Middle School Story Elements

conflict dramatic struggle between two forces in a story. Without conflict, there is no plot. external conflict a problem or struggle between a character and an outside force: character vs. character character vs. nature character vs. society internal conflict a problem or struggle a character faces within himself. character vs. self flashback a section of writing that interrupts the sequence of events to relate an earlier incident. foreshadowing hints which give a reader an idea of what may happen next. imagery descriptive, sensory words which create vivid pictures in the minds of readers. mood the atmosphere or feeling an author creates within the piece of writing. setting the time and location of the events described in a literary work. theme a central message or idea in a literary work. plot the sequence of events in a literary work. o rising action the series of conflicts in the story that lead to the climax. o climax the turning point of the story; the most intense moment. o falling action all of the action which follows the climax. o resolution or denouement the outcome of a story where the loose ends of the plot get tied up or answered. point of view: the perspective from which a story is told. o 1st person point of view events are told by a character in the story using I or we. o 2nd person point of view used primarily for the purpose of writing instructions using you. o 3rd person point of view events are told by someone outside the story using he, she or they. antagonist the main character; the good guy. protagonist the character in conflict with the main character; the bad guy. narrator the speaker or character who is telling the story