8342695310 | Ambiguity | a phrase with two or more meanings; sentences, words, characters, novels, etc can have multiple meanings; Ex: Each of us saw her duck (hide or an actual duck?) | 0 | |
8342763860 | Epithet | word or phrase that describes a character's attributes and characteristics. It is used as a way to replace their name and may be used as a nickname; Ex: Alexander the Great | 1 | |
8342842083 | Parable | a short story to show morals or lessons without using talking animals; Ex: Parable of a Mustard Seed in the Bible | 2 | |
8342908128 | Stereotype | a trait that is applied to all members of a group, and doesn't allow for individuality; Ex: The Help | 3 | |
8342951905 | Satire | exaggeration of something, usually a political issue or problem, but can also be used as an exaggeration of a character trait; Ex: Chick Fil A will fire you if you don't say "my pleasure". | 4 | |
8343008160 | Foil | a character that portrays qualities opposite to another character; Ex: Basil and Lord Henry are complete opposites | 5 | |
8343030781 | Soliloquy | a speech a character regarding his thoughts no matter who is around. It is used as a dramatic device to express a character's thoughts; Ex: Lord Henry's many speeches in PoDG | 6 | |
8343082156 | Pun | a play on words in a humorous effect that uses them having multiple meanings or similar sounds; Ex: "Doctor, there's a patient on line 1 that says he's invisible." "Well, tell him I can't see him right now." | 7 | |
8343136655 | Telegraphic Sentence | a concise sentence typically containing less than 5 words (named after the short messages sent through telegrams since they charged by the word). These sentences will get straight to the point with as little words as possible; Ex: Leave on doorstep. Love you. See you soon. | 8 | |
8343200019 | Juxtaposition | two or more ideas, places, characters, and their actions are placed side by side for the purpose of developing contrasts and comparisons; Ex: Brad cried in the corner while Sarah scoured the room, trying to find a way out; Carl turned into Dream Street, but it was a dead end. | 9 | |
8343270567 | Animetabole | Greek meaning: "turning about"; repeating a phrase in reverse order; Ex: "I go where I please and I please where I go" | 10 | |
8343303191 | Farce | a comedy that uses highly exaggerated and funny situations along with stereotyped characters aimed at entertaining the audience; Ex: Don't be a Menace | 11 | |
8343364025 | Tragedy | branch of drama that treats in a serious style the sorrowful or terrible events encountered or caused by a heroic individual; Ex: ending of Romeo and Juliet | 12 | |
8343400594 | Assonance | repeating a vowel sound in a phrase or sentence, often in poetry; Ex: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper( repetition of short e and long i sounds) | 13 | |
8343427436 | Dead Metaphor | figure of speech which has lost the original imagery of its meaning as the result repetitive and popular usage; Ex: The body of an essay is the main portion. | 14 | |
8343464883 | Colloquialism | a word or phrase that is used informal or literature; SLANG; Ex: " 'Bout who ain't fond of me..." | 15 | |
8343495617 | Parallel Structure | repetition of a choose of grammar within a sentence; Ex: "My family went swimming and running this weekend." | 16 | |
8343527826 | Comedy | use to amuse the audience; Ex: "Does Santa really work in the north pole? Uh no. He don't work, he lays on the couch." | 17 | |
8347932985 | Chiasmus | which words and concepts are repeated in a reverse or modified order; Ex: There is no love without end, and no true end without love | 18 | |
8347977089 | Suspense | feeling of intensity and uncertainty about what may happen next; Ex: Twilight | 19 | |
8348077282 | Paradox | self-contradicting statement with some truth usually in order to make the reader think differently than traditional ideas or ways. "It's like an Oxymoron- Metaphor" Ex: Truth is honey which is bitter; I'm a compulsive liar. | 20 | |
8348209342 | Romance | story where the hero within it goes on an adventure or quest and is wildly successful; Ex: A policeman helps to save a child from being kidnap, child remains safe. | 21 | |
8348397067 | Oxymoron | words that contradict each other used in a brief phrase; Ex: cruel kindness; same difference | 22 | |
8348450633 | Stream of Consciousness | a method of narration that describes in words the flow of thoughts in the minds of the characters; Ex: Look at that polar bear on the television. Did I take out the trash-wait, I think I threw away a check from mom I need a drink of kool-aid now; "The Tell- Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe | 23 | |
