Short Story Terms

the main character in a story

• Protagonist

• Antagonist

• Climax

• Conflict

the character in opposition to or in conflict with the main character

• protagonist

• antagonist

• climax

• resolution

the time and place of the events of the story

• resolution

• exposition

• setting

• climax

background information necessary to set up a story

• setting

• exposition

• rising action

• climax

an incident or event that sets the story in motion

• climax

• exposition

• inciting incident

• resolution

the struggle or problem

• exposition

• inciting incident

• protagonist

• conflict

a struggle within a character’s own mind

• internal conflict

• external conflict

• mental illness

• hearing voices

a struggle between the main character and an external force(character, nature, society, government, etc.)

• internal conflict

• external conflict

• big fight

• WWE match

the turning point and point of highest tension

• exposition

• inciting incident

• climax

• resolution

the ending

• exposition

• inciting incident

• climax

• resolution