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AP English Literature Terms Flashcards

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4884015324AllegoryA story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.0
4884015325Alliterationsame constant at the beginning of words ex. Marilyn Monroe1
4884015326AmbiguityWhen the author is unclear/leaves out an event, so the reader fills it in with their imagination2
4884015327Anaphorarepetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of lines of a poem ""We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France"3
4884015328Anecdotea short story or joke at beginning of speech to catch attention of audience4
4884015329AntagonistA character or force in conflict with the main character.5
4884015330Anti-Climacticwhen the ending of the plot is unfulfilling or lackluster6
4884015331Apostrophewhen a character speaks to a character or object that is not present/unable to respond A prayer like figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity. William Wordsworth addresses John Milton as he writes, "Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour: England hath need of thee." Another example is Keats' "Ode to a Grecian Urn," in which Keats addresses the urn itself: rarely on an AP exam, but important when there. ALWAYS Pathos7
4884015332Assonancerepetition of the same vowel sound "Hear the mellow wedding bells" by Edgar Allen Poe8
4884015333Blank Verseunrhymed iambic pentameter. an iamb is a metrical foot in which an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. In iambic pentameter there are five iambs per line making ten syllables. "Something there is that doesn't love a wall. That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it, And spills the upper boulders in the sun"9
4884015334Climaxturning point, hight point of action10
4884015335Colloquial languageinformal, conversational language./ colloquialisms are phrases or sayings that are indicative of a specific region. slang. ex. go bananas11
4884015336Connotationthe suggested meaning of a word or phrase ex.bats=scary and evil12
4884015337Conventionan understanding between the writer and the reader about certain details of a story that do not need to be explained13
4884015338Consonancethe repetition of consonant sounds in a phrase or line of poetry chuckle, fickle, and kick - "ck"14
4884015339Couplettwo rhyming lines in poetry "The time is out of joint, O cursed spite That ever I was born to set it right!"15
4884015340Deus ex machinacharacter or force at the end of the story or play to help resolve conflict. "god from a machine". Any turn of events that solve the character's problems in an unexpected way16
4884015341DictionThe choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing17
4884015342Denouement (day-new-mon)the final resolution of a dramatic plot18
4884015343Doppelgangerthe alter ego of a character/the ghostly double ex. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde19
4884015344Elegya poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead.20
4884015345Emotive Languagespecific use of language to instill a feeling(emotion) or an image21
4884015346EnjambmentThe continuation of reading one line of a poem to the next without pause22
4884015347EpicAn extended narrative poem with elevated language to celebrate the feats of a legendary or traditional hero23
4884015348Epiloguepoem or speech spoken directly to audience at the end of a play, or the explanation at the end of a book that explains what happens after the plot ends24
4884015349Epiphanysudden enlightenment or realization, a profound new outlook about the world25
4884015350Epistolarya novel that tells a story through letters written from one character to another26
4884015351Euphemismsubstituting words or phrases in order to be politically correct ex. short--> Vertically Challenged27
4884015352Euphonya succession of words which are pleasing to the ear -may include alliteration, consonance, or assonance28
4884015353ExpansionAds an unstressed syllable and a contraction or elision removes an unstressed syllable in order to maintain the rhythmic meter of a line. ex. using th' instead of the, o'er instead of over, 'tis or 'twas instead of it is or it was29
4884015354Fableshort narrative to teach a lesson or to stress a cautionary point; usually uses animals that speak like humans30
4884015355Feminine EndingAn unstressed Extra Syllable at the end of a line of iambic pentameter` ex. Oh! raise us up, return to us again; And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power.31
4884015356Figurative Languagespeech or writing using figures of speech; a form of language use in which writers and speakers convey something other than the literal meaning of their words.32
4884015357Flashbackwhen a character remembers past events relative to the present33
4884015358Flat Charactercharacter defined by one or two traits and does not change throughout the story. minor characters34
4884015359Foila character that by contrast enhances the distinctive characteristics of another character. ex. good cop bad cop35
4884015360FolkloreThe traditional beliefs, myths, tales, and practices of a people, transmitted orally36
4884015361Foot-unit of measure in poetry that determines the metrical length of a line -usually two or three syllables with one stressed syllable 1 foot-manometer 2 foot - dimeter 3 foot- trimeter 4 foot- tetrameter 5 foot-pentameter 6 foot-hexameter 7 foot-heptameter37
4884015362Iamba type of foot with two syllables, the first Unstressed and the second Stressed, most common foot in poetry(english) http://study.com/academy/lesson/iambic-pentameter-definition-examples-quiz.html But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?38
4884015363Trocheea type of foot with two syllables, the first is Stressed and the second is Unstressed Why so pale and wan, fond Lover?39
4884015364Dactyla type of foot with three syllables, the first is Stessed and the second and third are Unstressed40
4884015365Anapesta type of foot with three syllables, the first two are Unstressed and the third is Stressed41
