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AP Literature Terminology (2016) Flashcards

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4911819748FoilA character who is in most ways opposite to the main character (protagonist) or one who is nearly the same as the protagonist. The purpose of the foil character is to emphasize the traits of the main character by contrast only0
4911819749Hamartiatragic flaw which causes a character's downfall1
4911822066CatharsisAn emotional discharge that brings about a moral or spiritual renewal or welcome relief from tension and anxiety2
4911822067Deus Ex Machina"An unrealistic or unexpected intervention to rescue the protagonists or resolve the conflict. The term means ""The god out of the machine"" and refers to stage machinery."3
4911823686Dramatic IronyIrony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play.4
4911825943Round CharacterA character who demonstrates some complexity and who develops or changes in the course of a work5
4911825944Static CharacterA character that does not change from the beginning of the story to the end6
4911827916Stock Charactera fictional character that relies heavily on cultural types or stereotypes for its personality manner of speech and other characteristics. Stock characters are instantly recognizable to members of a given culture.7
4911827917Flat CharacterA character who embodies a single quality and who does not develop in the course of a story8
4911829789EmpathyIdentification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives9
4911829790ExpositionBackground information presented in a literary work.10
4911829791HyperboleA figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor11
4911831223MotifA recurring subject, theme, or idea in a literary work.12
4911832799ParadoxA statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.13
4911832800PersonaAn individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.14
4911834406ConnotationAll the meanings, associations, or emotions that a word suggests15
4911834407DenotationThe dictionary definition of a word16
4911836042EpicA long narrative poem, written in heightened language, which recounts the deeds of a heroic character who embodies the values of a particular society17
4911836043ResolutionEnd of the story where loose ends are tied up18
4911836044AmbiguityAn event or situation that may be interpreted in more than one way.19
4911837760AnalogyA comparison of two different things that are similar in some way20
4911837761CanonA term used widely to refer to a group of literary works that are considered the most important of a particular time period or place.21
4911837762Colloquialisma word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically one used in ordinary or familiar conversation.22
4911837763ConceitA fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.23
4911839739EuphemismAn indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant24
4911839740ExistentialismA philosophy based on the idea that people give meaning to their lives through their choices and actions25
4911839741Framea basic structure that underlies or supports a system, concept, or text26
4911841801GrotesqueAbsurd; distorted27
4911841802Local Colora term applied to fiction or poetry which tends to place special emphasis on a particular setting, including its customs, clothing, dialect and landscape.28
4911848417HubrisExcessive pride or self-confidence29

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