Setting Protagonist Antagonist

The time and place where a story takes place

Ex – In Ariel, under the sea

The main character in a story

Ex – Ariel

A character(s) in conflict (who has a problem) with the protagonist

Ex – King Triton

Internal conflict External conflict

Internal = inside. When a character has a problem inside themselves.

Ex –Ariel wants to live above water but also doesn’t want to hurt her father

External= outside. When a character has a problem with another character or something outside of themselves.

Ex –Ariel wants to live above water but also doesn’t want to hurt her father

Motivation Flat character Round character

The reason why a character does something

Ex –Ariel’s motivation is love, or

Ariel is motivated by love

A character who shows only 1 side (trait)

A character who shows many different sides (traits)

Static character Dynamic character Direct characterization

A character who does NOT change (inside, personality) by the end of the story

A character who changes by the end of the story

When an author directly describes a character’s personality

Ex – He was a mean person

Indirect characterization

When an author hints about a character’s personality by describing what/how the character:

S says

T thinks

E effect the character has on other people

A acts

L looks

Theme Universal theme Plot

The story’s main message about life. The lesson/moral of the story.

A theme that applies to all people, across all time

Plot: the sequence of events that make up a story

Exposition: introduction to the characters,

background & setting

Rising Action: the central conflict is introduced

Climax: the most tense point in the conflict, where the protagonist usually

comes face-to-face w/conflict

Falling action: the conflict lessons, events occur that

lead to a resolution

Resolution: the conflict ends & loose ends are tied up