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AP English Literature Terms Flashcards

sources of definitions are The Princeton Review (TPR) and Barron's AP study guides. and class notes that Mr. Enns distributed :)

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3713760015allegorya story in which the narrative/characters carry an underlying symbolic, metaphorical or possibly an ethical meaning0
3713760016alliterationthe repetition of one or more initial consonant in a group of words or lines of poetry or prose. writers use this for ornament or for emphasis1
3713760017allusiona reference to a person, place, or event meant to create an effect or enhance the meaning of an idea2
3713760018ambiguitya vagueness of meaning; a conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings and interpretation3
3713760020analogya comparison that points out similarities between two dissimilar things4
3713760022antecedentword, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun5
3713760023antithesisa rhetorical opposition or contrast of ideas by means of a grammatical arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences6
3713760024aphorisma short, pithy statement of a generally accepted truth or sentiment7
3713760026apostrophea locution that addresses a person/personified thing not present8
3713760029ballada simple narrative verse that tells a story that is sung or recited; a long narrative poem, usually in very regular meter and rhyme, typically has a naive folksy quality9
3713760030barda poet, in olden times, a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment10
3713760031bathosthe use of insincere or overdone sentimentality11
3713760032belle-lettresthe French term for the world of books, criticism, and literature in general12
3713760033bibliographya list of works cited or otherwise relevant to a subject or other work13
3713760034Bildungsromana German word referring to a novel structured as a series of events that take place as the hero travels in quest of a goal14
3713760035blank versepoetry written in iambic pentameter, the primary meter used in English poetry and the works of Shakespeare and Milton. its lines generally do not rhyme15
3713760036bombastinflated, pretentious language used for trivial subjects16
3713760037burlesquea work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation; a broad parody and exaggerates it into ridiculousness17
3713760038cacophonygrating, inharmonious sounds18
3713760039caesuraa pause somewhere in the middle of a verse, often (but not always marked by punctuation)19
3713760040canonthe works considered most important in national literature or period; works widely read and studied20
3713760041caricaturea grotesque likeness of striking qualities in persons and things; a portrait that exaggerates a facet of personality21
3713760042carpe diem"seize the day"22
3713760043catharsisa cleansing of the spirit brought about by the pity and terror of a dramatic tragedy23
3713760044classica highly regarded work of literature or other art form that has withstood the test of time, similar to canon24
3713760045classicismderiving from the orderly qualities of ancient Greek and Roman culture; implies formality, objectivity, simplicity and restraint25
3713760046climaxthe high point, or turning point, of a story/play26
3713760047novela tale in which a young protagonist experiences an introduction to adulthood. the character may develop understanding via disillusionment, education, doses of reality, or any other experiences that alter his/her emotional/intellectual maturity. e.g. Invisible Man27
3713760048conceita witty or ingenious thought; a diverting or highly fanciful idea, often stated in figurative language; a startling or unusual metaphor, or a metaphor developed and expanded upon several lines28
3713760049anticlimaxthis occurs when an action produces far smaller results than one had been led to expect, it is frequently comic in effect29
3713760050antiheroa protagonist who is markedly unheroic: morally weak, cowardly, dishonest, or any number of other unsavory qualities30
3713760051asidea speech (usually just a short comment) made by an actor to the audience, as though momentarily stepping outside of the action on stage31
3713760052aspecta trait of characteristic, as in "an aspect of the dew drop"32
3713760053atmospherethe emotional tone or background that surrounds a scene33
3713760054black humorthis is the use of disturbing themes in comedy. e.g. two tramps comically debating over which should commit suicide first, and whether the branches of a tree will support their weight34
3713760055cadencethe beat or rhythm of poetry in a general sense35
3713760056cantois a divider in long poems, much like chapters in a novel36
3713760057coinagea.k.a. neologism, inventing a word37
3713760058colloquialismthis is a word or phrase used in everyday conversational English that isn't a part of accepted "schoolbook" English38
3713760059controlling imagewhen an image dominates and shapes the entire work39
3713760060metaphysical conceita type of conceit that occurs only in metaphysical poetry40
3713760061connotationthe suggest or implied meaning of a word/phrase41
3713760062consonancethe repetition of two or more consonant sounds within a group of words or a line of poetry42
3713760063coupleta pair of lines that end in rhyme43
3713760064heroic couplettwo rhyming lines in iambic pentameter are called this44
3713760065denotationthe literal, dictionary definition of a word45
