In order to read critically, you should know the correct terminology of a work of literature–a novel, memoir, autobiography, history, etc. Here are 9 terms every reader should know before they start reading.
- Title: the title is what the book is called; its name, if you will. A good title should summarize, describe, or entice. It should resonate both with the work inside and with the reader.
- Characters: the characters are the beings in the book, whether they are human, animal, or even inanimate objects. You can learn about these characters through their appearance, their personality, their situation, and the actions they take throughout the story. You can also find out about them by what the author says about them, by what the characters say in dialogue, their movements and actions as they react to their situation. There are four basic types of character in a work: a) Protagonist: this is the “hero” or “sympathetic device to drive a story.” The protagonist is the character most of the situations are happening to. b) Antagonist: this character or force is there to thwart the protagonist’s desires and dreams. They are there to create conflict, without which you have no story at all. c) Confidants: these characters, one of which is the sidekick, are there to support the protagonist’s goal and help them achieve it. d) Love Interest(s): This is the most common type of sub-plot and character. They are the ones who show the protagonist’s vulnerabilities and strengths. This will allow the writer to place stumbling blocks in the protagonist’s way and create even more conflict.
- Setting: the setting is where, when, and in what social context the story takes place. It is often the backdrop but can move to the foreground and become a character in some stories. Setting gives readers a framework for the story so they can identify better with the characters and their world.
- Theme: the theme is the central idea within the story. It generally sends a message, which may show you the beliefs and opinions of the author. Theme is usually revealed through the next term, plot. You can find the theme by asking yourself “What did the protagonist learn?
- Plot: the plot is what happens, a sequence of events that tells the story Most plots occur chronologically, but some have flashbacks to the past and may even jump forward to the future. Here’s how you know you have a plot: An inciting incident taken by the antagonist has negative effects on the protagonist. This action creates a problem that must be solved by the protagonist. This becomes the story goal, the pursuit of which leads to confrontations (conflict) until the protagonist either achieves or fails to achieve the goal. Plots also generally have one or more sub-plots that add texture by showing different perspectives of the main conflict of the story and different aspects of the protagonist’s personality. Sub-plots also test the protagonist’s resolve to achieve their goals.
- Style. this is how the author writes the story. Each writer has their own individual style of writing which can usually be identified by their readers. The author’s word choice, sentence structures, and figurative language choices will describe their style, which will then create the mood, images, and meaning of the story. Style is also guided by the genre the author is working in, the viewpoint they choose for their story, and their intended audience.
- Tone: this is the atmosphere or mood of the story. Tone is “the use of words and writing style to convey an attitude towards a topic. Tone “is expressed through word choice, viewpoint, sentence length, and punctuation.” Tone can be said to be how the author feels.
- Mood: this is how the reader feels. The author uses atmosphere to affect the reader emotionally and psychologically, usually with style and tone. Setting is also often important to the overall atmosphere.
- Intention: One question you want to ask yourself is “Why did the author write this? What was their purpose?” The success of a book is often judged by how well it achieves its purpose, whether that is to entertain or to inform.
Knowing and understanding these terms will help you to read on a deeper level and to question what you’ve read, making it mean more to you.