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Ap Lit Terms

Ap English Literature, 5 Steps To A 5, UCHS, Mrs. Barnhizer,

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42381007allegorya work that functions on symbolic level
42381008alliterationrepetition of initial consonant sounds
42381009allusionreference from another work
42381010ambiguitycommunicating multiple meanings
42381011anapestmetrical pattern of two unaccented syllables followed by an accented syllable
42381012antagonistthe force of character that opposes main character
42381013apostrophedirect address in poetry
42381014asidewords spoken to be heard by audience but not other characters
42381015attitudespeaker's, author's, or character's disposition towards a subject
42381016aubadelove poem set at dawn to bid farewell to beloved
42381017balladsimple narrative poem, often incorporating dialogue and with general rhyme scheme of ABCD
42381018blank verseunrhymed iambic pentameter
42381019cacophonyharsh and discordant sounds
42381020caesurabreak or pause within line of poetry indicated by punctuation
42381021catharsisrelease of emotion by the audience of a tragedy
42381022characterone who carries out action of plot (major, minor, static, dynamic)
42381023climaxturning point of action, highest moment of tension
42381024comic reliefinclusion of humor to contrast tragic elements
42381025conflictclash of opposing forces
42381026connotationassociative, implied, or suggested meaning of word
42381027conventiontraditional aspect of literary work
42381028couplettwo lines of rhymed poetry
42381029dactylfoot of poetry, stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables
42381030denotationliteral, dictionary definition word
42381031denouementresolution of conflict and plot, conclusion
42381032detailsitems or parts of a story
42381033deus ex machine"the god from the machine", appears at last moment and resolves loose ends of play
42381034devices of soundrhyme, alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia
42381035dictionword choice
42381036didacticexplicitly instructive
42381037digressionuse of material unrelated to subject of a work
42381038dramatic monologuetype of poem presenting conversation between speaker and implied listener
42381039elegypoem that laments dead or lost
42381040enjambmentrunning on of line or stanza in poetry
42381041epiclengthy, elevated poem celebrating exploits of a hero
42381042epigrambrief, witty poem; satiric commentary
42381043euphemismindirection to avoid offensive bluntness
42381044euphonypleasant sounds
42381045expositionbackground information
42381046fablesimple, symbolic story usually with animals as characters
42381047figurative languageenables writer to operate on levels other than literal
42381048types of figurative languagemetaphor, simile, symbol, motif, hyperbole, etc.
42381049flashbackreference to past thoughts, events, or episodes
42381050footmetrical unit in poetry, syllabic measure of line (iamb, trochee, anapest, dactyl, and spondee)
42381051foreshadowinghints of future events
42381052formshape or structure of literary work
42381053free versepoetry without defined form, meter, or rhyme scheme
42381054grotesquecharacterized by distortions and incongruities
42381055hyperboleextreme exaggeration
42381056iambmetrical foot consisting of unaccented syllable followed by accented one
42381057idylltype of lyrical poem extolling virtues of ideal place or time
42381058imageverbal approximation of sensory impression, concept, or emotion
42381059imagerytotal effect of related sensory images
42381060impressionismwriting that reflects a personal image of a character, event, or concept
42381061ironycontrast between what happens and what was intended or expected
42381062jargonspecific language of profession or group
42381063literalnot figurative, matter of fact, concrete
42381064lyric poetrycharacterized by emotion, personal feelings, brevity
42381065lyricalsonglike; full of emotion, subjectivity, and imagination
42381066magical realisma literary technique where the disbelief of the reader and writer produces a momentary shift in the real world wherein an element of the surreal enters and leaves with ease
42381067metaphordirect comparision between dissimilar things
42381068metaphysical poetryexploration of complex ideas through extended metaphors and paradox (John Donne)
42381069meterpattern of beats in poetry
42381070metonomya representative term used for a larger idea
42381071monologuespeech given by one character
42381072motifrepetition or variations of image or idea to develop theme or characters
42381073narrative poemtells a story
