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AP Literature - Literary Terms Flashcards

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9789839746allegoryA story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.0
9789839747alliterationIt is a stylistic device in which a number of words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together in a series.1
9789839748allusionA brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.2
9789839751antagonistA character or force in conflict with the main character3
9789839752anaphoraA rhetorical figure of repetition in which the same word or phrase is repeated in (and usually at the beginning of) successive lines, clauses, or sentences.4
9789839755aphorismA brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.5
9789839756apostropheA figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.6
9789839757assonanceRepetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity7
9789839759blank versePoetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter8
9789839761cacophonyHarsh, discordant, or meaningless mixture of sounds9
9789839762cadenceRhythmic rise and fall10
9789839764connotationAll the meanings, associations, or emotions that a word suggests11
9789839765consonanceRepetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity.12
9789839766coupletA pair of rhymed lines that may or may not constitute a separate stanza in a poem.13
9789839768denotationDictionary definition of a word14
9789839769denouementan outcome or solution; the unraveling of a plot15
9789839770dictionThe choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing16
9789839773euphemismAn indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant17
9789839774end-stopped lineA line that ends with a natural speech pause, usually marked by punctuation18
9789839775enjambmentA run-on line of poetry in which logical and grammatical sense carries over from one line into the next.19
9789839776epitaphA brief statement written on a tomb or gravestone20
9789839777epicA long narrative poem, written in heightened language, which recounts the deeds of a heroic character who embodies the values of a particular society21
9789839779flashbackA method of narration in which present action is temporarily interrupted so that the reader can witness past events22
9789839780foreshadowingA narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader.23
9789839782frame storyA secondary story or stories embedded in the main story24
9789839783free versePoetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme25
9789839784genreA category or type of literature (or of art, music, etc.) characterized by a particular form, style, or content.26
9789839785hamartiatragic flaw which causes a character's downfall27
9789839788hubrisExcessive pride or arrogance that results in the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy28
9789839789hyperboleA figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor29
9789839791imageryDescriptive or figurative language in a literary work; the use of language to create sensory impressions.30
9789839792ironyA contrast or discrepancy between what is stated and what is really meant, or between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen.31
9789839793verbal ironyIn this type of irony, the words literally state the opposite of the writer's true meaning32
9789839794situational ironyOccurs when the outcome of a work is unexpected, or events turn out to be the opposite from what one had expected33
9789839795dramatic ironyIrony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play.34
9789839796jargonSpecial words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand35
9789839797juxtapositionPlacement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts36
9789839799metaphorA comparison that establishes a figurative identity between objects being compared.37
9789839800meterA regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry38
9789839802moodFeeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader39
9789839803motif(n.) a principal idea, feature, theme, or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design40
9789839804motivationA psychological factor that provides a directional force or reason for behavior.41
9789839805narrationThe purpose of this type of rhetorical mode is to tell the story or narrate an event or series of events.42
9789839806novelA long fictional narrative written in prose, usually having many characters and a strong plot.43
9789839807novellaA short novel usually under 100 pages.44
9789839809octavea verse form consisting of eight lines of iambic pentameter45
9789839811onomatopoeiaA figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words.46
9789839812oxymoronA figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.47
9789839814parableA simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson48
9789839815paradoxA statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.49
9789839817parodyA work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.50
9789839820personaA pattern of relatively permanent traits, dispositions, or characteristics that give some consistency to people's behavior.51
9789839821personificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes52
9789839822plotSequence of events in a story53
9789839823point of viewThe perspective from which a story is told54
9789839826protagonistChief character in a dramatic or narrative work, usually trying to accomplish some objective or working toward some goal.55
9789839827punA joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings.56
9789839828quatrain4 line stanza57
9789839829refrainA line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem.58
9789839830rhetorical questionA question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer59
9789839831end rhymeA word at the end of one line rhymes with a word at the end of another line60
9789839833forced rhymewhen two words don't really rhyme together, but an author uses similar spelled, or sounding words to try to create a rhyme; Ex: stone, one61
9789839834internal rhymeA word inside a line rhymes with another word on the same line62
9789839835slant rhymerhyme in which the vowel sounds are nearly, but not exactly the same (i.e. the words "stress" and "kiss"); sometimes called half-rhyme, near rhyme, or partial rhyme63
9789839836rhyme schemeA regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem64
9789839837satireA literary work that criticizes human misconduct and ridicules vices, stupidities, and follies.65
9789839839shifts/turnsChanges in the speaker's attitude. Look for key words such as but, yet, however, and although, punctuation, and stanza division.66
9789839840sonnet14-line lyric poem focused on a single theme; usually written in iambic pentameter67
9789839841symbolA thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.68
9789839842synecdochea figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa69
9789839843syntaxArrangement of words in phrases and sentences70
9789839844themeA topic of discussion or writing; a major idea broad enough to cover the entire scope of a literary work.71
9789839845toneA writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.72
9789839846understatementthe presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is.73

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