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AP Literature: Rhetorical Terms- Scheme Flashcards

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7833368165alliteration"To make a man to meet the moral need/ A man to match the mountains and the sea" (Edwin Markham)0
7833368166anadiplosis"Men in great place are thrice servants: servants of the sovereign or state; servants of fame; and servants of business." (Francis Bacon)1
7833369807anaphora"We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence..." (Winston Churchill)2
7833375009anthimeriaI could use a good sleep.3
7833375010appeal"I elicited the anger of some of the most aggressive teenagers in my high school. A couple of nights later, a car pulled up in front of my house, and the angry teenagers in the car dumped garbage on the lawn of my house as an act of revenge and intimidation." (James Garbarino)4
7833377399appositiveOrion, my orange cat, is sitting on the couch.5
7833377400argument"The Patriots prevailed over the Loyalists, who they violently persecuted due to their conflicting position; both betrayed the African slaves to temporarily bolster their military."6
7833381795dramatic narrationa narrative in which the reader or viewer does not have access to the unspoken thoughts of the character7
7833381796dynamic characterone who changes during the course of the narrative8
7833390898evidence"Recent studies in the brain chemistry of rats show that when they play, their brains release large amounts of dopamine..." (Rifkin).9
7833390899metonymy"The press" for news media10
7833390900symbolRachel's mirror in The Poisonwood Bible11
7833392511tautology"If you don't get any better, then you'll never improve."12
7833394150tropepun or metonymy13
7833394151voicetextual features, such as diction and sentence structure, that convey a writer/speaker's persona14

