AP Lit Test
Terms : Hide Images
| 8567397391 | Anaphora | the repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines or clauses Example: "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing-ground, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills." (Winston Chapel) | 0 | |
| 8567397392 | Appostion | two adjacent expressions, the second of which being a reversal of the first Example: "Mr. Thibodeaux, a mysterious stranger to many, was never seen outside his home." | 1 | |
| 8567397393 | Asyndeton | intentional omission of conjunctions in clauses that would otherwise need them Example:"I came; I saw; I conquered." (Julius Caesar) | 2 | |
| 8567397394 | Chiasmus | two parallel phrases or clauses, the second of which being a reversal of the first Example: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." ("Inaugural Address,"John F. Kennedy, 1961) | 3 | |
| 8567397395 | Cumulative Sentence | an independent clause followed by a series of phrases or subordinate clauses, which build upon each other as elaboration, but are not necessary to make sense of the original clause; also referred to as a loose sentence Example: "We finally saw the movie after a stressful afternoon, tired but excited, ready to tell our friends all about the show." | 4 | |
| 8567397396 | Ellipsis | intentional omission of words or phrases that are otherwise understood by context; also refers to a narrative device in which insignificant events are omitted from the story Example: "Jimmy lost three dollars, Emily too." | 5 | |
| 8567397397 | Freight Train | Several short independent clauses joined together by conjunctions to make a longer sequential statement Example: "And God said, 'Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto the one place, and let the dry land appear,' and it was so." (Genesis 1:9) | 6 | |
| 8567397398 | Hypozeugma | a series of words or parallel phrases followed by a shared verb (or other dependent word) Example: "Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears." (Julius Caesar, III.ii, Shakespeare) | 7 | |
| 8567397399 | Inverted Syntex | constructing a sentence so the predicate comes before the subject; often used to create an emphatic or rhythmic effect Example: "At night appear the raccoons." | 8 | |
| 8567397400 | Parallel Syntax | clauses or phrases with similar grammatical structure, syntax, and length Example: "He loved swimming, running, and hiking." | 9 | |
| 8567397401 | Periodic Sentence | phrases or subordinate clauses followed by the main, independent clause; a sentence that is only grammatically complete and coherent at its end Example: "No man of common humanity, no man who had any value for his character, could be capable of it." (Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen | 10 | |
| 8567397402 | Polysyndeton | intentional use of conjunctions to create a rhythmic flow or emphasis Example: "I willed myself to stay awake, but the rain was so soft and the room was so warm and his voice was so deep and his knee was so snug that I slept." (To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee) | 11 | |
| 8567397403 | Syntax | the way in which words and punctuation are put together to form phrases, clauses, and sentences, particularly to achieve a specific effect | 12 | |
| 8567397404 | Cosmic Irony | an implication in plot or events that humans are mere playthings for the gods or for Fate | 13 | |
| 8567397405 | Dramatic Irony | failure of a character to see or understand what is revealed to the audience (also referred to as tragic irony) | 14 | |
| 8567397406 | Situational Irony | the difference between what the audience or reader expects to happen and what actually happens | 15 | |
| 8567397407 | Verbal Irony | saying the opposite of what is meant or what is expected | 16 | |
| 8567397408 | Allusion | reference to a historical, mythical, or literary figure, event, or narrative (Example: "Dwayne fought with Herculean strength." (Reference to the Greek hero Hercules)) | 17 | |
| 8567397409 | Antithesis | a statement or concept that is the direct opposite of another statement or concept (Example: "She is the light of my future, not the darkness of my past.") | 18 | |
| 8567397410 | Apostrophe | addressing something that is abstract or someone or something that is not physically present (Example: "Frailty, thy name is woman!" (Hamlet, I.ii, Shakespeare)) | 19 | |
| 8567397411 | Conceit | an elaborate and clever metaphor | 20 | |
| 8567397412 | Double Entendre | a phrase or word that can be interpreted in one of two ways, but often the alternate meaning is one with a sexual connotation | 21 | |
