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AP English Terms for Pre-AP Flashcards

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13989228762metaphorcomparison of two seemingly unlike things0
13989228763similecomparison using like or as1
13989228764personificationcharacteristics of humans given to non-humans2
13989228765synecdochegiving the part for the whole3
13989228766metonymysubstitution of associated word for word itself4
13989228767allusionreference to well-known being or event5
13989228768symbolis what it is and something more6
13989228769imagesensory detail7
13989228770archetyperecurrent image that touches collective subconscious, appears in cultures around the world8
13989228771abstractlanguage that represents emotions or experiences with no physical parallel9
13989228772concretelanguage that describes sensory images10
13989228773motifrecurrent image, idea, or theme in a specific piece of literature11
13989228774verbal ironysay one thing, mean another12
13989228775dramatic ironyaudience knows, character doesn't13
13989228776situational ironyunexpected result14
13989228777understatementmaking big things seem small/saying less than you mean15
13989228778hyperboleexaggeration16
13989228779paradoxan apparent or seeming contradiction, that is somehow true- long style17
13989228780oxymoronan apparent or seeming contradiction, that is somehow true- short style18
13989228781litotesaffirmation from negative19
13989228782ambiguitypurposeful multiple meanings as in pun and double entendre20
13989228783dictionword choice21
13989228784syntaxsentence and phrase structure22
13989228785antithesisbalancing of contrasting ideas23
13989228786polysyndetonstringing a sentence out with conjunctions24
13989228787anacoluthonbreaking off a sentence...25
13989228788parallelismrepetition of similar syntactical structure26
13989228789point of viewnarrative perspective- 1st, 2nd, or 3rd person27
13989228790apostropheaddressing a person or entity not present28
13989228791analogyextended comparison of similar things29
13989228792colloquialisminformal diction30
13989228793alliterationrepetition of consonant sound in initial position31
13989228794assonancerepetition of vowel sound32
13989228795consonancerepetition of consonant sound in any position33
13989228796euphonysoft, pleasing sounds34
13989228797cacophonyharsh sounds35
13989228798onomatopoeiaword whose sound suggests meaning36
13989228799metric feetiamb, trochee, anapest, dactyl, pyrrhic, spondee37
13989228800amphibrachunaccented, accented, unaccented, syllable38
13989228801metric lineslines in a poem that can be divided into feet: eg. hexameter, pentameter39
13989228802stanzasThe division of lines in a poem. Some examples are couplet, quatrain, octave40
13989228803ballad stanzaabcb, alternating tetrameter and trimeter41
13989228804rhyme schemeend rhyme expressed alphabetically (ex. abbacdcd)42
13989228805naturalismextreme realism in literature43
13989228806existentialisma form of literature where humans inadequate to explain complex world44
13989228807magical realisma form of literature that begins real, gets weird45
13989228808expressionisma form of literature that objectifies inner experience46
13989228809tragedya story that starts good, gets bad, hero destroyed47
13989228810comedya story that starts bad, gets good, hero triumphs48
13989228811comedy of mannerselevated, often satirical, piece of literature from Restoration Period49
13989228812farcecrude, often obscene, work of literature50
13989228813melodramaan excessive appeal to emotions51
13989228814bildungsromannovel about young person's maturation- Coming of Age52
13989228815allegorypersons equated with meanings beyond the narrative53
13989228816satireimproving human conditions through exaggeration, comedy54
13989228817novelextended fictional narrative55
13989228818novellaFictional narrative longer than a short story56
13989228819novelettefictional narrative longer than a short story57
13989228820parodyridicule of a serious work by exaggerated imitation58
13989228821Picaresque NovelThe life story of a rascal or scoundrel59
13989228822short storybrief fictional narrative in prose60
13989228823essayprose discussion of a limited topic61
13989228824Horatian Satiregentle ridicule62
13989228825Juvenalian SatireAngry ridicule63
13989228826Mythtraditional story explaining natural phenomena or cultural practice64