42381074narratorspeaker
42381075octaveeight line stanza
42381076odeformal, lengthy poem celebrating particular subject
42602174omniscientall knowing
42602175onomatopiawords that sound like the sound they represent
42602176parablestory that operates on more than one level, usually teaches a moral lesson
42602177paradoxseemingly contradictory statement
42602178parallel plotsecondary story line that mimics and reinforces the main plot
42602179parodycomic imitation that ridicules the original
42602180pathosevokes feelings of dignified pity and sympathy
42602181personificationassigning of human qualities to inanimate objects
42602182plotsequence of events
42602183point of viewmethod of narration
42602184protagonisthero or main character, elicits audience sympathy
42602185quatrainfour-line stanza
42602186reliabilityquality of characters eliciting trust from audience
42602187resolutionconclusion of literary work
42602188rhetorical questiondoes not expect explicit answer, arouses consideration
42602189rhyme royaliambic pentameter rhymed ababbcc
42602190rhymeduplication of final syllable sounds
42602191rhyme schemethe annotation of the pattern of the rhyme
42602192rhythmrepetitive pattern of beats in poetry
42602193romanticismfoundation in freedom, adventure, idealism, and escape
42602194satirepresents a ridicule on society, criticizes the follies of mankind
42602195sestetsix line stanza
42602196sestinahighly structured poem with 39 lines, iambic pentameter, and repetition of six words from first stanza in each of six stanzas
42605873settingtime and place
42605874simileindirect comparison using "like" or "as"
42605875soliloquyspeech to reveal inner thoughts
42605876sonnet14 line poem with prescribed rhyme scheme, iambic pentameter
42605877spondeepoetic foot with two accented syllables
42605878stage directionsspecific instructions of a playwright
42605879stanzaunit of a poem similary in rhyme, meter and length to other units
42605880stereotypeconventional pattern, expression, character, or idea
42605881strategymanagement of language for specific effect; planned placing of elements to achieve an effect
42605882structureorganization and form
42605883styleunique way an author presents his ideas
42605884subplotsecondary plot that explores different ideas
42605885syllogismform of reasoning in which two statements are made and a conclusion is drawn; major premise, minor premise, conclusion
42605886symbolsomething that stands for something else
42605887synecdocheutilizes a part as a representative for the whole
42605888syntaxgrammatical structure
42605889tercetthree line stanza
42605890themeunderlying ideas illustrated in a work
42605891thesistheme, meaning, or position
42605892toneauthor's attitude toward subject
42605893tragic herogenerally good person of exalted position who has a fatal flaw or commits error in judgement
42605894understatementironic statement where one writes or says less than is intended
42605895villanellehighly structured poem consisting of six stanzas: five tercets and a quatrain; first and third line are repeated throughout
42605896antithesisfigure of speech characterized by strongly contrasting words or ideas (balancing of one term against another for emphasis)
42605897assonancerepetition of idenical or similar vowel sounds
42605898consonancerepetition of similar consonant sounds in a group of words
42605899end-stoppeda line with a pause at the end (end with punctuation) in a poem
42605900extended metaphoran implied analogy, or comparison, which is carried throughout a stanza or entire poem
42605901internal rhymerhyme that occurs within a line rather than at the end
42605902mixed metaphorsthe mingling of one metaphor with another immediately following with which the first is incongruous
42605903oxymorona form of paradox that combines a pair of contrary terms into a single expression
42605904parallelisma single gramatical structure between a line or lines of poetry
42605905puna play on words that are identical or similar in soundbut have sharply diverse meanings
42605906refraina group of words forming a phrase or sentence and consisting of one or more lines repeated at intervals in a poem, usually at the end of a stanza (hint: think song)
42605907sarcasma type of irony in which a person appears to be praising somthing but is actually insulting it
42605908scansiona system for describing the meter of a poem by identifying the number and type of feet per line
42605909terza rimaa three line stanza rhymed ABA, BCB, CDC etc.
42605910bombastpretensious
42605911subtextimplied meaning of work or section of a work

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