AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

AP Literature Terms Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
4805886347anaphorathe regular repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of two or more successive phrases or clauses.0
4805886348chiasmusa reversal in the word order of words in two otherwise parallel sentences1
4805886349apostrophethe direct address to an absent or dead person, or to an object, quality, or idea.2
4805886350hyperbolea rhetorical figure in which emphasis is achieved through exaggeration3
4805886351metaphorfigurative language that describes something as though it actually were something else4
4805886352metonymythe substitution of one term for another that is generally associated with it. (ex. the crown declared that the man would be executed.)5
4805886353synecdochea figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole (ex. all hands on deck)6
4805886354onomatopoeiathe use of words that sound like a noise7
4805886355paradoxa statement or expression so surprisingly self-contradictory but ends up being true on some level8
4805886356parallelismthe use of similar grammatical structures or word order.9
4805886357personificationthe use of human characteristics to describe animals, things, or ideas.10
4805886358point of viewthe perspective that a narrator takes toward the events it describes11
4805886359protagonistthe central character in a story12
4805886360puna witty word-play which reveals that words with different meanings have similar or even identical sounds13
4805886361satirewriting that ridicules or holds up to contempt the faults of individuals or groups14
4805886362polysyndetonthe repetition of conjunctions in a sentence15
4805886363asyndetonthe omission of conjunctions in a sentence16
4805886364archetypea symbol found in many cultures17
4805886365dramatic ironya situation where the audience knows something that the characters on stage are not aware of18
4805886366allusiona reference to a piece of literature, character, historical figure that the author assumes the reader will recognize19
4805886367dramatic climaxthe turning point in a Shakespearean tragedy where the action turns against the protagonist20
4805886368dictionthe word choices made by a writer21
4805886369didactichaving the primary purpose of teaching or instructing22
4805886370flat (static) charactera character who embodies a single quality and who does not develop in the course of a story23
4805886371dynamic (round) charactera character who undergoes a change or transformation in the course of a story24
4805886372expositionthe beginning portion of Freytag's pyramid where the background information, characters and setting are introduced25
4805886373exciting forcethe spark or complication that "gets the action going" in the play the event that sets the plot into motion26
4805886374rising actionEvents leading up to the climax27
4805886375denouement (catastrophe)The final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work or the outcome of a complicated sequence of events28
4805886376omniscient narratora narrator who is able to know, see, and tell all, including the inner thoughts and feelings of the characters29
4805886377themeCentral idea of a work of literature30
4805886378toneA writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.31
4805886379deus ex machinaan unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel32

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!