Unit 5: Craft and Structure

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. oral
    using speech rather than writing
    Passed from one generation to the next, the poems and stories they told are referred to as the oral tradition.
  2. theme
    a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary work
    Like other literature, stories from the oral tradition express themes—insights about life and human nature.
  3. cultural
    relating to the shared knowledge and values of a society
    One important source of these themes is the cultural experience of the storytellers—their core values and concerns.
  4. universal
    of worldwide scope or applicability
    At the same time, these stories express universal themes, or truths about life that are meaningful to people of all times and all places.
  5. archetype
    something that serves as a model
    In telling their tales, traditional storytellers often used archetypes—characters, situations, images, or symbols that recur in the narratives of all cultures.
  6. protagonist
    the principal character in a work of fiction
    The struggle between the protagonist, or main character, and the antagonist, a person or force that opposes the protagonist.
  7. antagonist
    someone who offers opposition
    The struggle between the protagonist, or main character, and the antagonist, a person or force that opposes the protagonist.
  8. point of view
    the perspective from which a story is told
    Traditional stories in these forms do not express an individual author's point of view, or attitudes and beliefs about the world.
  9. values
    beliefs of a group in which they have emotional investment
    Instead, stories in these forms tend to express the shared values, or model behaviors and attitudes, cherished by the society from which they originated.
  10. myth
    a traditional story serving to explain a world view
    Myths • Explain the actions of gods and their interactions with humans
  11. folktale
    a traditional story or legend circulated by word of mouth
    Folk Tales • Deal with heroic acts, adventures, magic, or romance; often concern the relationship between mortals and gods
  12. legend
    a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events
    Legends • Are folk tales about larger-than-life heroes and events from the past
  13. fairy tale
    a children's story involving fantastical beings or elements
    Fairy Tales • Are similar to folk tales but generally involve royal characters
  14. epic
    a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
    Epics • Are long narrative poems that use elevated language and extended, elaborate comparisons of unlike subjects called epic similes
  15. hero
    a being of great strength celebrated for bold exploits
    Epics • Describe the adventures of larger-than-life epic heroes, who are important to the history of their cultures
  16. character
    an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction
    • Characters—the people, animals, or creatures that take part in the action
  17. setting
    the context and environment in which something is situated
    • Setting—the time and place of a story
  18. plot
    the story that is told, as in a novel, play, movie, etc.
    • Plot—the sequence of events in a story
  19. conflict
    opposition in a work of fiction between characters or forces
    • Conflict—the struggle between opposing forces that drives the plot
  20. diction
    the manner in which something is expressed in words
    Pay close attention to the author's diction, or word choice, which can indicate positive or negative attitudes.
Created on Fri Oct 16 15:41:59 EDT 2020 (updated Mon Jun 21 16:06:55 EDT 2021)

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