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AP Literature Terms To Know Flashcards

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6559406782allegoryhidden meaning typically moral or political0
6559406783alliterationthe occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of words1
6559406784allusionreference to an outside work (biblical, historical, mythological)2
6559406785analogycomparison between two things, typically on the basis of their structure for explanation/clarification3
6559406786antagonist/protagonistantagonist=adversary protagonist=leading character in literary work4
6559406787bildungsromana novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education5
6559406788catharsisthe purging or purification of the emotions through the evocation of pity and fear, as in tragedy6
6559406789connotationthe associated or secondary meaning of a word in addition to its primary meaning7
6559406790denotationliteral meaning of the word "dictionary definition"8
6559406791dictionword choice9
6559406792didacticintended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive10
6559406793double-entendrea phrase that could have two meanings or that could be understood in two different ways11
6559406794figurative languageuses words or expressions wth a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation12
6559406795foilcharacter serves to bring out attributes of another character13
6559406796genrecategory of literary composition14
6559406797historical narrativetakes place in the past, but is a made up story (based on real aspects of the past)15
6559406798hyperboleexaggeration-rhetorical device16
6559406799idiomphrase not taken literally...a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words (e.g., rain cats and dogs, see the light )17
6559406800imagerydescription that appeals to our five senses18
6559406801inferencea conclusion arrived at through logical processes19
6559406802ironyconveys a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning20
6559406803metaphorcomparison using is21
6559406804metonymyword or phrase that is used to stand in for another word (ex: suit for business executive, or the track for horse racing)22
6559406805moodoverall atmosphere created by the tone23
6559406806motifa recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story24
6559406807novela long narrative (prose) which describes fictional characters and events25
6559406808novellashorter than a novel26
6559406809nuancea subtle degree of difference in meaning/feeling/tone27
6559406810onomatopoeiamimics sound of the action it refers to28
6559406811oxymorontwo contradictory words put together in one phrase29
6559406812paradoxa statement that contradicts itself but can still be true30
6559406813parodywork that closely imitates for comic effect or ridicule31
6559406814pedanticoverly concerned with details/overly scholarly (word, phrase, or general tone)32
6559406815personificationgiving human actions to non-living things33
6559406816point of viewperspective the story is told from34
6559406817prose"ordinary writing"/paragraph form35
6559406818punplay on words36
6559406819realismportrays life in a faithful, accurate manner unclouded by false ideals37
6559406820repetitionrepeating a word38
6559406821rhetorical devicestechnique an author uses to convey a meaning with the goal of persuading them39
6559406822satirevices, follies, etc. are held up to ridicule ideally with the intent of shaming40
6559406823similecomparison using like or as41
6559406824stylethe way an author writes (diction, syntax, figurative language)42
6559406825symbolan object (or word) to represent an abstract idea43
6559406826syntaxsentence structure; how words and phrases are arranged44
6559406827toneauthor's attitude toward the subject45
6559406828tragedymain character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow due to their tragic flaw46
6559406829Romanticismemphasized inspiration, subjectivity, and primacy of the individual47
6559406830Victorianismnovels were much more popular as literacy rates rose (a focus on the highly moralistic, straitlaced language and behavior of Victorian morality)48
6559406831Modernismbroke with classical and traditional forms of literature49

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