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The main events of a play, novel, movie, or similar work, devised and presented by the writer as an interrelated sequence.

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Exposition usually occurs at the beginning of a story. Here the characters are introduced. We also learn about the setting of the story. Most importantly, we are introduced to the main conflict. (Main Problem)

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What Is Rising Action? The rising action is the second of six essential plot elements, which comes right after the opening of a story, otherwise known as the exposition. It is usually made up of a series of events that lay down breadcrumbs, ask questions, and set roadblocks and conflicts that must be overcome.

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In the structure of a play the climax, or crisis, is the decisive moment, or turning point, at which the rising action of the play is reversed to falling action.

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What Is Falling Action? In storytelling, falling action refers to the period after the dramatic confrontation of the climax. This portion of the narrative helps deflate the plot's tension and gives the character time to unwind after the emotional scene.

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The resolution is the end of the story. It occurs after the CLIMAX. It is when you learn what happens to the characters after the CONFLICT is resolved.

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When we read a story or watch a movie, we usually focus our attention on the characters and the plot. But we should also pay attention to a third important element of storytelling: the setting. A setting is the time and place in which a story is told. All stories have settings.

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The protagonist is frequently known as the hero of the story while the antagonist is the villain the pro Agonist and the antagonist tend to be in conflict with one another the protagonist is the central character in a story this character is often referred to as the main character.

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In literature, conflict is a literary element that involves a struggle between two opposing forces.

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Internal conflict is when a character struggles with their own opposing desires or beliefs.

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External conflict refers to the conflict between the main character and any external force .
-Man vs. Man
"Man against man" conflict involves stories where characters are against each other.
-Man vs. Society
The man versus society conflict is when a protagonist has a strong belief against the majority of the community or surroundings and decides to act on it.
-Man vs. Nature
"Man against nature" conflict is an external struggle positioning the character against an animal or a force of nature, such as a storm or tornado or snow.
-Man vs. Technology
Man vs. technology is a type of literary conflict in which a character faces technology (such as a robot, a machine, or a mechanical failure) and must prevail against it.

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A literary theme is the main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores in a novel, short story, or other literary work.

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Diction, choice of words, especially with regard to correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.

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AP English Language: Introduction to Diction

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In spoken and written language, syntax refers to the set of rules that determines the arrangement of words in a sentence. Along with diction, it is one of the key ways writers convey meaning in a text.

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Connotation:
Connotation is the use of a word to suggest a different association than its literal meaning, which is known as denotation.
Denotation:
The denotation of a word is its literal definition—its dictionary definition—and contains no emotion.

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(ENGLISH) What are Denotation and Connotation? | #iQuestionPH

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Tone is more than an author's attitude toward his/her audience and characters; it is the stylistic means by which an author conveys his/her attitude(s) in a work of literature. Tone is an integral part of a work's meaning because it controls the reader's response which is essential to fully experiencing literature.

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0:00 / 5:07•Watch full video

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How To Identify a Writer's Tone | VCE Language Analysis Tones

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A mood is a feeling that can refer to the emotional state of mind of a person/character or the atmosphere of a story. Mood is omnipresent in stories.

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When writing a work of fiction, an author can take the reader out of the present story and jump into an earlier time period in a character's life. This narrative tool is called a flashback.

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What is a flashback in a story? (Story Element #23)

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“Foreshadowing” is a narrative device in which suggestions or warnings about events to come are dropped or planted.

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Oregon State University - School of Writing, Literature and Film

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"What is Foreshadowing?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers

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Parallelism is the repetition of grammatical elements in a piece of writing to create a harmonious effect.

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Parallelism: Explanation, Effects, Example | AP Lang Rhetorical Strategies

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Point of view (POV) is what the character or narrator telling the story can see (his or her perspective). The author chooses “who” is to tell the story by determining the point of view.

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OSU School of Writing, Literature and Film

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"What is Point of View?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers

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In first-person narration, the narrator is a person in the story, telling the story from their own point of view. The narration usually utilizes the pronoun I (or we, if the narrator is speaking as part of a group).

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What Is Second Person POV in Writing? Second person point of view uses the pronoun “you” to address the reader. This narrative voice implies that the reader is either the protagonist or a character in the story and the events are happening to them.

