1. antagonist- the force working against the protagonist, or main character. The antagonist may be another character, society, nature, or an internal force.
2. protagonist- main character.- always involved in the central conflict and often undergoes change after the climax of the plot.
3. point of view- the perspective from which a story is told.
a. first person- narrator recounts the story using “I” or “me”
b. third person- narrator is outside the story- uses “he”, “she”, and “they”
c. omniscient- narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters in the story, as opposed to third person limited, which adheres closely to one character's perspective.
4. climax- the turning point in the plot. The peak, interest, and intensity created allows the reader to see when the outcome of the conflict becomes clear. Usually results in a change of in a character or a solution to a problem.
5. conflict- struggle between opposing forces.
a. external conflict- occurs between a character and a force outside of himself or herself, such as the another character, society, or nature.
b. internal conflict- an inner struggle the character has with himself/herself. Ex: trying to make a decision or depression
6. imagery- refers to words and phrases that appeals to the reader’s senses, often in a startling way.
7. setting- the time and place in which action occurs in a piece of literature. Past, present, future; during the day or at night; a certain historical period, etc.
8. tone- the writer’s attitude toward his or her subject. It may be humorous, admiring, sad, angry, bitter, etc. The writer’s word choice often indicates tone.
9. symbolism-a person, place, or thing that represents something beyond itself…images can be used to symbolize abstract ideas.
10. motivation- the moving force behind a character’s actions. Often uses psychological and cultural factors.
