7/25/2019 Literature An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing 10th Ed By Kennedy and Gioia,

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Omniscient narratorAlso called all-knowing narrator.A narrator who has the abilityto move freely through the consciousness of any character. The omniscient narratoralso has complete knowledge of all of the external events in a story. {See alsoNonparticipant narrator.)

DenouementThe resolution or conclusion of a literary work as plot complications are

unraveled after the climax. In French, denouement means "unknotting" or "untying."(See also losed denouement, onclusion, !pen denouement.

Protagonist The central character in a literary work. The protagonist usually initiatesthe main action of the story, often in con#ict with the antagonist. $%ee alsoAntagonist.)

Soliloquy In drama, a speech by a character alone onstage in which he or she uttershis or her thoughts aloud. The solilo&uy is important in drama because it gives theaudience insight into a character's inner life, private motivations, and uncertainties

SymbolA person, place, or thing in a narrative that suggests meanings beyond its literalsense. %ymbol is related to allegory, but it works more complexly. In an allegoryan ob(ect has a single additional signi)cance. *y contrast, a symbol usually containsmultiple meanings and associations. In +erman elville's Moby-Dick, for example,the great white whale does not have (ust a single signi)cance but accrues powerfulassociations as the narrative progresses.

Tragic fawA fatal weakness or moral #aw in the protagonist that brings him or her toa bad end, for example, reon inAntigone or acbeth. %ometimes o-ered as an alternativetranslation of hamartia, in contrast to the idea that the tragic hero's catastropheis caused by an error in (udgment, the idea of a protagonist ruined by a tragic#aw makes more sense in relation to the reek idea of hubris commonly translated as"outrageous behavior," involving deliberate transgressions against moral or divine law

!nreliable narratorA narrator who/intentionally or unintentionally/relatesevents in a sub(ective or distorted manner. The author usually provides some indicationearly on in such stories that the narrator is not to be completely trusted

"erisimilitu#e The &uality in a literary work of appearing true to life. In )ction,verisimilitude is usually achieved by careful use of realistic detail in description,characteri0ation, and dialogue. {See also $ealism.)

AntagonistThe most signi)cant character or force that opposes the protagonist ina narrative or drama. The antagonist may be another character, society itself, aforce of nature, or even/in modern literature/con#icting impulses within theprotagonist.

AntiheroA protagonist who is lacking in one or more of the conventional &ualitiesattributed to a hero. Instead of being digni)ed, brave, idealistic, or purposeful, for instance,the antihero may be bu-oonish, cowardly, self1interested, or weak. The antiherois often considered an essentially modern form of characteri0ation, a satiric orfrankly realistic commentary on traditional portrayals of ideali0ed heroes or heroines.odern examples range from 2afka's many protagonists to *eckett's tramps inWaiting for Godot