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In third-person objective narration, the narrator reports the events that take place without knowing the motivations or thoughts of any of the characters. We know little about what drives them until we hear them speak or observe their actions.

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Third person limited is a narrative viewpoint where the story is told from the close perspective of one character. It still mainly utilizes he, she, and they pronouns, but creates the immediacy and intimacy of a first-person narrative without being "trapped inside" a protagonist's head.

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The third person omniscient point of view is the most open and flexible POV available to writers. As the name implies, an omniscient narrator is all-seeing and all-knowing. While the narration outside of any one character, the narrator may occasionally access the consciousness of a few or many different characters.

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A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g., as brave as a lion, crazy like a fox ).

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Metaphor- Metaphor is a comparison between two things that are otherwise unrelated. With metaphor, the qualities of one thing are figuratively carried over to another.
Extended Metaphor- An extended metaphor is a version of metaphor that extends over the course of multiple lines, paragraphs, or stanzas of prose or poetry. Extended metaphors build upon simple metaphors with figurative language and more varied, descriptive comparisons.

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1 : attribution of personal qualities especially : representation of a thing or abstraction as a person or by the human form. 2 : a divinity or imaginary being representing a thing or abstraction.

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Hyperbole, a figure of speech that is an intentional exaggeration for emphasis or comic effect.

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Symbolism is the idea that things represent other things. What we mean by that is that we can look at something — let's say, the color red — and conclude that it represents not the color red itself but something beyond it: for example, passion, or love, or devotion.

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OSU School of Writing, Literature and Film

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"What is Symbolism?": A Literary Guide for English Teachers and Students

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An oxymoron is a self-contradicting word or group of words (as in Shakespeare's line from Romeo and Juliet, "Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!"). A paradox is a statement or argument that seems to be contradictory or to go against common sense, but that is yet perhaps still true—for example, "less is more."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Oregon State University - School of Writing, Literature and Film

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"What is an Oxymoron?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers

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A euphemism is an appropriate expression used in the place of a phrase or words that may be found inappropriate or offensive. Euphemisms are commonly used in daily language and literature to replace language that some may find displeasing.

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Euphemisms That Native Speakers Use All the Time

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Allusion is a figure of speech, in which an object or circumstance from unrelated context is referred to covertly or indirectly. It is left to the audience to make the direct connection. Where the connection is directly and explicitly stated by the author, it is instead usually termed a reference.

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OSU School of Writing, Literature and Film

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"What is an Allusion?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers

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Assonance, or “vowel rhyme,” is the repetition of vowel sounds across a line of text or poetry. The words have to be near enough to each other that the similar vowel sounds are noticeable. Think about the long “o” sound in: Go slow on the road.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Oregon State University - School of Writing, Literature and Film

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"What are Assonance and Consonance?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers

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Alliteration is the repetition of the same sound at the start of a series of words in succession whose purpose is to provide an audible pulse that gives a piece of writing a lulling, lyrical, and/or emotive effect.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Oregon State University - School of Writing, Literature and Film

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
"What is Alliteration?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers

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A cliché (UK: /ˈkliːʃeɪ/ or US: /kliˈʃeɪ/) is an element of an artistic work, saying, or idea that has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, even to the point of being trite or irritating, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel.

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A cliché (pronounced 'klee-SHAY') is a saying, image, or idea which has been used so much that it sounds terribly uncreative. The word "cliché" was originally French for the sound of a printing plate, which prints the same thing over and over. Using clichés is considered bad writing and speaking because they make it sound like you didn't put any thought into your words. Good writers and speakers try to use thoughtful and original language rather than clichés in their work. Synonyms for cliché include platitudes and banalities.

II. Examples of Cliché

Because clichés are, by definition, common and overused, they can be found frequently but you may not notice them because we take them for granted. Here are a few examples:

This image of a cloud starts with a common cliché:
Every cloud has a silver lining
Which means that even in a bad situation, you can usually find something good.

The rest of the cloud is made of other popular clichés:

"Diamond in the rough": something or somebody with a lot of potential.

"Going bananas!": going crazy.

