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AP Literature Terms Flashcards

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7951217745allegorystory or poem that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning0
7951217746alliterationclosely connected words that begin with the same sound1
7951217747allusiona reference to another story (literature, art, history, myth)2
7951217748anaphorasuccessive phrases or clauses that begin with the same words3
7951217749antagonistthe character or force that opposes the main character4
7951217750apostrophea direct address to an inanimate object or a person/character who is not present5
7951217751slant rhymewords in rhyming pattern that sound alike; an imperfect rhyme6
7951217752asidewhen a character's dialogue is spoken but not heard by other actors on the stage7
7951217753assonancerepetition of vowel sounds within words8
7951217754blank versepoetry written in meter without an rhyme scheme9
7951217755cacophonyblend of unharmonious sounds10
7951217756caesurapause in the middle of a line11
7951217757catharsisthe release of emotions through art (emotional cleanse)12
7951217758flat characterstory character who have no depth, usually has one personality or characteristic13
7951217759round charactercharacter who has complex personality: contradicted person14
7951217760dynamic charactera character who changes throughout the story15
7951217761static characterperson who doesn't change throughout story keeps same personality16
7951217762characterizationprocess of revealing a character's personality17
7951217763climaxpoint where conflict hits its highest point; the turning point in a story18
7951217764comedydrama that is amusing or funny; drama that has a happy ending19
7951217765conflictstruggle between opposing forces20
7951217766connotationmeanings and feelings associated with a word21
7951217767consonancerepetition of same consonant in words close together22
7951217768couplettwo rhyming lines in a verse23
7951217769denotationthe dictionary definition of a word24
7951217770denouementfinal outcome of the story25
7951217771deus ex machinaresolution of a plot by chance or coincidence26
7951217772didactic writingwriting with a primary purpose to teach or preach27
7951217773direct presentation of characterauthor telling the reader how a character is and what actions it will do further in the story28
7951217774double rhymea feminine rhyme involving one stressed and one unstressed syllable in each rhyming line29
7951217775dramatic expositionprose commentaries, to provide background information about the characters and their world30
7951217776end rhymerhymes occurring at the end of line31
7951217777end-stopped lineline ending in regular punctuation32
7951217778Elizabethan or Shakespearean sonneta sonnet rhyming ababcdcdededgg33
7951217779epiphanysudden realization or spiritual insight (by a character)34
7951217780euphonypleasant arrangement of sounds35
7951217781extended figureA figure of speech sustained or developed through a considerable number of lines or through a whole poem.36
7951217782falling actionEvents after the climax, leading to the resolution37
7951217783feminine rhymea rhyme between stressed syllables followed by one or more unstressed syllables38
7951217784figurative languageLanguage that cannot be taken literally since it was written to create a special effect or feeling.39
7951217785figure of speecha way of saying something other than the ordinary way40
7951217786footbasic unit in the scansion or measurement of verse, made up of stressed and unstressed syllables41
7951217787formexternal pattern or shape of a poem42
7951217788free versePoetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme43
7951217789hamartiatragic decision or flaw which causes a character's downfall44
7951217790imageryDescription that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)45
7951217791indirect characterizationthe personality of a character is revealed by what he or she does or says46
7951217792internal rhymeA word inside a line rhymes with another word on the same line47
7951217793ironyIn general, a contrast between expectation and reality48
7951217794verbal ironyA figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant49
7951217795dramatic ironyIrony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience/reader but not by the characters in the play/story.50
7951217796situational ironyrefers to an occurrence that is contrary to what is expected or intended51
7951217797Italian or Petrarchan sonnetA sonnet consisting of an octave with the rhyme pattern abbaabba, followed by a sestet with the rhyme pattern cdecde or cdcdcd52
7951217798masculine rhymeA rhyme ending on the final stressed syllable53
7951217799melodramaa play based upon a dramatic plot and developed sensationally54
7951217800metaphorA comparison without using like or as55
7951217801meterA regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry56
7951217802metonymyA figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it57
7951217803motivationA need or desire that energizes and directs behavior58
7951217804narratorPerson telling the story59
7951217805octavesegment of poetry eight lines long60
7951217806onomatopoeiaA word that imitates the sound it represents.61
7951217807hyperboleA figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor62
7951217808oxymoronA figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.63
7951217809paradoxA contradiction or dilemma64
7951217810paraphraseA restatement of a text or passage in your own words.65
7951217811personificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes66
7951217812plotSequence of events in a story67
7951217813point of viewThe perspective from which a story is told68
7951217814omniscient point of viewThe point of view where the narrator knows everything about the characters and their problems - told in the 3rd person.69
7951217815third person limited point of viewnarrator tells the story from only one character's pov70
7951217816first person point of viewa character in the story is actually telling the story himself/herself71
7951217817objective point of viewa narrator who is totally impersonal and objective tells the story, with no comment on any characters or events.72
7951217818protagonistMain character73
7951217819quatrainsegment of poetry four lines long74
7951217820rhythmThe pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in writing75
7951217821rhyme schemeA regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem76
7951217822rising actionEvents leading up to the climax77
7951217823sarcasmthe use of irony to mock or convey contempt78
7951217824satireA literary work that criticizes human misconduct and ridicules vices, stupidities, and follies.79
7951217825scansionAnalysis of verse into metrical patterns80
7951217826sestetsegment of poetry six lines long81
7951217827settingThe context in time and place in which the action of a story occurs.82
7951217828simileA comparison using "like" or "as"83
7951217829soliloquyA long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage84
7951217830sonnet14 line poem85
7951217831stanzaA group of lines in a poem86
7951217832stream of consciousnessprivate thoughts of a character without commentary87
7951217833syllabic verseVerse measured by the number of syllables rather than the number of feet per line.88
7951217834symbolA thing that represents or stands for something else89
7951217835synecdochea figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa90
7951217836synesthesiadescribing one kind of sensation in terms of another ("a loud color", "a sweet sound")91
7951217837tercetsegment of poetry three lines long92
7951217838terza rimaa verse form with a rhyme scheme: aba bcb cdc, etc.93
7951217839themeCentral idea of a work of literature94
7951217840toneAttitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character95
7951217841tragedyA serious form of drama dealing with the downfall of a heroic or noble character96
7951217842truncationA line of poetry that has been shortened97
7951217843understandmentthe deliberate representation of something as lesser in magnitude than it actually is; a deliberate under-emphasis98
7951217844versewriting arranged with a metrical rhythm, typically having a rhyme99
7951217845villanellea nineteen-line poem with two rhymes throughout, consisting of five tercets and a quatrain, with the first and third lines of the opening tercet recurring alternately at the end of the other tercets and with both repeated at the close of the concluding quatrain.100
7951217846polysyndentonthe use of more conjunctions than is grammatically necessary101
7951217847asyndetonthe elimination of conjunctions102
7951217848epistrophethe repetition of words at the ENDS of successive phrases or clauses103
7951217849antimetabole (also called chiasmus)rhetorical device in which a phrase or sentence is repeated, but in reverse order104
7951217850enjambmentthe continuation of the sense and grammatical construction from one line of poetry to the next105
7951217851conceitan extended metaphor; an ingenious and fanciful notion or conception, usually expressed through an elaborate analogy, and pointing to a striking parallel between two seemingly dissimilar things106
7951217852epic simile or Homeric similean extended simile; often used in epic poetry107
7951217853parallelismsuccessive lines of writing that follow the same grammatical structure108

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