AP Literature Terms Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
5568151862pathosAppeal to emotion0
5568151863catharsisEmotional release1
5568151864metonymyA figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it2
5568152275interior monologuewriting that records the conversation that occurs inside a character's head3
5568152276analogyA comparison of two different things that are similar in some way4
5568152277atmosphereThe emotional nod created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere. Frequently atmosphere foreshadows events. Perhaps it can create a mood.5
5568152278apostropheA figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.6
5568152279black humorThe use of disturbing themes in comedy.7
5568152280balladA poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas8
5568152281archaismThe use of deliberately old-fashioned language.9
5568152282aphorismA brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.10
5568152928hyperboleA figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor11
5568152929periodic sentenceA sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.12
5568152930implicit(adj.) implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning; potentially contained in13
5568152931foilA character who is in most ways opposite to the main character (protagonist) or one who is nearly the same as the protagonist. The purpose of the foil character is to emphasize the traits of the main character by contrast only14
5568152932euphemismAn indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant15
5568152933lamentpassionate expression of grief, often in music, poetry, or song form16
5568152934lyricA type of poetry that explores the poet's personal interpretation of and feelings about the world.17
5568153495limited omniscient narratorthird-person narrator who generally reports only what one character (usually main character) sees, reports only thoughts of that one character18
5568153496stream of consciousnessa style of writing that portrays the inner (often chaotic) workings of a character's mind.19
5568153497suggestimply20
5568154027subjunctive moodA grammatical situation involving the words "if" and "were," setting up a hypothetical situation.21
5568154028loose sentenceA type of sentence in which the main idea comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses22
5568154029dramatic ironyIrony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play.23
5568154030epicA long narrative poem, written in heightened language, which recounts the deeds of a heroic character who embodies the values of a particular society24
5568154031genreA category or type of literature (or of art, music, etc.) characterized by a particular form, style, or content.25
5568154032inversionA sentence in which the verb precedes the subject.26
5568154465meaningdefinition27
5568154466enjambmentA run-on line of poetry in which logical and grammatical sense carries over from one line into the next.28
5568154467free versePoetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme29
5568154468melodramaA literary form in which events are exaggerated in order to create an extreme emotional response.30
5568154952personificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes31
5568154953satireA literary work that criticizes human misconduct and ridicules vices, stupidities, and follies.32
5568154954punA play on words33
5568154955refrainA line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem.34
5568154956rhetorical questionA question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer35
5568154957dirgea funeral hymn or mournful speech36
5568154958pastoralA work of literature dealing with rural life37
5568155545allegoryA literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions38
5568155546summarysynopsis39
5568155547oxymoronA figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.40
5568155548bombastpompous in speech and manner41
5568155549suspension of disbeliefa willingness to suspend one's critical faculties and believe the unbelievable; sacrifice of realism and logic for the sake of enjoyment42
5568156028antecedentThe word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.43
5568156029oppositiondissent44
5568156030cantodivision of a long poem45
5568156031elementsBasic techniques of each genre of literature46
5568156032alliterationRepetition of consonant sounds47
5568156033antiheroa protagonist who is markedly unheroic: morally weak, cowardly, dishonest, or any number of other unsavory qualities48
5568156783chorusA group who says things at the same time49
5568156784pathetic fallacyfaulty reasoning that inappropriately ascribes human feelings to nature or nonhuman objects50
5568156785anecdoteA brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event.51
5568156786anachronismSomething out of place in time52
5568157517academicscholarly53
5568157518abstractTheoretical54
5568157519aestheticConcerning the appreciation of beauty55
5568157520assonanceRepetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity56
5568158343allusionA direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. There are many more possibilities, and a work may simultaneously use multiple layers of allusion.57
5568158344epitaphA brief statement written on a tomb or gravestone58
5568158345parentheticala comment that interrupts the immediate subject, often to qualify or explain59
5568158346elegya poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead.60
5568158347nemesisEnemy61
5568158361hubrisExcessive pride62
5568158874gothicA sensibility that includes such features as dark, gloomy castles and weird screams from the attic each night.63
5568158875feminine rhymelines rhymed by their final two syllables64
5568158876foreshadowingA narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader.65
5568158877footA metrical unit composed of stressed and unstressed syllables.66
5568158878doggerelcomic, sometimes crude, informal verse67
5568159651dramatic monologuewhen a single speaker in literature says something to a silent audience68
5568159652euphonypleasant, harmonious sound69
5568159653simileA comparison using "like" or "as"70
5568159654metaphorA comparison that establishes a figurative identity between objects being compared.71
5568159655colloquialisminformal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing72
5568159656conceitA fanciful, particularly clever extended metaphor73
5568160289connotationAll the meanings, associations, or emotions that a word suggests74
5568160290denotationThe dictionary definition of a word75
5568160291coupletTwo consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme76
5568161099decorumProper behavior77
5568161100dictionChoice of words78
5568161101plaintA poem or speech expressing sorrow79
5568161102anticlimaxletdown in thought or emotion80
5568161103objective(adj) factual, related to reality or physical objects; not influenced by emotions, unbiased81
5568161704asideA device in which a character in a drama makes a short speech which is heard by the audience but not by other characters in the play82
5568161707stanzaA fixed number of lines of verse forming a unit of a poem83
5568161705accentemphasize84
5568161706imageryDescriptive or figurative language in a literary work; the use of language to create sensory impressions.85

AP Lang Literature vocabulary 1 Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
4864919071AllusionReference to something well known (often biblical, mythological)0
4864919072RhetoricWriting, effective use of language1
4864919073AllegoryA story with a deep symbolic meaning2
4864919074AphorismShort statement that expresses a general truth3
4864919075ParadoxStatement that seems contradictory but is actually true4

