ELA8 Literary Terms Review

the time and place in which the action of a story happens

• plot

• theme

• setting

• point of view

people, animals, or imaginary creatures who take part in the action of a story

• characters

• authors

• allusions

• plot stages

the way a writer creates and develops characters

• storytelling

• characterization

• plot development

• theme

qualities shown by a character

• details

• allusions

• traits

• personality

the point of greatest suspense or interest in a story

• exposition

• rising action

• climax

• resolution

the main struggle between opposing forces within a story

• main problem

• central idea

• topic

• central conflict

written conversation between two or more characters in a story

• dialogue

• quotations

• lines

• spoken words

a form of literature meant to be performed by actors in front of an audience

• narrative

• historical fiction

• comedy

• drama

the stage of a story's plot in which the author provides important background information about the setting and characters

• exposition

• rising action

• climax

• falling action

the stage of a story's plot in which the story BEGINS to draw to a close

• rising action

• climax

• falling action

• resolution