| 8567397413 | Epic Simile | an extended comparison (using like, as, or than) elaborated in much detail | 22 | |
| 8567397414 | Sarcasm | harsh language or a bitter denunciation presented in a mockingly positive way | 23 | |
| 8567397415 | Hyperbole | an exaggeration or overstatement | 24 | |
| 8567397416 | Idiom | an expression that cannot be translated literally from one language to another; also, a way of speaking and writing specific to a particular group | 25 | |
| 8567397417 | Litotes | a figure of speech that expresses an understatement by stating the negative of its opposite (Example: "If you can tell the fair one's mind, it will be no small proof of your art, for I dare say it is more than she herself can do." (The Guardian, Alexander Pope)) | 26 | |
| 8567397418 | Zeugma | a figure of speech in which a single predicate applies to two or more other parts of a sentence (Example: "We must also imagine the perpetrator so vacillating an idiot as to have abandoned his gold and his motive together." ("The Murders in the Rue Morgue," Edgar Allan Poe)) | 27 | |
| 8567397419 | Euphemism | a softened version of a harsh word or phrase | 28 | |
| 8567397420 | Understatement | a figure of speech in which a reference to something belittles it or reduces its importance | 29 | |
| 8567397421 | Synesthesia | a concurrent sensation of one sense but in terms of another sense (Example: "That was a loud Hawaiian shirt you wore yesterday!") | 30 | |
| 8567397422 | Synecdoche | a figure of speech by which a part is used to represent the whole (Example: "The Confederates have eyes in Lincoln's government." [The word eyes stands for spies]) | 31 | |
| 8567397423 | Syllepsis | a device in which a single predicate applies to two or more parts of a sentence but lacks grammatical correctness or takes on a different meaning with one (Example: "You held your breath and the door for me." ("Head over Feet," Alanis Morrisette)) | 32 | |
| 8567397424 | Paradox | contradictory statement that may actually be true (Example: "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first." (Matthew 19:30)) | 33 | |
| 8567397425 | Simile | comparing one thing to an unlike thing using like, as, or than | 34 | |
| 8567397426 | Oxymoron | two seemingly contradictory words placed side by side that offer a truth or some other poetic expression (Example: "No light; but rather darkness visible" (Paradise Lost, Book I, John Milton)) | 35 | |
| 8567397427 | Metonymy | a figure of speech that replaces the name of something with an attribute or common association (Example: "The White House issued a statement condemning Iran's nuclear ambitions." [White House represents the President of the United States]) | 36 | |
| 8567397428 | Metaphor | comparing one thing to an unlike thing without using like, as, or than | 37 | |
| 8567397429 | Extended Metaphor | a comparison elaborately developed throughout a work | 38 | |
| 8567397430 | Alliteration | the repetition of the same sound at the beginning of neighboring words Example: "Five miles meandering with a mazy motion" ("Kubla Khan," Samuel Taylor Coleridge) | 39 | |
| 8567397431 | Assonance | matching vowel sounds in neighboring words without matching consonant sounds Example: "Hear the mellow wedding bells," ("The Bells," Edgar Allan Poe) | 40 | |
| 8567397432 | Consonance | the repetition of the same consonants in a series of words Example: "She broke the stick over his back until she heard a crack." | 41 | |
| 8567397433 | Onomatopoeia | a word that appears as the sound it represents; from "name making" (Greek) Example: "buzz," "crash," & "boom" | 42 | |
| 8567397434 | Rhyme | the repetition of a sound that may link one concept to another; also, an archaic term that refers to a poem in general | 43 | |
| 8567397435 | Abstract Diction | language that denotes intangible concepts or ideas | 44 | |
| 8567397436 | Abstract Generalization | a non-precise representation of a concept | 45 | |
| 8567397437 | Ad Hominem | attacking an opponent's character rather than supporting or refuting an actual position | 46 | |
| 8567397438 | Anecdote | a short, humorous story | 47 | |
| 8567397439 | Archetype | the foundation of all characters, plots, and symbols in literature; that is, a standard character type or plot formula that recurs in literature, even across cultures | 48 | |
| 8567397440 | Colloquial | informal, conversational language | 49 | |
| 8567397441 | Concrete Diction | consists of specific words that describe physical qualities or manifestations | 50 | |
| 8567397442 | Connotation | the underlying meaning of a word or phrase; may include implicit suggestions or associations as well as tone | 51 | |
