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Questions and Answers
What is the primary function of characters in a story?
What is the primary function of characters in a story?
What is the 'where' and 'when' of a story?
What is the 'where' and 'when' of a story?
What is the underlying insight or moral of a story?
What is the underlying insight or moral of a story?
What is the primary purpose of conflict in a story?
What is the primary purpose of conflict in a story?
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What is the component of a story that includes introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution?
What is the component of a story that includes introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution?
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What determines the perspective from which a story is told?
What determines the perspective from which a story is told?
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What is the primary function of tone in a writer's work?
What is the primary function of tone in a writer's work?
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What is the purpose of an allegory in a writer's work?
What is the purpose of an allegory in a writer's work?
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What is the main difference between a flashback and foreshadowing?
What is the main difference between a flashback and foreshadowing?
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What is the primary function of style in a writer's work?
What is the primary function of style in a writer's work?
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What is the main purpose of an allusion in a writer's work?
What is the main purpose of an allusion in a writer's work?
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What is the main difference between irony and juxtaposition?
What is the main difference between irony and juxtaposition?
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What is the primary function of the exposition in a story?
What is the primary function of the exposition in a story?
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Which narrative perspective is characterized by the use of the pronoun 'you'?
Which narrative perspective is characterized by the use of the pronoun 'you'?
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What is the primary function of the climax in a story?
What is the primary function of the climax in a story?
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What is the term for a narrator who has knowledge of multiple characters' thoughts and feelings?
What is the term for a narrator who has knowledge of multiple characters' thoughts and feelings?
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What is the theme of a literary work?
What is the theme of a literary work?
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Which part of a story deals with the aftermath of the climax?
Which part of a story deals with the aftermath of the climax?
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What is the term for a narrator who only describes characters' actions and dialogue?
What is the term for a narrator who only describes characters' actions and dialogue?
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What literary device is used to express the opposite of the literal meaning of words?
What literary device is used to express the opposite of the literal meaning of words?
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What is the primary purpose of satire in literature?
What is the primary purpose of satire in literature?
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What type of character is vital to the development and resolution of the plot?
What type of character is vital to the development and resolution of the plot?
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What is the term for the perspective from which a story is told?
What is the term for the perspective from which a story is told?
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What literary device involves giving objects meanings beyond their literal functions?
What literary device involves giving objects meanings beyond their literal functions?
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What is the term for the background to a story, including the time and place in which it takes place?
What is the term for the background to a story, including the time and place in which it takes place?
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Study Notes
The Five Primary Elements of a Story
- A story consists of five primary elements: character, setting, plot, conflict, and theme.
- Character: The people or animals that perform the actions and speak the dialogue in a story.
- Setting: The physical location and time period in which the story takes place.
- Plot: The events that occur in a story, which can be divided into introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
- Conflict: A challenge or problem that drives the story's action and creates a series of cause-and-effect events.
- Theme: The underlying insight, moral, or idea that the writer expresses through the story.
Advanced Story Elements
- Point of View (POV): The perspective from which a story is told, which can be identified by asking "who is telling the story?"
- Tone: The overall attitude or feeling that the writer conveys through their word choices, literary devices, and grammar.
- Style: The individual author's unique voice, which is influenced by their word choices, plot patterns, and sentence structures.
- Mood: The effect that the writer creates in the reader, which is evoked through their use of language.
Literary Devices
- Allegory: A story in which characters and events are used to convey a deeper, hidden meaning.
- Allusion: A reference to a person, place, event, or work of art that is outside the text itself.
- Flashback: A narrative device that reveals something that happened before the present moment in the story.
- Foreshadowing: A hint or suggestion about events that will occur later in the story.
- Irony: A contrast between what is expected to happen and what actually happens.
- Juxtaposition: The placement of two or more elements side by side to create a comparison or contrast.
- Paradox: A statement or situation that seems contradictory or absurd, but may contain a deeper truth.
Plot Structure
- Exposition: The beginning of the story, which introduces the characters, setting, and situation.
- Rising Action: The events that lead up to the climax, which build suspense and develop characters.
- Climax: The most intense or critical moment in the story, which is often a turning point.
- Falling Action: The events that follow the climax, which deal with the consequences of the characters' actions.
- Resolution: The conclusion of the story, which ties up loose ends and provides closure.
Narrative Perspective
- First Person: The narrator is a character within the story and uses the pronoun "I" or "we".
- Second Person: The narrator addresses the reader directly using the pronoun "you".
- Third Person Omniscient: The narrator has access to the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters.
- Third Person Objective: The narrator describes the characters' actions and dialogue, but does not reveal their thoughts or feelings.
- Third Person Limited: The narrator is limited to the internal workings of a single character, usually the protagonist.
Theme and Satire
- Theme: The author's central message or idea about a topic or subject.
- Satire: The use of humor to mock or criticize a person, idea, or institution, often to inform or persuade the reader.
Characterization
- Major Characters: Characters who are vital to the development and resolution of the plot.
- Minor Characters: Characters who serve to complement the major characters and advance the plot.
- Protagonist: The central character who faces a conflict or challenge.
- Antagonist: The character who opposes the protagonist.
- Dynamic Characters: Characters who change over time, often as a result of resolving a conflict.
- Static Characters: Characters who do not change over time.
- Round Characters: Characters who have complex personalities and are often portrayed as conflicted.
- Flat Characters: Characters who are known for one personality trait or characteristic.
- Stock Characters: Characters who have become stereotypical through repeated use in stories.
Setting
- Setting: The physical location and time period in which the story takes place.
- Time of Day or Year: The time of day or year can influence the mood or atmosphere of the story.
- Familiar or Unfamiliar Place: The setting can affect the characters' actions and behaviors.
- Mood or Atmosphere: The setting can create a specific mood or atmosphere that influences the reader's feelings.
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Test your knowledge of the fundamental elements of a story, including character, setting, plot, and more. Identify the key components that make up a narrative.