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AP Literature Terms Flashcards

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10999487846allegoryPortrays abstract ideas concretely. Characters are frequently personifications of abstract ideas.0
10999487847alliterationbeginning of same letter or sound in closely connected words1
10999487848allusionReference to another work of literature, art, history, or current events.2
10999487849anaphorarepetition of first part of a sentences repeated over and over.3
10999487850antagonista hostile person who is opposed to another character4
10999487851apostrophefigure of speech used to adresss an imaginary character5
10999487852approximate rhymewords in rhyming pattern that sound alike6
10999487853asidewhen a character's dialogue is spoken but not heard by other actors on the stage7
10999487854assonancerepetition of vowel sounds8
10999487855blank versepoetry written in meter without an ending rhyme9
10999487856cacophonyblend of unharmonious sounds10
10999487857caesurapause in the middle of a line11
10999487858catharsisthe release of emotions through art (emotional cleanse)12
10999487859flat characterstory character who have no depth, usually has one personality or characteristic13
10999487860round charactercharacter who has complex personality: contradicted person14
10999487861Round characterchanges throughout the story, through major conflict. Wide range of emotions15
10999487862static characterperson who doesn't change throughout story keeps same personality16
10999487863characterizationprocess of revealing characters personality17
10999487864climaxpoint where conflict hits its highest point18
10999487865comedydrama that is amusing or funny19
10999487866conflictstruggle between opposing forces20
10999487867connotationsecondary meaning to a word21
10999487868consonancerepetition of same consonant in words close together22
10999487869couplettwo rhyming lines in a verse23
10999487870denotationthe literal meaning of a word24
10999487871denouementfinal outcome of the story25
10999487872deus ex machinaresolution of a plot by chance or coincidence26
10999487873didactic writingwriting with a primary purpose to teach or preach27
10999487874direct presentation of characterauthor telling the reader how a character is and what actions it will do further in the story28
10999487875double rhymerhyme where the repeated vowel is in the second last syllable of words involved (ex; born scorn)29
10999487876dramatic expositionprose commentaries, to provide background information about the characters and their world30
10999487877end rhymerhymes occurring at the end of line31
10999487878end stopped lineline ending in regular punctuation32
10999487879English sonnet14 lines: -3 quantrains + couplet -Rhyme scheme: Abab, cdcd, efef, gg.33
10999487880epiphanywhen a character receives a spiritual insight into they life34
10999487881euphonysmooth choice and arrangement of sounds35
10999487882extended metaphorA metaphor that is sustained or developed through a considerable number of lines or through a whole poem.36
10999487883falling actionEvents after the climax, leading to the resolution37
10999487884feminine rhymelines rhymed by their final two syllables38
10999487885figurative languageLanguage that cannot be taken literally since it was written to create a special effect or feeling.39
10999487886figure of speecha way of saying something other than the ordinary way40
10999487887footbasic unit in the measurement of stressed and unstressed syllables41
10999487888formexternal pattern or shape of a poem42
10999487889free versePoetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme43
10999487890Hubrisexcessive pride that leads to antagonists downfall44
10999487891imageryDescription that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)45
10999487892indirect presentation of characterthe personality of a character is revealed by what he or she does or says46
10999487893internal rhymeA word inside a line rhymes with another word on the same line47
10999487894ironyA contrast between expectation and reality48
10999487895verbal ironyA figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant49
10999487896dramatic ironyIrony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play.50
10999487897irony of situationrefers to an occurrence that is contrary to what is expected or intended51
10999487898italian sonnetA sonnet consisting of an octet with the rhyme pattern abbaabba, followed by a sestet with the rhyme pattern cdecde or cdcdcd52
10999487899masculine rhymeA rhyme ending on the final stressed syllable53
10999487900melodramaa play based upon a dramatic plot and developed sensationally54
10999487901metaphorA comparison without using like or as55
10999487902meterA regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry56
10999487903metonymyA figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it57
10999487904motivationA need or desire that energizes and directs behavior58
10999487905narratorPerson telling the story59
10999487906octet8 line stanza60
10999487907onomatopoeiaA word that imitates the sound it represents.61
10999487908hyperboleA figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor62
10999487909oxymoronA figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.63
10999487910paradoxA contradiction or dilemma64
10999487911paraphraseA restatement of a text or passage in your own words.65
10999487912personificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes66