| 8567397443 | Convention | a literary form or device that is standard and expected within a specific genre or style | 52 | |
| 8567397444 | Denotation | a word's dictionary definition rather than any implied meaning | 53 | |
| 8567397445 | Atmosphere | the mood or dominant feeling in a literary work | 54 | |
| 8567397446 | Dialect | a distinct, nonstandard variety of a language particular to a geographic region or social group | 55 | |
| 8567397447 | Diciton | an author's word choice | 56 | |
| 8567397448 | Equivocation | using words that have double meaning and words that are used as qualifiers | 57 | |
| 8567397449 | Foreshadowing | device a writer uses to allude to a future event in a story | 58 | |
| 8567397450 | Imagery | words or expressions that stimulate one or more of the senses | 59 | |
| 8567397451 | In Medias Res | the technique of beginning a narrative in the middle of the action | 60 | |
| 8567397452 | Motif | a recurring theme in a literary work or in literature in general | 61 | |
| 8567397453 | Non Sequitur | a statement that does not logically follow the preceding argument or assertion | 62 | |
| 8567397454 | Pathetic Fallacy | a type of personification in which elements of nature or animals display humanlike emotions or responses | 63 | |
| 8567397455 | Pathos | a speaker's appeal to emotion in a rhetorical argument, or the quality of a work to arouse pity, sorrow, or tenderness in the audience or reader | 64 | |
| 8567397456 | Personification | referring to inanimate objects, abstractions, or animals as if they were human | 65 | |
| 8567397457 | Prose | written language that is not poetry (verse), drama, or song | 66 | |
| 8567397458 | Mood | the atmosphere felt in a work either by the characters or by the reader | 67 | |
| 8567397459 | Rhetorical Function | refers to the intended purpose (mode) of a writing (e.g., persuasive, narrative, expository) | 68 | |
| 8567397460 | Rhetorical Question | a question posed that requires no answer, nor is one expected; used solely for rhetorical effect | 69 | |
| 8567397461 | Setting | the time, place, and cultural background of a story | 70 | |
| 8567397462 | Symbol | a person, place, thing, or idea that represents something else | 71 | |
| 8567397463 | Tone | a general description of an author's attitude as presented through diction, syntax, and use of literary and rhetorical devices | 72 | |
| 8567397464 | Anapest | a metrical foot made up of two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable (as in the word ĭntĕrrúpt) | 73 | |
| 8567397465 | Dactyl | a metrical foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (as in pórtăblĕ or márgĭnăl) | 74 | |
| 8567397466 | Spondee | a metrical foot in poetry that consists of two stressed syllables (as in dáylíght or cárpoól) | 75 | |
| 8567397467 | Trochee | a metrical foot in poetry that consists of one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable (as in líttlĕ) | 76 | |
| 8567397468 | Iambic Pentameter | a line of verse consisting of five metrical feet with a pattern of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (as in rĕspéct) | 77 | |
| 8567397469 | Ballad | a narrative poem, usually simple and short, that is meant to be sung | 78 | |
| 8567397470 | Blank Verse | unrhymed iambic pentameter | 79 | |
| 8567397471 | Caesura | a space in a line of verse that indicates a pause | 80 | |
| 8567397472 | Couplet | a pair of rhyming verse lines, usually of the same length | 81 | |
| 8567397473 | Dramatic Monologue | a poem in which a single narrator (not the poet but rather his or her persona) addresses an imaginary audience and reveals intimate personal feelings and emotions | 82 | |
| 8567397474 | Free Verse | unrhymed poetry with irregular meter and varied line lengths | 83 | |
| 8567397475 | Lyric Poetry | a short, musical poem intended to convey feelings or emotions as opposed to telling a story | 84 | |
| 8567397476 | Meter | the measurement of the rhythm established by a poem | 85 | |
| 8567397477 | Ode | a complex, generally long lyric poem on a serious subject | 86 | |
| 8567397478 | Quatrain | a stanza containing four lines | 87 | |
| 8567397479 | Scansion | the analysis of poetic meter, typically using visual symbols denoting the accent of the syllable | 88 | |
| 8567397480 | Sonnet | a lyric poem, usually consisting of fourteen lines, that typically follows a conventional rhyme scheme | 89 | |
