Short Story Vocabulary

Front

What is the term for the BEGINNING of a short story, where readers are introduced to the setting, initial plot details, and characters?

Back

Exposition

Tags

CCSS.L.7.4C

CCSS.L.8.4C

CCSS.L.6.4C

CCSS.L.9-10.4C

CCSS.L.11-12.4C

Front

What do we call something that stands for or represents something other than itself?

Back

Symbol

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.5.5

Front

What term describes the writer's attitude toward their subject?

Back

Tone

Tags

CCSS.L.6.3A

CCSS.L.6.3B

CCSS.L.5.3A

CCSS.L.4.3A

CCSS.L.3.3A

Front

Who is the force or person that causes the conflict in a short story?

Back

Antagonist

Tags

CCSS.L.7.4C

CCSS.L.6.4C

CCSS.L.8.4C

CCSS.L.9-10.4C

CCSS.L.11-12.4C

Front

What is the moral or message of a literary work called?

Back

Theme

Tags

CCSS.L.7.6

CCSS.W.7.2D

CCSS.W.6.2D

CCSS.L.6.6

CCSS.W.8.2D

Front

What is the term for the series of events that build up to the climax of a story?

Back

Rising Action

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.9

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.5.7

Front

What do we call the part of the story where the conflict is resolved?

Back

Resolution

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.9

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.5.7

Front

What is the term for the emotional atmosphere of a literary work?

Back

Mood

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.5.5

Front

What do we call a recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story?

Back

Motif

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Front

What is the perspective from which a story is told?

Back

Point of View

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3