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AP Lit.Critical 50

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199418668Allusiona reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize
199418669Audiencethe intended reader of a piece
199418670Author's PurposeThe reason the author wrote a literary work, or shared information, events, motivations, etc. inside a literary work.
199418671Characterpeople or animals who take part in the action of a literary work
199418672Character - Protagonistis the central character of a drama, novel, short story, or narrative poem
199418673Character - Antagonistthe character that the main character (protagonist) struggles against
199418674Character - RoundThe literary character's traits express the emotions and concerns of real people. The audience can usually identify with the feelings of this character.
199418675Character - FlatA character who has one dominant trait that is more noticeable than anything or anyone else and usually have only one job to perform in the text of a story. a character who embodies a single quality and who does not develop in the course of a story
199418676Character - DynamicChange in response to actions through which he/she passes
199418677Character - StaticChange little or none over the course of a literary work despite being given opportunities to do so
199418678Conflictthe problem or problems characters face in a literary work
199418679Conflict - InternalAn internal conflict is a struggle that takes place within a character's mind or heart. In an internal conflict, a character might struggle with paralyzing fear or a need for revenge
199418680Conflict - Externala struggle between two forces. An external conflict can take place between two characters; between a character and a group; between a character and society as a whole; or between a character and an animal or a force of nature
199418681Figurative Languagelanguage that is used in writing to produce images in a reader's mind and to express ideas in fresh, vivid, and imaginative ways; non-literal ways of expressing one thing in terms of another
199418682Figurative Language - Similea comparison using the words "like" or "as"
199418683Figurative Language - Metaphora comparison that does not use the words "like" or "as"
199418684Figurative Language - Hyperboleintentional exaggeration to create an effect
199418685Figurative Language - Onomatopoeiaa word formed from the imitation of natural sounds
199418686Figurative Language - Personificationendowing non-human objects or creatures with human qualities or characteristics
199418687Inferencea conclusion one draws (infers) based on premises or evidence
199418688Settingthe time, place, and environment in which action takes place
199418689Plotthe events that take place in a story
199418690Plot - Expositionthe opening of a story, when the characters and their conflicts are introduced
199418691Plot - Rising Actionfollowing the exposition; the events that build up to the climax
199418692Plot - ClimaxThis is the turning point of the story and the point of highest interest. Plot turning point: the point in a work in which a very significant change occurs
199418693Plot - Falling Actionfollowing the climax; when the story begins to resolve conflicts and outstanding issues
199418694Plot - ResolutionAll the loose ends are tied up, and the story comes to a reasonable ending
199418695Historical Contextthe historical period that shapes a work of literature and allows the reader to understand important issues in a given time period
199418696Comparecomparing similarities between two or more ideas, stories, characters, things, etc.
199418697Contrastshowing the differences between two or more ideas, stories, characters, things, etc.
199418698Flashbackthe insertion or flashing to an earlier event into the normal chronological order of a narrative (story)
199418699Imagerywhen a something is written to appeal to the five senses.
199418700Imagery - TASTEwhen description helps the reader understand how something might be described when sensed through the mouth or tongue
199418701Imagery - TOUCHwhen description helps the reader understand how something feels
199418702Imagery - SIGHTwhen description helps the reader understand how something looks when viewed.
199418703Imagery - SOUNDwhen description helps the reader understand something that is heard
199418704Imagery - SMELLWhen description helps the reader understand how something might be described when sensed through the nose
199418705Main IdeaWhat the passage is mostly about (like the topic)
199418706Narratorthe person telling the story. A narrator can be in 1st , 2nd, or 3rd Person
199418707Point of Viewthe vantage point from which a story is told
199418708Point of View - FIRST PERSONa story told by an "I" narrator. An "I" narrator is a character in the story
199418709Point of View - SECOND PERSONa story directed to the reader using "you"; used most commonly when giving directions
199418710Point of View - THIRD PERSONa story told by a non-participating narrator, either omniscient or limited
199418711Moodthe emotional atmosphere of a work
199418712Conveyhow the author gets the point across
199418713Dialogueconversation between two or more people
199418714Ironythe use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; or, incongruity between what is expected and what actually happens
199418715Symbolan object that is used to represent something else (usually a larger, philosophical and more important idea)
199418716Themea central lesson of a work
199418717Tonethe writer's or speaker's attitude toward the subject of a story/poem, toward a character, or toward the audience (the readers).

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