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AP Rhetorical Devices List Flashcards

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7764230137anecdotea brief story or tale told by a character in a piece of literature.0
7764234312perspectivea character's view of the situation or events in the story1
7764243805aphorisma concise statement designed to make a point or illustrate a commonly held belief. The writings of Benjamin Franklin contain many aphorisms, such as, "Early to be and early to rise. Make a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."2
7764264648contradictiona direct opposition between things compared; inconsistency3
7764270795apostrophea figure of speech in which a person, thing, or abstract quality is addressed as if present; for example, the invocation to the muses usually found in epic poetry.4
7764285502oxymorona figure of speech that combines two apparently contradictory elements, as in "jumbo shrimp" or "deafening silence."5
7764299597allusiona figure of speech which makes brief, even casual references to a historical, biblical, or literary, etc. figure, event, or object to create a resonance in the reader or to apply a symbolic meaning to the characteror object of which the allusion consists.6
7764336098syllogisma form of deduction. an extremely subtle, sophisticated, or deceptive argument. It onsists of two premises and one conclusion.7
7764367051satirea literary style used to make fun of or ridicule an idea or human vice or weakness.8
7764374343bildungsromana novel or story whose theme is the moral or psychological growth of the main character.9
7764385007devicesa particular word pattern or combination of words used in a literary work to evoke a desired effect or arouse a desired reaction in the reader.10
7764395609foila person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast.11
7764401915epistolarya piece of literature contained in or carried on by letters.12
7764408194epitapha piece of writing in praise of a deceased person13
7764422132parodya satirical imitation of a work of art for purpose of ridiculing its style or subject.14
7764433497delayed sentencea sentence that withholds its main idea until the end. For example: Just as he bent to tie his shoe, a car hit him.15
7764448851sarcasma sharp, caustic remark. a form of verbal irony in which apparent praise is actually bitterly or harshly critical. For example, a coach saying to a player who misses the ball, "Nice catch."16
7764467123expletivea single word or short phrase intended to emphasize surrounding words. Commonly, expletives are set off by commas. Examples: in fact, of course, after all, certainly.17
7764485550ironya situation or statement characterized by a significant difference between what is expected or understood and what actually happens or is meant. it is frequently humorous and can be sarcastic when using words to imply the opposite of what they normally mean.18
7764518339eulogya speech or writing in praise of a person or thing: an oration in honor of a deceased person.19
7764528292paradoxa statement that seems contradictory, but is actually true.20
7764533528epiphanya sudden or intuitive insight or perception into the reality or essential meaning of something usually brought on by a simple or common occurrence or experience.21
7764547188onomatopoeiaa word capturing or approximating the sound of what it describes, such as buzz or hiss.22
7764558034dictionan author's choice of words to convey a tone or effect.23
7764566577utopiaan imaginary place of ideal perfection. The opposite of dystopia, an imaginary place where people live dehumanized, often fearful lives.24
7764579607hyperbolean overstatement characterized by exaggerated language25
7764586504deus ex machinaas in Greek theatre, use of an artificial device or contrived solution to solve a difficult situation, usually introduced suddenly and unexpectedly.26
7764600798antagonistCharacter or force in a literary work that opposes the main character, or protagonist27
7764611210analogycomparison of two things that are alike in some respects. Metaphors and similes are both types of analogy.28
7764619864inductiveconclusion or type of reasoning whereby observation or information about a part of a class is applied to the class ass a whole. The reasoning begins with two premises and ends with a probable conclusion (may or may not be true)29

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