13989228827didactic literaturea work on literature that seeks to instruct65
13989228828hookinitial attention grabber66
13989228829central ideacore of a writer's assertion67
13989228830thesisoutline of writer's proofs68
13989228831topic sentencefocus of paragraph69
13989228832structureintroduction, body and conclusion70
13989228833expository essaypresentation of information, facts, ideas71
13989228834persuasive essaypresentation to convince reader72
13989228835descriptive essaysingle clear picture of person, place, thing or idea73
13989228836narrative essaytells a story74
13989228837literary criticismanalyzes and comments on literature75
13989228838formalist criticismemphasizes the work as an independent creation utilizing personal response and close examination of the work.76
13989228839deconstructive criticismopposite of formalist criticism; seeks to reveal author's social, cultural, or philosophical assumptions by close examination of the text77
13989228840historical criticismworks are studies within historical context78
13989228841psychological criticismutilizes Freudian theories and psychoanalytic interpretations79
13989228842gender criticismfeminist and gay criticism reflecting cultural framework80
13989228843blank verseunrhymed iambic pentameter81
13989228844free versepoetry with no regular rhyme or rhythm82
13989228845heroic couplettwo rhymed lines in iambic pentameter- a complete thought83
13989228846lyric poetryshort verse stressing emotional over story84
13989228847epic poetrylong story in verse85
13989228848cantoA division within a long poem- made up of multiple stanzas86
13989228849English sonnetfourteen line poem with three quatrains and a couplet87
13989228850Italian sonnetfourteen line poem with octave and sestet88
13989228851epigramwitty poem or saying89
13989228852epitaphmemorial poem (on gravestone sometimes)90
13989228853enjambmentrunning over of a sentence from one line or stanza to another91
13989228854refrainrepetition of line or phrase at regular intervals92
13989228855atmosphereeffect of physical environment93
13989228856toneauthor or speaker's attitude94
13989228857conflictinterplay of oppssing forces95
13989228858comic relieflightens narrative96
13989228859complicationplot reversals97
13989228860Deus ex Machinacontrived ending- ending where a supernatural force helps the hero98
13989228861epiphanysudden awareness99
13989228862flashbackdevice to supply background100
13989228863foreshadowinghints at coming events101
13989228864stream of consciousnessthoughts and feelings recorded as they occur102
13989228865themecentral idea103
13989228866plotexposition, rising action, climax, falling action104
13989228867denouementresolution, outcome replicating thought105
13989228868in media resbeginning in the middle of things106
13989228869Round charactercomplex, multi=faceted, not predictable107
13989228870flat characterrecognizable type; lacks complexity108
13989228871confidantprotagonists's intimate109
13989228872foilcharacter's illuminator through contrast110
13989228873protagonistcharacter around which the action is centered111
13989228874antagonistperson or force working against the protagonist112
13989228875omnisciencenarrator knows all about everyone113
13989228876limited omnisciencenarrator knows all about one character114
13989228877dramatic perspective/objectivenarrator presents just the facts115
13989228878doppelgangermysterious double of a character116
13989228879antiheroan ordinary, modern man/woman groping through life117
13989228880Renaissance Period of Literature14th through 17th century, rebirth of humanism118
13989228881Neoclassicism Period of LiteratureRestoration to 18th century, order and reason119
13989228882Romanticism Period of Literature18th and 19th century, imagination over reason120
13989228883Realism Period of LitertureVerisimilitude- truth121
13989228884DenotationThe Dictionary definition of a word122
13989228885ConnotationThe meaning beyond the dictionary meaning123
13989228886Figurative Languagelanguage that cannot be taken literally- metaphors, similes, symbols, etc.124
13989228887caesurapauses within a line125
13989228888Truncationthe omission of an unaccented syllable at eaiter end of a line126
13989228889villanelle19 lines of rhymed poetry divided into 5 3-line stanzas (tercets0127

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