AP Literature Literary Terms (2) Flashcards

Words 30-59

Terms : Hide Images
7113553828Dictionthe author's choice of words or phrases in a literary work0
7114185786Dramatic Ironyrefers to a situation in which events or facts not known to a character on stage or in a fictional work are known to another character, the audience, or the reader.1
7113553829Dramatic Monologuea lyric poem in which the speaker addresses someone whose replies are not recorded.2
7113553830Elegya mourning poem of lament for an individual or tragic event3
7113553831Enjambmentthe continuation of a complete idea from one line to another, without pause4
7113553832Epiphanya revealing scene or moment in which a character experiences a deep realization about their self.5
7113553833Epistropherepetition of a concluding word or word endings.6
7113553834Euphemismusing a mild or gentle phrase instead of a blunt, embarrassing, or painful one7
7114196510Euphonyattempting to group words together harmoniously, so that the consonants pernit an easy and pleasing flow of sound when spoken8
7113553835Expositionthe opening section of a narrative or dramatic structure in which characters, setting, theme, and conflict can be revealed9
7113553836Flashbackinterruption of the narrative to show an episode that happenee before thag particular point in the story10
7113553837Foota group of syllables in verse usually consisting of one accented syllable and the unaccented syllables associated with it11
7113553838Foreshadowinga hint given to the reader of what is to come12
7113553839Free Versea type of poetry that differs from conventional verse forms in being "free" from a fixed pattern of meter and rhyme13
7113553840Hamartiaa tragic flaw, especially a misperception, a lack of some important insight, or some blindness that ironically results from one's own strengths and abilities14
7113553841Hubrisin a hero, refers to arrogant, excessive self-pride or self confidence or a lack of some important perception or insight due to pride in one's abilities15
7113553842Hyperbolea figure of speech involving great exaggeration16
7113553843Iambic Pentametera line of verse having five metrical feet (Shakespeare's most frequent writing pattern)17
7113553844Imagerythe sensory details that provide vividness in a literary work and tend to arouse emotions or feeling in a reader which abstract language does not18
7113553845In media resLatin for "in the middle of things"; used to describe a plot and begins in the middle of events and then reveals past through flashbacks19
7113553846IronyThe term used to describe a contrast between what appears to be and what really is20
7113553847Juxtapositionplacing two ideas, words, or images side by side so that their closeness creates an original, ironic, or insightful meaning21
7113553848Litotesa figure of speech in which a positive is stated by negating its opposite (ex. Not a bad idea)22
7113553849Metaphora figure of speech involving an implied comparison23
7113553850Meter (rhythm)The pattern of stressed or unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.24
7113553851Metonymya figure of speech in which a specific term naming an object is substituted for another word with which it is closely associated25
7113553852Motifa recurrent word, image, theme, object, or phrase that tends to unify a literary work or that may be elaborated into a theme26
7113553853Narrator (persona/point of view)the teller of the story27
7113553854Onomatopoeiawords used in such a way that the sound of the words imitates the sound of the thing being spoken of28
7113553855Paradoxa statement, often metaphorical, that seems to be self-contradictory but which has valid meaning29

AP Literature Allusions Flashcards

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7270452059Abraham and IsaacGod tests a man to sacrifice his son and an angel stops him0
7270452060AchillesGreek hero of the Trojan war1
7270452061Absaloma son who brings heartache to his father2
7270452062Judgement DayA religious term for the end of the world3
7270452063Atlasa book of maps4
7270452064BethlehemBirthplace of Jesus5
7270452065Cain and AbelAdam and Eve's sons, Cain killed Abel6
7270452066cast the first stonebe the first to make an accusation7
7270452067Daedalus and IcarusFather and son who dared to fly too near the sun on wings of feathers and wax8
7270452068Dionysus/BacchusGod of wine and fertility9
7270452069Four Horsemen of the Apocalypsesymbolic of death and devastation 1. Antichrist 2. Terrible warfare 3. famine 4. Death10
7270452070Garden of GethsemanePlace where Jesus prayed in agony and the soldiers came to arrest him.11
7270452071GorgonsThree monsters of Greek Mythology; only one was mortal-Medusa12
7270452072Guy Fawkesa member of a group of provincial English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 160513
7270452073Holy GrailExtremely desirable or valuable, long and difficult quest14
7270452074Jacobs Ladder15
7270452075Jephthah's daughter16
7270452076Jezebel17
7270452077John the BaptistRelative of Jesus who prepared the way for him by preaching repentance and baptizing18
7270452078Judas IscariotOne of the twelve Apostles who betrays Jesus with a kiss for thirty pieces of silver.19
7270452079Lamb of God20
7270452080Lazarusa man who, in a story from the Bible, was "raised from the dead" by Jesus Christ21
7270452081Lethe River22
7270452082Lord's Prayer23
7270452083Lot's wife24
7270452084Virgin Mary25
7270452085Noah and the flood26
7270452086OdysseusEpic hero of The Trojan War who is trying to return home to Ithaca to see his wife and son27
7270452087Trojan horsefake peace-offering created to trick the Greeks and end the Trojan war28
7270452088Pandora29
7270452089PersephoneQueen of the Underworld30
7270452090PhilistinesEnemies of the Israelites, the strongest people in Canaan31
7270452091Primordial soup32
7270452092Prodigal SonA story of forgiveness. The father was filled with joy upon seeing his son return home.33
7270452093Prometheusmythical figure who stole fire from the gods for humans34
7270452094Psalm 23:435
7270452095Sisyphustrickster who twice defied Death, pushes forever a rolling stone36
7270452096Sodom and Gomorrahcities destroyed by God because of wickedness37
7270452097SolomonSon of David, built the Temple in Jerusalem38
7270452098Styx / Charon39
7270452099Tempest40
7270452100Tower of Babel41
7270452101Troy42
7270452102Utopiaan ideal society43

