antagonist: a character who actively opposes the protagonist or hero of a story; an adversary.
coming-of-age: the point at which a individual or character loses their innocent view of life; they are forced to "grow up"
cross-genre: stories that present features of 2 or more different genre.
epic: extending beyond the usual or ordinary in size or scope
main feature: attribute or aspect that is primary and necessary to the plot of a story.
protagonist: the main character of a story, generally a champion of good or the character through whom which the reader will gain understanding.
quest: a long or arduous search for something of meaning.
tone: the general attitude of a place, situation or piece of literature; the mood.
This sub-genre features the "swashbuckling" hero--a character whose use of swords, acrobatics, and guile support his chivalric ideals. He rescues other. The word, itself, was first used in the 16th century to indicate a "blustering, swaggering fighting man." Characteristics of this genre include:
The word picaresque comes from the Spanish word picaro, which was first used in the early 17th century to identify a rogue, bohemian, adventurer, or rapscallion. A picaroon is listed as a synonym for the word pirate in many English dictionaries. In these books, the protagonist doesn't generally fit the typical model of a hero. Characteristically, these novels include:
Classics include:
Modern Literary Examples:
Library Information and Media Center - Monona Grove High School - Monona, Wisconsin