3713760066denouementthe resolution that occurs at the end of a play or work or fiction46
3713760067deus ex machinain literature, the use of an artificial device or gimmick to solve a problem47
3713760068Dionysianas distinguished from Apollonian, the word refers to sensual, pleasure seeking impulses48
3713760069dictionthe choice of words in oral and written discourse49
3713760070syntaxthe ordering and structuring of the words in a sentence50
3713760071dirgea song for the dead, its tone is typically slow, heavy, and melancholy51
3713760072dissonancethe grating of incompatible sounds52
3713760073doggerelcrude, simplistic verse, often in sing-song rhyme53
3713760074dramatic ironywhen the audience knows something that the characters in the drama do not54
3713760075dramatic monologuewhen a single speaker in literature says something to a silent audience55
3713760076elegya poem or prose selection that laments or meditates on the passing/death of something/someone of value56
3713760077elementsthe basic techniques of each genre of literature. IN SHORT STORY: characters, irony, theme, symbol, plot, setting. IN POETRY: figurative language, symbol, imagery, rhythm, rhyme. IN DRAMA: conflict, characters, climax, conclusion, exposition, rising action, falling action, props. IN NONFICTION: argument, evidence, reason, appeals, fallacies, thesis.57
3713760078ellipsisthree periods (...) indicating the omission of words in a thought or quotation58
3713760079empathya feeling of association or identification with an object/person59
3713760080end stoppeda term that describes a line of poetry that ends with a natural pause often indicated by a mark of punctuation60
3713760081enjambmentthe continuation of a syntactic unit from one line or couplet of a poem to the next with no pause61
3713760082epican extended narrative poem that tells of the adventures and exploits of a hero that is generally larger than life and is often considered a legendary figure62
3713760083mock epica parody form that deals with mundane events and ironically treats them as worthy of epic poetry63
3713760084epitaphlines that commemorate the dead at their burial place. usually a line or handful of lines, often serious or religious, but sometimes witty and even irreverent64
3713760085epigrama concise but ingenious, witty and thoughtful statement65
3713760086euphonywhen sounds blend harmoniously; pleasing, harmonious sounds66
3713760087epithetan adjective or phrase that expresses a striking quality of a person or thing67
3713760088eponymousa term for the title character of a work of literature68
3713760089euphemisma mild or less negative usage for a harsh or blunt term69
3713760090exegesisa detailed analysis or interpretation of a work of literature70
3713760091exposea piece of writing that reveals weaknesses, faults, frailties, or other short comings71
3713760092explicitto say or write something directly and clearly72
3713760093explicationthe interpretation/analysis of a text73
3713760094extended metaphora series of comparisons between two unlike objects that occur over a number of lines74
3713760095fablea short tale often featuring nonhuman character that act as people whose actions enable the author to make observations or draw useful lessons about human behavior. i.e Orwell's "Animal Farm"75
3713760096falling actionthe action in a play or story that occurs after the climax and that leads to the conclusion and often to the resolution of the conflict76
3713760097fantasya story containing unreal, imaginary features77
3713760098farcea comedy that contains an extravagant and nonsensical disregard of seriousness, although it may have a serious, scornful purpose78
3713760099figurative languagein contrast to literal language, this implies meanings. It includes devices such as metaphors, similes, and personification, etc.79
3713760100foila secondary character whose purpose is to highlight the characteristics of a main character, usually by contrast80
3713760101first person narrativea narrative told by a character involved in the story, using first-person pronouns such as "I" and "we"81
3713760102flashbacka return to an earlier time in a story or play in order to clarify present actions or circumstances i.e. Invisible Man82
3713760103foreshadowingan event or statement in a narrative that suggests, in miniature, a larger event that comes later83
3713760104footthe basic rhythmic unit of a line in poetry. it is formed by a combination of two or three syllables, either stressed or unstressed84
3713760105framea structure that provides premise or setting for a narrative85
3713760106free versea kind of poetry without rhymed lines, rhythm or fixed metrical feet86
3713760107genrea term used to describe literary forms, such as novel, play, and essay87
3713760108Gothic novela novel in which supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terror pervades the action. i.e. "Frankenstein"88
3713760109haranguea forceful sermon, lecture, or tirade89
3713760110hubristhe excessive pride/ambition that leads to the main character's downfall90
3713760111hyperboleexaggeration/deliberate overstatement91
3713760112humanisma belief that emphasizes faith and optimism in human potential and creativity92
3713760113implicitto say or write something that suggests and implies but never says it directly or clearly93
3713760114in medias resLatin for "in the midst of things"; a narrative that starts not at the beginning of events but at some other critical point94
3713760115idylla lyric poem or passage that describes a kind of ideal life or place95