AP Literature Vocab Units 15 & 16 Flashcards

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5330571502Loq, LocLatin for "to speak"0
5330578457MagniloquentHigh-flown and elevated in speech1
5330573588LoquaciousVery talkative2
5330583249CircumlocutionRoundabout or overly long way of saying something3
5330586636ColloquyFormal conversation or dialogue4
5330590035ObloquyHarsh criticism; abuse5
5330601568SignLatin for "sign, to sign"6
5330605909ConsignTo deliver, especially to a negative fate or outcome7
5330610795ResignationAcceptance of something that cannot be avoided; patient submission8
5330618059SignatoryA party to a contract, treaty or other legal document9
5330629144ScribLatin for "to write, draw"10
5330632616ProscribeTo forbid; to outlaw11
5330632617AscribeTo think as belonging to or coming from; to assign12
5330637338CircumscribeTo tightly limit or restrict13
5330662478VocLatin for "voice, to call"14
5330665851VociferousLoud and noisy in making one's feelings known15
5330668869AvocationSomething done for pleasure; hobby16
5330671322VocationProfession; trade17
5330673203UnivocalHaving a single, clear meaning18
5330675374TacLatin for "to be silent"19
5330683584ReticentNot saying much; tight lipped20
5330685644TacitUnderstood as meant but not openly said; implied21
5330687663TaciturnCharacterized by infrequent speech; silent22
5330693429VerbLatin for "word"23
5330695413VerbiageAn overabundance of words; excessive wordiness24
5330698985VerbatimWord for word25
5330700911VerboseUsing too many words26

AP Literature Terms 61 - 75 Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
8187770553PersonaIn literature, it is the narrator, or the storyteller, of a literary workcreated by the author. It is not the author, but the author's creation--the voice "through which the author speaks"0
8187770554PersonificationFigure of speech where animals, ideas, or inorganic objects are given human characteristics. Ex: "The wind stood up and gave a shout. He whistled on his two fingers"1
8187770555Point of ViewThe point from which the narrative is passed from author to the reader. In the omniscient point of view, the person telling the story, or narrator, knows everything that's going on in the story2
8187770556PolemicA controversial argument, especially one refuting or attacking a specific opinion or doctrine3
8187770557PolysendetonThe use of several conjunctions in close succession, especially where some could otherwise be omitted Ex: he ran and jumped and laughed for joy It can increase the rhythm of prose, speed or slow its pace, convey solemnity or even ecstasy and childlike exuberance. It is also used to create a sense of being overwhelmed, or in fact directly overwhelm the audience by using conjunctions, rather than commas, leaving little room for a reader to breathe4
8187770558ProtagonistThe central character of a literary work5
8187770559RealismBroadly defined as "the faithful representation of reality" or "verisimilitude" Although strictly speaking, it is a technique, it also denotes a particular kind of subject matter, especially the representation of middle-class life6
8187770560RhetoricThe art of persuasive argument through writing or speech--the art of eloquence and charismatic language7
8187770561Roman a clefA novel in which actual persons and events are disguised as fictional characters8
8187770562RomanticismFavoring feeling over reason, placed great emphasis on the subjective, or personal, experience of the individual9
8187770563SatireA literary work which exposes and ridicules human vices or folly. It is usually intended as a moral criticism directed against the injustice of social wrongs10
8187770564Stock CharacterA fictional character that relies heavily on cultural types or stereotypes for its personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics. They are instantly recognizable to members of a given culture.11
8187770565Stream of ConsciousnessTechnique that records the thoughts and feelings of a character without regard to logical argument or narrative sequence. Used to reflect all the forces, external and internal, influencing the psychology of a character at a single moment12
8187770566SubtextThe hidden meaning lying behind the overt13
8187770567SynecdocheA figure of speech in which a part of something stands for the whole or the whole for a part, as wheels for automobile or society for high society14

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