4884015366ForeshadowingA narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anticipation in the reader.42
4884015367Free verseType of poetry that has a variety of line lengths, is unrhymed, and lacks traditional meter43
4884015368GenreA category or type of literature (or of art, music, etc.) characterized by a particular form, style, or content.44
4884015369Gothic Novelgenre of fiction, characterized by mystery and supernatural horror, often set in a dark castle or other medieval setting45
4884015370Heroinea Women noted for courage and daring action(the female protagonist)46
4884015371Hubriswhen pride leads to downfall (Greek tragedies)47
4884015372Hyperbolea figure of speech in which extreme exaggeration is used for comic/dramatic effect48
4884015373IllocutionLanguage that avoids meaning of the words. When we speak, sometimes we conceal intentions or side step the true subject of a conversation. Writing this expresses two stories, one of which is not apparent to the characters, but is apparent to the reader. For example, if two characters are discussing a storm on the surface it may seem like a simple discussion of the weather, however, the reader should interpret the underlying meaning-that the relationship is in turmoil, chaos, is unpredictable. As demonstrated the story contains an underlying meaning or parallel meanings.49
4884015374Imageryvivid or figurative language that represents objects, actions, or ideas. Description that appeals to the senses50
4884015375In medias resa story that begins in the middle of things51
4884015376Inversionan intentional digression from ordinary word order in order to maintain regular meters ex. instead of saying the rain came, they say came the rain -they may also use a pause to maintain meters52
4884015377IronyA contrast between expectation and reality53
4884015378Masculine Endingstressed extra syllable at the end of a line And things are not what they seem.54
4884015379Memoiran account of the personal experiences of an author55
4884015380Meterthe measured arrangement of words in poetry, as by accentual rhythm, syllabic quantity, or the number of syllables in a line56
4884015381Metaphora figure of speech that is a comparison without using like or as, uses a word to designate one thing that usually designates another thing.57
4884015382Metonymythe use of a word or phrase to stand in for another word in which it represents ex. Lamb fill in for Jesus58
4884015383Motifa dominant theme or central idea59
4884015384Narratorsomeone who tells a story60
4884015385Novellashort novel <100 pages61
4884015386Neutral Languagelanguage opposite of emotive language, literal and objective language62
4884015387Oblique Rhymeimperfect rhyme scheme aka. half rhyme/slant rhyme ex. If love is like a bridge, or maybe like a grudge63
4884015388Odea lyric poem of some length, serious or meditative nature, elevated style, formal structure, celebrates something, John Keats64
4884015389Onomatopoeiaactually spelling out the sound, ex. buzz, bang, boom represent the action they refer too ex.bee, gun, cannon65
4884015390Paradoxstatement that contradicts itself66
4884015391Parodya literary or artistic work that imitates another work for comedy or ridicule67
4884015392Personificationwhen inanimate objects or animals are given human qualities or human form68
4884015393Poetic Justicethe rewarding of virtue and the punishment of vice in the resolution of a plot. The characters get what they deserve at the end of the poem.69
4884015394PrequelA literary, dramatic, or cinematic work whose narrative takes place before that of a preexisting work or a sequel.70
4884015395Prologuean introduction of preface, a poem recited to introduce a play71
4884015396Proseordinary writing without metrical structure(not a poem), written in paragraph form ex.novels and short stories72
4884015397Protagonistthe main character in a drama or literary work73
4884015398Punplay on words, when two words have multiple meanings and spellings and are used in humorous manner74
4884015399Rhymethe repetition of sounds in words75
4884015400Rhyme Schemethe act of assigning letters to the lines of a poem to demonstrate the rhyming lines76
4884015401Rising Actionthe events of a narrative leading up to the climax77
4884015402Rites of Passagean incident that creates tremendous growth signifying a transition from adolescence to adulthood78
4884015403Round Charactera character who develops throughout the book, usually main character79
4884015404Resolutionsolution to the conflict in literature80
4884015405Satirea literary work in which the negative actions of humans(human vice) are attacked through irony, derision, and wit in order to change the negative behavior. Jonathan Swift and George Orwell81
4884015406Similea figure of speech using like or as to compare two essentially unrelated things.82
4884015407Slanga language occurring in casual, playful speech adds raciness, humor, irreverence, or other effect83
4884015408Soliloquywhen a character talks to themselves in a long, dramatic speech and reveals somethings about themselves and their thought without addressing the listener. Typical in plays84
4884015409Sonneta poem with Fourteen lines Italian=subdivided into two quatrains and two tercets English=three quatrains and one couplet Voltra=sudden change of thought common in sonnets85
4884015410Stylethe combination of distinctive features of literary or artistic expression, execution, or performance characterizing a particular person, group, school, or era86
4884015411Symbolismthe use of something(an object) to represent something else87
4884015412Tragedya drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow usually due to a flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with their unfavorable circumstances88
4884015413Tone-reflects how the author feels about the subject matter, or the feeling the author wants to instill in the reader. -A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.89

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