3713760116imagea word or phrase representing that which can be seen, touched, tasted, smelled or felt96
3713760117inversionswitching customary order of elements in a sentence or phrase. when done badly it can give a stilted, artificial look-at-me-I'm-poetry feel to the verse. type of syntax97
3713760118ironya mode of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is stated, often implying ridicule or light sarcasm98
3713760119invectivea direct verbal assault; a denunciation. i.e. Candide99
3713760120kenninga device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which the name of a thing is replaced by one of its functions/qualities, as in "ring-giver" for king and "wale-road" for ocean100
3713760121lamenta poem of sadness or grief over the death of a loved one or over some other intense loss101
3713760122lampoona satire102
3713760123light versea variety of poetry meant to entertain or amuse, butt sometimes with a satirical thrust103
3713760124loose sentencea sentence that is complete before its end. follows customary word order of English sentences i.e. subject-verb-object104
3713760125periodic sentencea sentence not grammatically complete until it has reached its final phrase; sentence that departs from the usual word order of English sentences by expressing its main thought only at the end105
3713760126lyricpersonal, reflective poetry that reveals the speaker's thoughts and feelings about the subject; the word is used to describe tone, it refers to a sweet, emotional melodiousness106
3713760127melodramaa form of cheesy theater in which the hero is very, very good, the villain mean and rotten, and the heroine oh-so-pure.107
3713760128litotesa form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity108
3713760129maxima saying or proverb expressing common wisdom or truth109
3713760130metaphora figure of speech that compares unlike objects110
3713760131metaphysical poetrythe work of poets, particularly those of 17th c., that uses elaborate conceits, is highly intellectual, and expresses the complexities of love and life111
3713760132meterthe pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables found in poetry112
3713760133metonymya figure of speech that uses the name of one thing to represent something else with which it is associated. e.g. "The White House says..."113
3713760134modethe general form, pattern, and manner of expression of a work of literature114
3713760135montagea quick succession of images/impressions used to express an idea115
3713760136moodthe emotional tone in a work of literature116
3713760137nemesisthe protagonist's archenemy or supreme and persistent difficulty117
3713760138objectivitythis treatment of a subject matter is an impersonal/outside view of events118
3713760139subjectivitythis treatment of a subject matter uses the interior/personal view of a single observer and is typically colored with that observer's emotional responses119
3713760140onomatopoeiawords that sound like what they mean120
3713760141morala brief and often simplistic lesson that a reader may infer from a work of literature121
3713760142motifa phrase, idea, event that through repetition serves to unify or convey a theme in a work of literature.122
3713760143museone of the ancient Greek goddesses presiding over the arts. the imaginary source of inspiration for an artist or writer123
3713760144mythan imaginary story that has become accepted part of the cultural or religious tradition of a group/society. often used to explain natural phenomena.124
3713760145narrativea form of verse or prose that tells a story125
3713760146naturalisma term often used as a synonym for "realism"; also a view of experiences that is generally characterized as bleak and pessimistic126
3713760147non sequitura statement or idea that fails to follow logically from the one before127
3713760148novel of mannersa novel focusing on and describing the social customs and habits of a particular social group128
3713760149odea lyric poem usually marked by serious, respectful and exalted feelings toward the subject.129
3713760150omniscient narratora narrator with unlimited awareness, understanding, and insight of characters, setting, background, and all other elements of the story130
3713760151oxymorona phrase composed of opposites; a contradiction. juxtaposition of contradictory element to create a paradoxical effect131
3713760152oppositionone of the most useful concepts in analyzing literature. it means that you have a pair of elements that contrast sharply.132
3713760153ottava rimaan eight-line rhyming stanza of a poem133
3713760154parablelike a fable or an allegory, it's a story that instructs; a story consisting of events from which a moral or spiritual truth may be derived134
3713760155paradoxa statement that seems self-contradictory yet true135
3713760156parallelismrepeated syntactical similarities used for effect136
3713760157parodyan imitation of a work meant to ridicule its style and subject137
3713760158paraphrasea version of a text put into simpler, everyday, words138
3713760159pastorala work of literature dealing with rural life139
3713760160pathetic fallacyfaulty reasoning that inappropriately ascribes human feelings to nature or nonhuman objects140
3713760161pathosthat element in literature that stimulates pity or sorrow141
3713760162pentametera verse with five poetic feet per line142
3713760163personathe role/facade that a character assumes or depicts to a reader, viewer, or the world at large; the narrator in a non-first-person novel143
