Glossary
Character Relationships
The interactions and dynamics between individuals or between a character and a group, which add complexity to character development and plot progression.
Example:
The strained character relationships between siblings in a family drama often reveal underlying tensions and influence their individual choices.
Character's Influence
How a character's actions, presence, or choices can alter or interact with the physical or social environment of the story.
Example:
A determined activist might transform a neglected urban park into a vibrant community garden, demonstrating the character's influence on their surroundings.
Epiphany
A moment of sudden and profound realization or insight that causes a character to see something clearly for the first time, often altering their understanding and shifting the plot's direction.
Example:
When a detective suddenly connects seemingly unrelated clues and understands the killer's motive, they experience an epiphany that cracks the case wide open.
Gradual Change
A slow, progressive shift in a character's behavior, beliefs, or values that occurs over an extended period within the narrative.
Example:
Over the course of a long journey, a cynical protagonist might slowly begin to trust others, demonstrating a gradual change in their outlook.
Historical Context
The specific time period in which a literary work was created or is set, including its major events, political climate, and cultural movements.
Example:
To fully appreciate The Crucible, one must understand the historical context of the McCarthy era and the Salem Witch Trials it allegorizes.
Pacing
The speed at which the narrative unfolds, manipulated by the author to create specific effects such as urgency, suspense, or a sense of reflection.
Example:
An author might use rapid-fire dialogue and short sentences to create fast pacing during a chase scene, heightening the reader's excitement.
Setting's Influence
How the physical environment, time period, or social atmosphere of a story shapes a character's actions, attitudes, and opportunities.
Example:
The oppressive, isolated atmosphere of a remote mansion might contribute to a character's growing paranoia, showing the setting's influence on their mental state.
Societal Context
The prevailing social norms, values, beliefs, and issues of the time period in which a literary work was written or is set, influencing its characters and themes.
Example:
Analyzing the rigid gender roles and expectations in 19th-century novels helps reveal the societal context that shaped the lives and choices of female characters.
Societal and historical contexts
The social norms, values, and historical events of the time period in which a literary work is set or written, influencing its themes, characters, and plot.
Example:
Understanding the strict class divisions of 19th-century England helps explain the motivations and limitations of characters in a Jane Austen novel, revealing the impact of their societal and historical contexts.
Sudden Change
An abrupt and often dramatic transformation in a character's behavior, beliefs, or values, typically triggered by a specific event or realization.
Example:
After a shocking betrayal, a character might instantly abandon their naive trust in others, illustrating a sudden change in their personality.
Symbolic Settings
A setting that transcends its literal function to represent deeper ideas, themes, or abstract concepts within a literary work.
Example:
A decaying, overgrown garden might serve as a symbolic setting for the protagonist's lost innocence and the passage of time.