These are the terms you should know
as you read and analyze the stories in this collection.
Characterization
The way writers create characters in a story. In direct
characterization, writers tell us directly what a character is like
(“good” or “evil” or “lazy”). In indirect characterization you use clues
in the story to decide what kind of person a character is. Clues may
be descriptions of how the character acts, speaks, and thinks and how
other people respond to the character.
Protagonist
The main character in a story.
Antagonist
The character that the main character (protagonist) struggles
against.
Subordinate characters
Minor characters in the story.
Motivations
The reasons behind a character’s actions and feelings.
Flat character
A character who is not fully developed in the story. A flat
character is almost never the main character.
Round character
A character who is fully developed, just as a person in
actual life is.
Dynamic character
A character who changes during the story. The change
might involve recognition of some truth about life.
Static character
A character who does not change during the story.
Dialogue
The conversations characters have with other characters.
First-person narration
A story told by an “I” narrator. An “I” narrator
is a character in the story.