous event

Suspense

the quality of a short story, novel, play, or poem that makes the reader or audience uncertain or tense about the outcome of events

Theme

the central message of a literary work, expressed as a general statement about life or human nature.

AllusionA reference in a story to a mythological, literary, or historical person, place, or thing.

“To his surprise, his mother said he could keep the pigeon, temporarily, because it was sick, and we were all strangers in the land of Egypt, and it might not be bad for Aaron to have a pet.”

MoodMood is the over-all atmosphere or feeling in a story or poem. The mood might be sad, serious, lighthearted, solemn, or any one of a number of adjectives that describe feelings.

Authors create mood in various ways:

•Choice of setting

•Descriptive details

•Word choice

•Characters’ actions, words, and emotions

ToneTone is the writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward a subject, character, or audience, and it is shown through the author’s choice of words and detail.

An author’s tone can be serious, condescending, humorous, sarcastic, angry, sympathetic, apologetic, sad, etc.

SymbolAny object, person, place, or action that has both a meaning in itself and that stands for something larger than itself, such as a quality, attitude, belief, or value.

Example:

If you see the color red, what does it usually mean?

What idea does a dove usually represent?

Repetition

The deliberate use of any element of language more than once – either a word, sound, phrase, or sentence for emphasis.

“…its head bobbing forth-back, forth-back, as if it were marching a little in front of the rest of the body…”

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“Magic 3”

A grouping of three or more words or phrases to help the reader visualize or understand a part of a literary work.

“And Aaron, miserable, argued with his mother and pleaded and cried and coaxed. It was no use. Not with those boys. No.”

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