Literary Terms and Notice and Notes: Definitions

The sequence of events in a story

• Theme
• Character Development
• Plot
• Setting

The part of the story where characters, setting, and the basic situation of the story is told

• exposition
• rising action
• resolution
• climax

The turning point in a story

• introduction
• resolution
• falling action
• climax

The part of the story where the conflict is solved

• Resolution
• Introduction
• Climax
• Exposition

The place, time, date, era (or time) in history that a text takes place

• Theme
• Setting
• Plot
• Character

The main/central character

• Protagonist
• Narrator
• Supporting character
• Antagonist

The person or thing that goes against the main character

• protagonist
• supporting character
• antagonist
• narrator

When the author or speaker provides hints to later happenings in a narrative

• Resolution
• Foreshadowing
• Climax
• Exposition

When a character struggles with an outside source (person, nature, society, technology, the supernatural)

• Character development
• External conflict
• Plot twist
• Internal conflict

When a character struggles with internal force

• External conflict
• Character development
• Plot twist
• Internal conflict