Story Elements Vocabulary

A person, animal, or figure in a story.

• Character

• Setting

• Plot

• Theme

Qualities or characteristics that define a character (brave, shy, kind).

• Character

• Setting

• Character traits

• Theme

when the author explicitly describes the traits, qualities, or attributes of a character.

The reader is directly told what the character is like.

• Example: "Sarah is a kind and generous person."

• Direct characterization

• Indirect characterization

when the author shows the traits of a character through their actions, dialogue, thoughts, effects on others, and appearance.

Example: "Sarah spent her last $10 buying lunch for a homeless man."

• (This shows that Sarah is generous without saying it directly.)

• Direct characterization

• Indirect characterization

Match the following story elements with the correct definition

• The sequence of events in a story

• Setting

• The time and place a story occurs.

• Plot

• A problem between 2 opposing forces.

• Conflict

The (a)   is the main character in a story who faces the main conflict.

• protagonist

• antagonist

The (a)   is a character that opposes/causes conflict with the main character

• antagonist

• protagonist

Organize these options into the right categories

Groups:

(a) Protagonist

,

(b) Antagonist

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Label the plot mountain in the correct order of events.

b

a

c

d

e

Resolution

Falling Action

Climax

Rising Action

Exposition

A (a)   inside a character's mind.

(example: making a decision)

• internal conflict

• external conflict