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AP Literature Terms Flashcards

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6617025492anaphorathe regular repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of two or more successive phrases or clauses.0
6617025493chiasmusa reversal in the word order of words in two otherwise parallel sentences1
6617025494apostrophethe direct address to an absent or dead person, or to an object, quality, or idea.2
6617025497metonymythe substitution of one term for another that is generally associated with it. (ex. the crown declared that the man would be executed.)3
6617025498synecdochea figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole (ex. all hands on deck)4
6617025500paradoxa statement or expression so surprisingly self-contradictory but ends up being true on some level5
6617025501parallelismthe use of similar grammatical structures or word order.6
6617025505puna witty word-play which reveals that words with different meanings have similar or even identical sounds7
6617025506satirewriting that ridicules or holds up to contempt the faults of individuals or groups8
6617025507polysyndetonthe repetition of conjunctions in a sentence9
6617025508asyndetonthe omission of conjunctions in a sentence10
6617025509archetypea symbol found in many cultures11
6617025510dramatic ironya situation where the audience knows something that the characters on stage are not aware of12
6617025511allusiona reference to a piece of literature, character, historical figure that the author assumes the reader will recognize13
6617025514didactichaving the primary purpose of teaching or instructing14
6617025515flat (static) charactera character who embodies a single quality and who does not develop in the course of a story15
6617025516dynamic (round) charactera character who undergoes a change or transformation in the course of a story16
6617025517expositionthe beginning portion of Freytag's pyramid where the background information, characters and setting are introduced17
6617025520denouement (catastrophe)The final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work or the outcome of a complicated sequence of events18
6617025521omniscient narratora narrator who is able to know, see, and tell all, including the inner thoughts and feelings of the characters19
6617025522themeCentral idea of a work of literature20
6617025523toneA writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.21
6617025524deus ex machinaan unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel22

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