English 1201
Terms Review Sheet: The Giver
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Ambiguity: a negative term applied to a vague or equivocal expression when precision
would be more useful. Sometimes, however, intentional ambiguity in literature can be a
powerful device, leaving something undetermined in order to open up multiple possible
meanings.
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Antagonist: the force that creates conflict for the protagonist which could be another
character
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Atmosphere: the feeling the created by the setting as evoked by the diction
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Conflict: the struggle of opposing forces either within an individual (internal) or outside
of that individual (external)
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Dystopian Fiction: a dystopia is a fictional society, usually portrayed as existing in a
future time, when the conditions of life are extremely bad due to deprivation, oppression,
or terror. In most dystopian fiction, a corrupt government creates or sustains the poor
quality of life, often conditioning the masses to believe the society is proper and just,
even perfect. Most dystopian fiction takes place in the future but often purposely
incorporates contemporary social trends taken to extremes. Dystopias are frequently
written as warnings, or as satires, showing current trends extrapolated to a nightmarish
conclusion.
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Fantasy novel: a novel that is disengaged from reality. Often such novels are set in
nonexistent worlds, such as under the earth, in a fairyland, on the moon, etc. The
characters are often something other than human or include nonhuman characters.
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Foreshadowing - when the writer clues the reader in to something that will eventually
occur in the story; it may be explicit (obvious) or implied (disguised).
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Functions of Minor Characters:
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To advance the plot
To create conflict
To develop the major character/protagonist
To provide contrast
To show irony or humor
Irony – the opposite happens or is said to what occurs or is expected
• Dramatic: the audience or reader sees an irony about which the character is unaware
• Situational: character expects one thing to happen and the opposite does
• Verbal: character says one thing and means the opposite
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Plot: the plan, skeleton, framework, sequence of events or storyline. The components
are: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution/denouement.
• Exposition : the introduction to characters, setting, atmosphere and background
information
• Generating circumstance/cause: the one event that causes the rising action or conflict
• Climax/Crisis - A significant turning point in the story that determines how it must end.
• Rising Action - The process the story follows as it builds to its main conflict.
• Resolution/Denouement - The way the story turns out.
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Point of View: the perspective from which the events are seen, a story is told or an
argument is made
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Protagonist: the character who experiences the conflict
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Setting: time, place, and circumstances in which the story or events take place
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Suspense - the tension that the author uses to create a feeling of discomfort about the
unknown; that quality of a literary work that makes the reader or audience uncertain or
tense about the outcome of events.
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Symbolism: when an object is meant to be representative of something or an idea greater
than the object itself
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Thematic statement: a full sentence, written by the reader, which exposes the “universal
truth” of the novel or selection. It does not contain references to the plot, characters, time
of the novel or the reader and his/her time frame. Pronouns should be neutral. Statement
should not be cliches (overworked expressions) – nor should they be facts or commands.
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Theme: the author’s main purpose or idea when he/she is writing. It is defined as a
“universal truth” which is never stated directly but is implied from the plot, characters
and conflicts of a narrative.
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Utopia: refers to an ideal society, an ideal world that is created by many writers