10999487913plotSequence of events in a story67
10999487914point of viewThe perspective from which a story is told68
10999487915omniscient point of viewThe point of view where the narrator knows everything about the characters and their problems - told in the 3rd person.69
10999487916third person limited point of viewnarrator tells the story from only one character's point of view70
10999487917first person point of viewa character in the story is actually telling the story himself/herself71
10999487918objective point of viewa narrator who is totally impersonal and objective tells the story with no comment on any characters or events.72
10999487919protagonistMain character73
10999487920quatrainA four-line stanza74
10999487921rhythma strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound75
10999487922rhyme schemeA regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem76
10999487923rising actionEvents leading up to the climax77
10999487924sarcasmthe use of irony to mock or convey contempt78
10999487925satirethe use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.79
10999487926scansionAnalysis of verse into metrical patterns80
10999487927sestetsix-line stanza81
10999487928settingThe context in time and place in which the action of a story occurs.82
10999487929simileA comparison of unlike things using a comparison word such as "like" or "as"83
10999487930soliloquyA long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage84
10999487931sonnet14-line poem in iamic paramater, 3 quantrains and 1 couplet85
10999487932stanzaA group of lines in a poem86
10999487933stream of consciousnessa literary style in which a character's thoughts, feelings, and reactions are depicted in a continuous flow uninterrupted by objective description or conventional dialogue.87
10999487934syllabic verseVerse measured by the number of syllables rather than the number of feet per line.88
10999487935symbolA thing that represents or stands for something else89
10999487936synecdochea figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa90
10999487937synesthesiadescribing one kind of sensation in terms of another ("a loud color", "a sweet sound")91
10999487938tercetthree-line stanza92
10999487939terza rimaa verse form with a rhyme scheme: aba bcb cdc, etc.93
10999487940themeCentral idea of a work of literature, a generalization about the human condition94
10999487941toneAttitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character95
10999487942tragedyA serious form of drama dealing with the downfall of a heroic or noble character96
10999487943truncationthe omission of one or more unaccented syllables at the beginning or the end of a line of verse.97
10999487944understatementthe deliberate representation of something as lesser in magnitude than it actually is; a deliberate under-emphasis98
10999487945verseA single line of poetry. Also, writing arranged with a metrical rhythm, typically having a rhyme99
10999487946villanellea nineteen-line poem with two rhymes throughout, consisting of five tercets (aba) and a quatrain (abaa) 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
11015614453ars poeticaPoetry written about poetry101
11015621764BalladA poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas102
11015641731BildungsromanA coming of age story103
11015659368Carpe diemLiterally, "seize the day"; "enjoy life while you can," a common theme in life and literature.104
11015667909Secondary characterAny character other than one of the main characters; Not as prominent105
11015680670ChorusA group of characters in Greek tragedy (and in later forms of drama), who comment on the action of a play without participation in it.106
11015695242DictionA writer's or speaker's choice of words107
11015702418ekphrastic poetryA form of poetry that comments on a work of art in another genre, such as a painting or a piece of music108
11015706616ElegyA sad or mournful poem; sometimes related to death109
11015716100EpigraphThe use of a quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme110
11015723684EulogySpeech or poem of commendation; high praise of someone111
11015763112ImpressionismAn artistic movement that sought to capture a momentary feel, or impression, of the piece they were drawing instead of actualism.112
11015768741Inversioninverted order of words in a sentence (variation of the subject-verb-object order)113
11015788526JuxtapositionPlacement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts114
11015797609MotifA recurring theme, subject or idea115
11015846868parallel structureThe repetition of a chosen grammatical form within a sentence116
11015857895PostmodernismPost-World War II intellectual movement and cultural attitude focusing on cultural pluralism and release from the confines and ideology of Western high culture.117
11015882891Romanticism19th century artistic movement that appealed to emotion and beauty rather than reason118
11015897650Cumulative sentenceIndependent clause followed by phrases and clauses119
11015922966sprung rhythma poetic meter approximating speech, each foot having one stressed syllable followed by a varying number of unstressed ones.120
11015950088VignetteA short scene or story that usually gives a plot a thematic structure121
11015970467TranscendentalismA nineteenth-century movement in the Romantic tradition, which held that every individual can reach ultimate truths through spiritual intuition, which transcends reason and sensory experience.122

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