2 Literary Terms, Characteristics, and Basic Elements of Children’s Literature
Literary Terms to Know
Terms related to the plot of a story
| plot | This is the structure of the action in a story. Not all stories have a plot or a clear one. The plot is built on a chain of events where one action leads to the next, creating a cause-and-effect relationship. Most plots follow a basic structure including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. |
| setting | Where a story or scene takes place. Ex. Forest, castle, cave, diner, house, etc. |
| conflict | This is the struggle between characters. The main conflict is between the protagonist and the antagonist. |
| theme | The central idea or message that emerges as the characters pursue their goals. A theme is the unifying idea or underlying meaning of a story. It’s the universal message that the story conveys about life, society, humanity, and the world. Some common themes include love, death, betrayal, conflict between the individual and society, and coming of age |
| foreshadowing | Presenting information or objects with little explanation but giving more explanation later in the scene or story. |
| rising action | increase of tension (conflict) in the story. |
| climax | The point in a story when conflict is highest. Some decision must be made. |
| falling action | The conclusion of the story. Matters are resolved or accepted. |
Terms related to the plot of a story
| character | A person, animal, or figure that is represented in a literary work. Characters are essential to a story, and they are defined by character traits that influence how they act in the story. |
| protagonist | The character who is struggling against something or someone. Ex. Harry Potter |
| antagonist | The character or thing causing problems. Ex. Voldemort, a snowstorm |
| narrator | The person telling a story. Not the author. |
| personification | Human qualities on inanimate objects. Ex. The shadows embraced me. |
| Point of view | The way the narrator tells the story. First person, second person, or third person. There can also be limited omniscient or fully omniscient narration.
Ex:
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References
M1: Twenty-one important literary terms to know. ENG 250:Children’s Literature. (2024). NOVA. https://pressbooks.nvcc.edu/eng250/chapter/twenty-one-important-literary-terms-to-know
