Unit 5: The Novel

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. novel
    an extended fictional work in prose
    A novel may be defined most simply as a long work of fiction with an involved plot, many characters, and numerous settings.
  2. plot
    the story that is told, as in a novel, play, movie, etc.
    A plot is a series of events related to a central conflict, or struggle.
  3. conflict
    opposition in a work of fiction between characters or forces
    A plot typically introduces a conflict, develops it, and eventually resolves it.
  4. exposition
    an account that sets forth the intent of a story
    The exposition, or introduction, sets the tone or mood, introduces the characters and setting, and provides necessary background information.
  5. rising action
    a series of plot events that build up toward the climax
    In the rising action, the conflict is developed and intensified.
  6. climax
    the decisive moment in a novel or play
    The climax is the high point of interest or suspense.
  7. falling action
    series of plot events following the climax of a narrative
    The falling action consists of all the events that follow the climax.
  8. resolution
    finding an answer to a problem
    The resolution, or denouement, is the point at which the central
    conflict is ended, or resolved.
  9. setting
    facts or circumstances that surround a situation or event
    The setting is the time and place of the unfolding action together with all the details used to create a sense of a particular time and place.
  10. mood
    a characteristic state of feeling
    The details that create the setting also establish a mood, or atmosphere, the emotion created in the reader by part or all of a literary work.
  11. character
    an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction
    A character is an individual who takes part in the action of a literary work.
  12. protagonist
    the principal character in a work of fiction
    The main character, or protagonist, is the most important character in the work and is in conflict with the antagonist.
  13. antagonist
    the main character who opposes the protagonist in a narrative or play
    The main character, or protagonist, is the most important character in the work and is in conflict with the antagonist.
  14. characterization
    the act of describing essential features
    Characterization is the act of creating or describing a character.
  15. narrator
    someone who tells a story
    A narrator is a character or speaker who tells a story.
  16. point of view
    the perspective from which a story is told
    Point of view is the vantage point, or perspective, from which the story is told—in other words, who is telling the story.
  17. tone
    a quality that reveals the attitudes of the author
    Tone is the emotional attitude toward the reader or toward the subject implied by a literary work.
  18. theme
    a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary work
    A theme is a central message or perception about life revealed through a literary work.
Created on Wed Mar 03 09:08:10 EST 2021 (updated Mon Jun 21 12:28:06 EDT 2021)

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