| 8567397481 | First Person Point of View | when the narrator of a story is also a character in the story "Having had some time at my disposal when in London, I had visited the British Museum, and made search among the books and maps in the library regarding Transylvania; it had struck me that some foreknowledge of the country could hardly fail to have some importance in dealing with a nobleman of that country." (from Dracula, Bram Stoker) | 90 | |
| 8567397482 | Second Person Point of View | when the narrator of a work addresses the reader directly with the use of the personal pronoun you (used more frequently in works of nonfiction rather than fiction) "You are not the kind of guy who would be at a place like this at this time of the morning. But here you are, and you cannot say that the terrain is entirely unfamiliar, although the details are fuzzy. " (from Bright Lights, Big City, Jay McInerney) | 91 | |
| 8567397483 | Limited Omniscient Point of View | when the narrator of a story is outside the story and tells the story from the vantage point of only one character at a time "He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach. They played like young cats in the dusk and he loved them as he loved the boy." (from The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway) | 92 | |
| 8567397484 | Omniscient Point of View | when the narrator of a story is "all knowing;" a point of view in which the narrator can recount the actions, thoughts, and feelings of any character at any time "It frequently happened that when M. Madeleine was passing along a street, calm, affectionate, surrounded by the blessings of all, a man of lofty stature, clad in an iron-gray frock-coat, armed with a heavy cane, and wearing a battered hat, turned round abruptly behind him, and followed him with his eyes until he disappeared, with folded arms and a slow shake of the head, and his upper lip raised in company with his lower to his nose, a sort of significant grimace which might be translated by: 'What is that man, after all? I certainly have seen him somewhere. In any case, I am not his dupe.'" (from Les Miserables, Victor Hugo) | 93 | |
| 8567397485 | Editorial Omniscient Point of View | a point of view in which the all-knowing narrator (known as an intrusive narrator) guides the reader to a judgment about a character or a situation "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled -- but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong." (from "The Cask of Amontillado," Edgar Allan Poe) | 94 | |
| 8567397486 | Narrator | the speaker through whom the author presents a story; the storyteller | 95 | |
| 8567397487 | Allegory | a narrative that has underlying symbolic meanings | 96 | |
| 8567397488 | Aphorism | a short, memorable statement presenting an observation, universal truth, or a principled precept to live by | 97 | |
| 8567397489 | Autobiography | an account of one's own life often presented in a continuous narrative | 98 | |
| 8567397490 | Bildungsroman | a "coming of age" story; a story that follows the physical, emotional, and spiritual growth of the protagonist | 99 | |
| 8567397491 | Biography | an account of a person's life written by someone else | 100 | |
| 8567397492 | Didactic Literature | poetry and prose meant to be instructive, to teach a lesson | 101 | |
| 8567397493 | Elegy/Lamentation | a formal lyric poem of mourning or solemn reflection | 102 | |
| 8567397494 | Epic | a long, formal narrative poem written in elevated style that recounts the adventures of a hero, who often embodies the traits of a nation or people | 103 | |
| 8567397495 | Epistolary | a narrative in the form of letters or correspondence | 104 | |
| 8567397496 | Essay | a short piece of nonfiction prose that examines a single subject within a limited scope | 105 | |
| 8567397497 | Fable | a short prose or verse narrative that shares a moral or a practical lesson about life | 106 | |
| 8567397498 | Farce | a kind of comedy in which ridiculous and often stereotyped characters are involved in far-fetched, silly situations | 107 | |
| 8567397499 | Genre | a specific category of literature or film that has certain recognizable elements (conventions) within that category | 108 | |
| 8567397500 | Gothic Novel | a suspenseful story that usually features a gloomy setting and supernatural occurrences | 109 | |
| 8567397501 | Harangue/Invective | a harsh, scathing denunciation against a person or institution | 110 | |
| 8567397502 | Lampoon | mockery that is particularly coarse or mean-spirited | 111 | |
| 8567397503 | Mock Epic | a narrative poem that ridicules the epic style by elevating an insignificant subject in a lofty way | 112 | |