"Easy as pie": very easy.

"Cold as ice": very cold or not friendly.

"Take a chill pill": to relax.

"Don't judge a book by its cover": don't judge something based on its appearance.

"Driving me crazy!": annoying somebody to the point of almost insanity.

"Kid in a candy store": feeling happy about the things that surround you.

"Light as a feather": very very light.

"Happily ever after": the ending of all fairy tale romances, this is a typical ending where everybody is happy for the rest of their lives.

"When pigs fly!": something that is very unlikely to happen.

To describe falling in love:
She fell head over heels.
Another common characteristic of clichés is that they tend to simplify and dramatize. Rather than admitting that a story may not always have happiness or explaining that serious love takes time to develop, these clichés make the writing seem shallow and therefore un-interesting.

Clichés are sometimes ideas, images, or characters, rather than phrases. Here are a few examples of cliché characters:

"The Damsel in Distress": a young attractive woman who is incompetent and in need of someone else to rescue her.

"The Superhero": the man who saves the Damsel in Distress, often incredibly strong and good looking!

"Brooding Bad Boy": the boy from 'the other side of the tracks,' who needs someone caring to lead him to a better life.

"The Good Girl": the girl who saves the Brooding Bad Boy with her kindness and good heart.

III. The Importance of Cliché

Clichés are important because they express ideas and thoughts that are widespread and common within a culture, hence the phrase "cliché but true." Yet in our culture, we tend to dislike clichés because we place a high value on creativity, originality, and cleverness, rather than on repetition and using other people's words. Not all cultures feel this way though; in China, it is considered good to use clichés because Chinese culture places a higher value on tradition and looks down on individuality. But even in our culture, clichés are still very common in popular books, poems, movies, television shows, speeches, and advertisements.

IV. Examples of Clichés in Literature

It is important to remember that every cliché was once original and became overused only because it was such a popular idea at first. So, many clichés come from classic works.

Many clichés have their origins in classics like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet:
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
This cliché is from Juliet's speech in which she claims that it does not matter that Romeo comes from her family's enemy house, the Montague. Like many Shakespeare quotes, this phrase was so creative when Shakespeare wrote it, that now other people have overused it-to mean that the names of things are not important compared to their qualities.
Forever and a day
This cliché is also derived from Shakespeare, as it first appeared in The Taming of the Shrew. Countless clichés were coined by Shakespeare, including:

All that glitters is not gold - (The Merchant of Venice)"

Jealousy is the green-eyed monster - (Othello)"

Melted into thin air - (The Tempest)

And many more. It is a compliment for a writer's work to become a cliché, but it is an insult to be accused of writing something cliché.

V. Examples of Cliché in Pop Culture

Although clichés should usually be avoided, they can be used for comedic effect or in works where originality and deep thought are not expected such as television shows, advertisements, and movies like romantic comedies and superhero blockbusters.

Conversely, the Old Spice commercials become funny by using the cliché of the perfect man, one often used in men's commercials:

Hello, ladies.
Look at your man.
Now back to me. Now back at your man. Now back to me.
Sadly, he isn't me.
But if he stopped using lady scented body wash...
...and switched to Old Spice, he could smell like he's me.
Look down. Back up. Where are you?
You're on a boat with the man your man could smell like.
What's in your hand? Back at me.
I have it.
It's an oyster with two tickets to that thing you love.
Look again. The tickets are now diamonds.
Anything is possible when your man smells like Old Spice and not a lady.
I'm on a horse.

And clichés are still alive and well in popular movies ("alive and well" is a cliché!). Consider the movie The Last Song:

" It is a story of second chances, first loves, and the moments in life that lead us back home. "

This movie is complete with the brooding teenage daughter, the father figure looking for a second chance, and the rambunctious younger brother, who is there just to provide comic relief. These are all clichés.
This movie may be cliché, but many people still enjoy it. For this reason, cliché is a matter of taste; critics may not like clichés, but they can still be part of enjoyable entertainment.

