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8th ELA
Literary Terms
Term | Definition |
---|---|
genre | A genre is a specific type of music, film, or writing. |
autobiography | a writer's story about him or herself |
biography | a writer's account of some other persons life |
realistic fiction | writing that attempts to show life as it really is |
short story | shorter than a novel, this piece of literature can usually be read in one sitting. Because of its length, it has only a few characters and focuses on one problem or conflict. |
setting | the place and the time frame in which a story takes place. |
mood | the feeling a piece of literature is intended to create in a reader. |
characters | All of the people in the story. |
protagonist | The main character in a story, often a good or heroic type. |
antagonist | The person or force that works against the hero of the story. |
plot | The action that makes up the story, following a plan called the plot line. |
exposition | The part of a story, usually near the beginning, in which characters are introduced, the background is explained, and the setting is described. |
inciting incident | the event or decision that leads to the problem in the story |
rising action | the central part of the story during which various problems arise after a conflict is introduced |
climax | the high point in the action of a story |
falling action | the action and dialogue following the climax that lead the reader into the story's end |
resolution | the problem in the story which problems are solved |
conflict | main problem in the story |
external conflict | conflict outside a person dealing with another person or a group |
internal conflict | conflict inside a person dealing with his or her thoughts |
theme | The life lesson in the story. |