3713760164personificationgiving an inanimate object human like qualities or form144
3713760165plotthe interrelationship among the events in a story, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution145
3713760166picaresque novelan episodic novel about a roguelike wanderer who lives off his wits. e.g. "Don Quixote", "Moll Flanders"146
3713760167plainta poem or speech expressing sorrow147
3713760168point of viewthe perspective from which the action of a novel in presented.148
3713760169omniscient narrator3rd person narrator who sees like God into each character's mind and understands all the action going on.149
3713760170limited omniscient narrator3rd person narrator who generally reports only what one character (usually the main) sees, and who only reports the thoughts of that one privileged character.150
3713760171objective narrator3rd person narr. who only reports on what would be visible to a camera, doesn't know what the character is thinking unless the character speaks of it.151
3713760172first person narratorthis is a narrator who is a character in the story and tells the tale from his/her POV. when the narrator is crazy, a liar, very young, or for some reason not entirely credible, the narrator is "unreliable"152
3713760173prosodythe grammar of meter and rhythm in poetry153
3713760174protagonistthe main character in a work of literature154
3713760175preludean introductory poem to a longer work of verse155
3713760176punthe usually humorous use of a word in such a way to suggest two or more meanings156
3713760177pseudonymalso called "pen name", a false name or alias used by writers. i.e Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) George Orwell (Eric Blair)157
3713760178quatriana four-line poem or a four-line unit of a longer poem158
3713760179refraina line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem159
3713760180requiema song of prayer for the dead160
3713760181realismthe depiction of people, things, and events as they really are without idealization or exaggeration for effect161
3713760182rhetoricthe language of a work and its style; words, often highly emotional, used to convince or sway an audience162
3713760183rhetorical questiona question that suggests an answer. in theory, the effect is that it causes the listener to feel they have come up with the answer themselves163
3713760184rhapsodyan intensely passionate verse or section of verse, usually of love or praise164
3713760185rhymethe repetition of similar sounds at regular intervals, used mostly in poetry165
3713760186rhyme schemethe patterns of rhymes within a given poem i.e. abba166
3713760187rhythmthe pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that make up a line of poetry. similar to meter167
3713760188romancean extended narrative about improbable events and extraordinary people in exotic places168
3713760189sarcasma sharp, caustic expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt169
3713760190satirea literary style used to poke fun at, attack or ridicule an idea, vice, or foible, often for the purpose of inducing change. great subjects for this include hypocrisy, vanity and greed, especially if those characteristics have become institutionalized in society170
3713760191similefigurative comparison using the words "like" or "as"171
3713760192settingthe total environment for the action in a novel/play. it includes time, place, historical milieu, and social, political and even spiritual circumstances172
3713760193sentimentala term that describes characters' excessive emotional response to experience; also nauseatingly nostalgic and mawkish173
3713760194sentimenta synonym for "view" or "feeling"; also refined and tender emotion in literature174
3713760195scansionthe act of determining the meter of a poetic line.175
3713760196sonneta popular form of verse consisting of fourteen lines and a prescribed rhyme scheme. two types: Shakespearean and Petrarchan176
3713760197soliloquya speech spoken by a character alone on stage. meant to convey the impression that the audience is listening to the character's THOUGHTS. unlike an aside, it is not meant to imply that the actor acknowledges the audience's presence177
3713760198stanzaa group of lines in verse, roughly analogous in function to the paragraph in prose; a group of two or more lines in poetry combined according to subject matter, rhyme, or some other plan178
3713760199stream of consciousnessa style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind, e.g. Ernest Hemingway179
3713760200stock charactersstandard or cliched character types: the drunk, the miser, the foolish girl, etc.180
3713760201suggestto imply, infer indicate. goes along with the concept of implicit181
3713760202stylethe manner in which an author uses and arranges words, shapes ideas, forms sentences and creates a structure to convey ideas182
3713760203subplota subordinate or minor collection of events in a novel or play, usually connected to the main plot183
3713760204subtextthe implied meaning that underlies the main meaning of a work of literature184
3713760205summarya simple retelling of what you've just read. what you DON'T want to do in the Open Essay section :)185
3713760206symbolisma device in literature where an object represents an idea186
3713760207synecdochea figure of speech in which a part signifies the whole or the whole signifies the part187
3713760208themethe main idea or meaning, often an abstract idea upon which a work of literature is built188
