Key Terms
Personal narrative
Nonfiction writing in which the author recounts a specific event or incident from their life.
Memoir
Nonfiction writing in which the author tells a first-person version of a time period or event; covers a broader span tha
Creative nonfiction
The larger family both genres belong to. Plots, settings, and characters come from real life - not imagination.
Anecdote
A short, interesting story told to demonstrate a point or amuse the audience.
Bias
Inclusion or exclusion of events and facts, word choices, and tone consistency - all working together to convey a partic
Characters
Real people (or nonfiction equivalent) who populate the narrative. The narrator is the main character.
Chronos
Sequence and order - the "when" of events Kairos: timeliness - the "why now" of events; rooted in cultural moments
Climax
The point of highest tension and emotional response; the moment when action must be taken.
Conflict
The major challenge faced by the main character; the driving force of the narrative.
Doubling
A mirroring of events, objects, characters, or concepts in a memoir. The narrator sees themselves as both subject and ob
Exposition
First paragraph establishes the setting, characters, and Twain's overconfidence. Rising action: Mr.
Falling action
Events after the climax in which tension decreases and the story moves toward resolution.
Flashback
A scene that interrupts chronological order to return to an earlier time.
Foreshadowing
Hints of what is to come.
Genre
A category of writing with distinct characteristics, styles, content, and formats.