| 8567397504 | Parody | imitation of a literary work or film-or the style used by a writer or filmmaker-in order to ridicule the work and its writer or producer or to have light-hearted fun at the expense of the imitated work | 113 | |
| 8567397505 | Satire | using wit, sarcasm, or humor, a work that mocks or critiques a person or an element of society | 114 | |
| 8567397506 | Vignette | a particularly well-crafted short story or episode that is self-contained but often a part of a larger work | 115 | |
| 8567397507 | Antagonist | the main opposing character | 116 | |
| 8567397508 | Byronic Hero | a proud, passionate and socially defiant rebel who harbors remorse over some past moral transgression | 117 | |
| 8567397509 | Caricature | a literary or artistic exaggeration accomplished by distorting particular aspects of someone or something | 118 | |
| 8567397510 | Direct Characterization | when an author reveals a character's personality through straightforward, explicit statements | 119 | |
| 8567397511 | Dynamic Character | a character who changes within a story as a result of the events in the plot and the actions of other characters | 120 | |
| 8567397512 | Epic Hero | the protagonist in a long, formal poem | 121 | |
| 8567397513 | Flat Character | a character who only has one or two personality traits and is, thus, one-dimensional in nature | 122 | |
| 8567397514 | Foil | an ancillary character who is a direct opposite to the protagonist and whose purpose is to magnify the protagonist's traits | 123 | |
| 8567397515 | Indirect Characterization | when an author reveals a character's personality through the character's actions, words, and interaction with others | 124 | |
| 8567397516 | Motivation | a mixture of situation and personality that compels a character to behave the way he or she does | 125 | |
| 8567397517 | Protagonist | the principal character in a narrative | 126 | |
| 8567397518 | Round Character | complex, multidimensional characters; characters who have many different traits, some of which may even be in conflict | 127 | |
| 8567397519 | Static Character | a character who does not change within the course of a narrative | 128 | |
| 8567397520 | Stock Character | a common, easily recognized character type that exhibits stereotyped or archetypal traits | 129 | |
| 8567397521 | Anagnorisis | the turning point in a drama in which a character (usually the protagonist) discovers a truth and finally recognizes what is really going on | 130 | |
| 8567397522 | Aside | when an onstage character in a drama addresses the audience to reveal some inner thought or feeling that is presumably inaudible to any other characters onstage | 131 | |
| 8567397523 | Catharsis | the emotionally draining effect a tragic drama has on its audience | 132 | |
| 8567397524 | Dialogue | conversation between two or more characters | 133 | |
| 8567397525 | Epilogue | the concluding section of a work | 134 | |
| 8567397526 | Hamartia | the mistake or misunderstanding that leads the protagonist in a tragedy to his or her downfall | 135 | |
| 8567397527 | Hubris | refers to the arrogance of the protagonist in a Greek tragedy in which he or she defies the gods | 136 | |
| 8567397528 | Monologue | an extended speech spoken by one character (either alone or to other characters) | 137 | |
| 8567397529 | Peripeteia | in a tragedy, a drastic turn for the worse in a character's circumstances, ultimately leading to his or her tragic fall | 138 | |
| 8567397530 | Prologue | an introductory statement preceding a literary work | 139 | |
| 8567397531 | Soliloquy | a speech in which a solitary character, expressing private thoughts and feelings, presumably speaks to himself or herself | 140 | |
| 8567397532 | the Unities | fundamentals of neoclassical drama inspired by Aristotle's Poetics, consisting of time, action, place | 141 | |
| 8567397533 | Tragic Flaw | a character trait in a tragic hero or heroine that brings about his or her downfall | 142 | |
| 8567397534 | Climax | the part of a narrative that contains the height of action and the most intensity | 143 | |
| 8567397535 | Conflict | the opposition of two forces or characters | 144 | |
| 8567397536 | Denouement | the resolution of a plot | 145 | |
| 8567397537 | Exposition | a plot element in which the characters and the setting of a story are introduced | 146 | |
| 8567397538 | Falling Action | the events that lead to an end in the resolution of the plot | 147 | |
| 8567397539 | Plot | the arrangement of related events in a prose narrative or drama; the underlying structure of a story | 148 | |
| 8567397540 | Rising Action | the point of increasing intensity between opposing elements in a narrative | 149 |