VI. Related Terms

Cliché vs. Archetype

An archetype is an image or character which is used over and over in literature and art and may not seem cliché because it represents a universal truth about life or a universal aspect of human psychology. The line between an archetype and a cliché is thin: both archetypes and clichés are frequently found in compositions. Whereas clichés are considered overused and unwanted, archetypes are accepted and only cliché if they are represented in cliché images and words.

One such archetype is the hero-- Superman, Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker, Jesus. This archetype is so common throughout history and all over the world that you would think it would be cliché, but it has such psychological appeal and depth, and makes for such good stories, that we don't care how cliché it is. Archetypes, unlike clichés, provide a frame for a character or story which is then shaped and presented in an original way by the storyteller.

VII. In Closing

Clichés are, by definition, prevalent phrases or ideas in literature, advertisements, and numerous other forms. They are common in romance novels, parodies, and television. Although critics advise against clichés, they remain popular.

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Clichés: Definition and Examples | LiteraryTerms.net

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Clear Clichés examples and definition. This article will also show you the importance of Clichés and how to use it. A cliché is a saying or idea which has been so overused that it has lost the power of its original meaning.

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An idiom is a widely used saying or expression that contains a figurative meaning that is different from the phrase's literal meaning. For example, if you say you're feeling “under the weather,” you don't literally mean that you're standing underneath the rain.

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A pun is a literary device that is also known as a “play on words.” Puns involve words with similar or identical sounds but with different meanings. Their play on words also relies on a word or phrase having more than one meaning. Puns are generally intended to be humorous, but they often have a serious purpose as well in literary works.

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Pun | Figure of Speech | Pun Examples and with Explanation | Pun Literary Device |English Literature

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In simplest terms, irony occurs in literature AND in life whenever a person says something or does something that departs from what they (or we) expect them to say or do.

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OSU School of Writing, Literature and Film

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"What is Irony?": A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers

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Verbal irony is a figure of speech. The speaker intends to be understood as meaning something that contrasts with the literal or usual meaning of what he says.

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Situational irony takes place when the opposite of what is expected actually happens. It is a form of figurative language, which simply means it is a literary device that goes beyond the literal meaning of words.

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Dramatic irony, a literary device by which the audience's or reader's understanding of events or individuals in a work surpasses that of its characters.

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Characterization is the act of creating and describing characters in literature. Characterization includes both descriptions of a character's physical attributes as well as the character's personality. The way that characters act, think, and speak also adds to their characterization.

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The writer makes direct statements about a character's personality and tells the reader or viewer what the character is like. Direct characterization tells the reader or viewer.

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Indirect characterization, on the other hand, consists of the author showing the audience what kind of person a character is through the character's thoughts, words, and deeds. This requires the audience to make inferences about why a character would say or do those things.

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In talk about literature, this has led to the development of a crude but useful terminological distinction of two sorts of characterization: "static" and "dynamic." A static character, in this vocabulary, is one that does not undergo important change in the course of the story, remaining essentially the same at the end.

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(If we were talking computer talk, we'd say that inside this program that term is "reserved.") In talk about literature, the term "dynamic character" means simply a character who undergoes some important change in the course of the story.

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Flat characters are two-dimensional in that they are relatively uncomplicated and do not change throughout the course of a work. By contrast, round characters are complex and undergo development, sometimes sufficiently to surprise the reader.

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Round characters, characters as described by the course of their development in a work of literature. Flat characters are two-dimensional in that they are relatively uncomplicated and do not change throughout the course of a work.

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Rhetoric refers to the study and uses of written, spoken and visual language. It investigates how language is used to organize and maintain social groups, construct meanings and identities, coordinate behavior, mediate power, produce change, and create knowledge.

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Ethos (Greek for “character”) • Focuses attention on the writer's or speaker's trustworthiness. • Takes one of two forms: “appeal to character” or “appeal to credibility.” • A writer may show “ethos” through her tone, such as taking care to show more. than one side of an issue before arguing for her side.

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Pathos, or the appeal to emotion, means to persuade an audience by purposely evoking certain emotions to make them feel the way the author wants them to feel.

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Logos, or the appeal to logic, means to appeal to the audiences' sense of reason or logic. To use logos, the author makes clear, logical connections between ideas, and includes the use of facts and statistics. Using historical and literal analogies to make a logical argument is another strategy.