8348513787 | Epanalepsis | a figure of speech in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end of that same clause or sentence; Ex: A minimum wage that is not a livable wage can never be a minimum wage | 24 | |
8348849981 | Couplet | Two lines of poetry in a poem (or by itself) that are connected by rhyming words at the end of each line; Ex: I glance over the contents with hungry eyes To see leftover cold curly fries | 25 | |
8348885852 | Rhetoric | The art of effectively or persuasive speaking or writing; It is used to convey people of the story line or interest in what the person is saying; Ex: Mom's who love their children buy them Danimals | 26 | |
8348934706 | Plain Style | Types of writing in which uncomplicated sentences or words are used to make simple, direct sentences; Ex: Are you going to eat that? There was homework yesterday? | 27 | |
8349007279 | Antagonist | A character completely against anything about the protagonist or hero; Ex: Scar in the Lion King | 28 | |
8349036898 | Flashback | A scene in a story line that is set in the past; Ex: Titanic | 29 | |
8349061187 | Motivation | reasoning that causes a character's actions or behaviors; Ex: Prince Charming's determination in Cinderella | 30 | |
8349104504 | Omniscient Point of View | a narrator that knows everything that is happening in the story and uses third person pronouns; Ex: Hunger Games | 31 | |
8349137543 | Transcendentalism | a literary movement that began in the nineteenth century that believed that society corrupts innocence in people and that people are more successful when they are more independent; Ex: Home Alone | 32 | |
8349166383 | Allusion | A direct or indirect reference to a well known person, idea, or place without describing it in detail; Ex: "This place is like a Garden of Eden." | 33 | |
8349212951 | Refrain | A verse, a line, a set, or a group of lines that appears at the end of the stanza, or appears where a poem divides into different sections Ex: Once I heard an Angel singing, When the morning was springing Peace Mercy Pity, Is the way world releases, Once I heard an Angel singing | 34 | |
8349273156 | Anaphora | the repetition of a word or phrase in the beginning of a sentence; Ex: Every morning, every minute, every practice, I get better and better. | 35 | |
8349313936 | Epistrophe | just like an anaphora, except that the repetition is at the end of the sentences; Ex: I'm tired of this school. I'm over this school. I'm done with this school. | 36 | |
8349370218 | Litotes | a figure of speech that uses understatement to emphasize a point by stating a negative to further affirm a positive, often incorporating double negatives for effect; Ex: He's not bad looking! | 37 | |
8349423823 | Metonymy | a word or phrase that represents a person, place, or thing that is referred to by something related to it; Ex: The White House will be making a decision soon | 38 | |
8354280977 | Didactic | uses fiction or nonfiction to teach a specific moral or ideal; Ex: Dr. Seuss books | 39 | |
8360941637 | Synecdoche | figure of speech when a part of something is made to represent the whole of something or vice versa; Ex: The word "sails" refers to the whole ship; the word "bread" refers to food or money | 40 | |
8361044990 | Parody | an imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect; produce a humorously exaggerated imitation of a writer, artist, or genre; Ex: SNL, Scary Movie, Don't be a Menace | 41 | |
8361093414 | Anthropomorphism | act of giving the characteristics of a human being to an animal, god, or inanimate thing; Ex: Mickey Mouse being able to talk, sing, and dance | 42 | |
8361132490 | Static Character | A character that never changes throughout the story; Ex: Bruce in Finding Nemo; Scar in the Lion King | 43 | |
8361163213 | Elegy | A poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead; Ex: Lycidas by John Milton | 44 | |
8361190583 | Modernism | A literary movement that took place during the early 20th century. Experimentation and Individualism became popular, often through a series of "cultural shocks"; Ex: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad | 45 | |
8361229479 | Balance | constructing sentences to make both halves about the same length and importance; Ex: Light is faster but we are safer | 46 | |
8361255247 | Aphorism | A pithy observation that contains a general truth; Ex: The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step | 47 |
AP Literature Vocabulary Flashcards
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