Literary Terms

A person in a novel or play.

• the main/leading character

• a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something

• a person in a novel or play

• most intense point in the plot

The main/leading character

• Antagonist

• Protagonist

• Character

• Conflict

A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something.

• Antagonist

• Protagonist

• Character

• Conflict

The main events of a play, novel, or movie.

• Falling Action

• Rising Action

• Exposition

• Plot

The beginning of the plot, when setting and characters are introduced.

• Plot

• Rising Action

• Climax

• Falling Action

Most intense point in the plot (when conflict is at it's peak)

• Rising Action

• Falling Action

• Climax

• Resolution

Everything that takes place immediately after the climax.

• Climax

• Rising Action

• Resolution

• Falling Action

The end of the story after conflict is resolved.

• Resolution

• Rising Action

• Falling Action

• Exposition

When characters are against each other/a struggle between two opposing forces.

• Irony

• Resolution

• Climax

• Conflict

A central and unifying idea. Also known as the moral of the story.

• Moral

• Theme

• Irony

• Point of View