3713760209thesisthe main position of an argument. the central contention that will be supported189
3713760210tonethe author's attitude toward the subject being written about. it's the characteristic emotion that pervades a work or part of a work190
3713760211tragic flawin a tragedy, this is the weakness of a character in an otherwise good individual that ultimately leads to his demise191
3713760212tragedya form of literature in which the hero is destroyed by some character flaw and a set of forces that cause the hero considerable anguish, or even death192
3713760213travestya grotesque parody193
3713760214truisma way-too-obvious truth194
3713760215utopiaan idealized place. imaginary communities in which people are able to live in happiness, prosperity and peace. Sir Thomas More came up with this idea.195
3713760216verbal ironya discrepancy between the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken words196
3713760217versea synonym for poetry. also a group of lines in a song or poem; also a single line of poetry197
3713760218verisimilitudesimilar to the truth; the quality of realism in a work that persuades readers that they are getting a vision of life as it is198
3713760219versificationthe structural form of a line of verse as revealed by the number of feet it contains. i.e. monometer = 1 foot; tetrameter = 4 feet; pentameter = 5 feet, etc.199
3713760220villanellea French verse form calculated to appear simple and spontaneous but consisting of 19 lines and a prescribed pattern of rhymes200
3713760221voicethe real or assumed personality used by a writer or speaker. a verb is in the active voice when it expresses an action performed by its subject. a verb is in the passive voice when it expresses an action performed upon its subject or when the subject is the result of the action. Active: The crew raked the leaves. Passive: The leaves were raked by the crew.201
3713760222witthe quickness of intellect and the power and talent for saying brilliant things that surprise and delight by their unexpectedness; the power to comment subtly and pointedly on the foibles of the passing scene202
3713760223zeugmathe use of a word to modify two or more words, but used for different meanings. "He close the door and his heart on his lost love."203
3713760224anastropheinversion of the natural or usual word order204
3713760225parenthesisinsertion of some verbal unit in a position that interrupts the normal syntactical flow of the sentence205
3713760226appositionplacing side by side two coordinate elements, the second of which serves as an explanation or modification of the first. "The mountain was the earth, her home."206
3713760227ellipsisdeliberate omission of a word or words which are readily implied by context207
3713760228asyndetondeliberate omission of conjunctions between a series of related clauses. used to produce a hurried rhythm in the sentence.208
3713760229polysyndetonthe deliberate use of many conjunctions. its effect is to slow down the rhythm of the sentence209
3713760230anaphorarepetition of the same words or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses. e.g. "I have a dream..."210
3713760231epistropherepetition of the same word or group of words at the ends of successive clauses "When we first came we were very many and you were very few. Now you are many and we are getting very few."211
3713760232epanalepsisrepetition at the end of a clause of the word that occurred at the beginning of the clause. "Blood hat bought blood, and blows have answer'd blows"212
3713760233anadiplosisrepetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause. "The crime was common, common be the pain."213
3713760234climaxthe arrangement of words, phrases, or clauses in an order of importance214
3713760235antimetabolerepetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order. "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."215
3713760236chiasmusreversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses. "Exalts his enemies, his friends destroys."216
3713760237polyptotonrepetition of words derived from the same root. "But in this desert country they may see the land being rendered USELESS by OVERUSE."217
3713760238antanaclasisrepetition of a word in two different senses. "Your argument is sound, nothing but sound."218
3713760239paronomasiause of words alike in sound but different in meaning. "ask for me tomorrow and you will find me a GRAVE man."219
3713760240syllepsisthe use of a word understood differently in relation to two or more other words, which it modifies/governs. "The ink, like our pig, keeps running out of the pen."220
3713760241anthimeriathe substitution of one part of speech for another "I'll UNHAIR they head."221
3713760242periphrasissubstitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name or of a proper name for a quality associated with the name. "They do not escape JIM CROW; they merely encounter another, not less deadly variety."222
3713760243autobiographyan account of a person's own life223
3713760244dialecta way of speaking that is characteristic of a particular region/group of people224
3713760245epiphanyin a literary work, a moment of sudden insight/revelation that a character experiences225
3713760246essaya short piece of non-fiction prose that examines a single subject from a limited POV226
3713760247suspensethe uncertainty/anxiety we feel about what is going to happen next in a story227

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