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AP Literature Terms Flashcards

The Glossary of Literary Terms for the AP English Literature and Composition Test

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9845167511AbstractComplex, discusses intangible qualities like good and evil, seldom uses examples to support its points.0
9845167512AcademicDry and rhetorical writing; sucking all the life out of its subject with analysis.1
9845167513AccentIn poetry, the stressed portion of a word.2
9845167514AestheticAppealing to the senses; a coherent sense of taste.3
9845167515AllegoryA story in which each aspect of the story has a symbolic meaning outside the tale itself.4
9845167516AlliterationThe repetition of initial consonant sounds.5
9845167517AllusionA reference to another work or famous figure.6
9845167518Anachronism"Misplaced in time." An aspect of a story that doesn't belong in its supposed time setting.7
9845167519AnalogyA comparison, usually involving two or more symbolic parts, employed to clarify an action or a relationship.8
9845167520AnecdoteA Short Narrative9
9845167521AntecedentThe word, phrase, or clause that determines what a pronoun refers to.10
9845167522AnthropomorphismWhen inanimate objects are given human characteristics. Often confused with personification.11
9845167523AnticlimaxOccurs when an action produces far smaller results than one had been led to expect.12
9845167524AntiheroA protagonist who is markedly unheroic: morally weak, cowardly, dishonest, or any number of other unsavory qualities.13
9845167525AphorismA short and usually witty saying.14
9845167526ApostropheA figure of speech wherein the speaker talks directly to something that is nonhuman.15
9845167527ArchaismThe use of deliberately old-fashioned language.16
9845167528AsideA speech (usually just a short comment) made by an actor to the audience, as though momentarily stepping outside of the action on stage.17
9845167529AspectA trait or characteristic18
9845167530AssonanceThe repeated use of vowel sounds: "Old king Cole was a merry old soul."19
9845167531AtmosphereThe emotional tone or background that surrounds a scene20
9845167532BalladA long, narrative poem, usually in meter and rhyme. Typically has a naive folksy quality.21
9845167533BathosWriting strains for grandeur it can't support and tries too hard to be a tear jerker.22
9845167534PathosWriting evokes feelings of dignified pity and sympathy.23
9845167535Black humorThe use of disturbing themes in comedy.24
9845167536BombastPretentious, exaggeratedly learned language.25
9845167537BurlesqueBroad parody, one that takes a style or form and exaggerates it into ridiculousness.26
9845167538CacophonyIn poetry, using deliberately harsh, awkward sounds.27
9845167539CadenceThe beat or rhythm or poetry in a general sense.28
9845167540CantoThe name for a section division in a long work of poetry.29
9845167541CaricatureA portrait (verbal or otherwise) that exaggerates a facet of personality.30
9845167542CatharsisDrawn from Aristotle's writings on tragedy. Refers to the "cleansing" of emotion an audience member experiences during a play31
9845167543ChorusIn Greek drama, the group of citizens who stand outside the main action on stage and comment on it.32
9845167544ClassicTypical, or an accepted masterpiece.33
9845167545Coinage (neologism)A new word, usually one invented on the spot.34
9845167546ColloquialismA word or phrase used in everyday conversational English that isn't a part of accepted "school-book" English.35
9845167547Complex (Dense)Suggesting that there is more than one possibility in the meaning of words; subtleties and variations; multiple layers of interpretation; meaning both explicit and implicit36
9845167548Conceit (Controlling Image)A startling or unusual metaphor, or to a metaphor developed and expanded upon several lines.37
9845167549DenotationA word's literal meaning.38
9845167550ConnotationEverything other than the literal meaning that a word suggests or implies.39
9845167551ConsonanceThe repetition of consonant sounds within words (rather than at their beginnings)40
9845167552CoupletA pair of lines that end in rhyme41
9845167553DecorumA character's speech must be styled according to her social station, and in accordance to the situation.42
9845167554DictionThe words an author chooses to use.43
9845167555SyntaxThe ordering and structuring of words.44
9845167556DirgeA song for the dead. Its tone is typically slow, heavy, depressed, and melancholy45
9845167557DissonanceRefers to the grating of incompatible sounds.46
9845167558DoggerelCrude, simplistic verse, often in sing-song rhyme, like limericks.47
9845167559Dramatic IronyWhen the audience knows something that the characters in the drama do not48
9845167560Dramatic MonologueWhen a single speaker in literature says something to a silent audience.49
9845167561ElegyA type of poem that meditates on death or mortality in a serious, thoughtful manner.50
9845167562ElementsBasic techniques of each genre of literature51
9845167563EnjambmentThe continuation of a syntactic unit from one line or couplet of a poem to the next with no pause.52
9845167564EpicA very long narrative poem on a serious theme in a dignified style; typically deal with glorious or profound subject matter.53
9845167565EpitaphLines that commemorate the dead at their burial place.54
9845167566EuphemismA word or phrase that takes the place of a harsh, unpleasant, or impolite reality.55
9845167567EuphonyWhen sounds blend harmoniously.56
9845167568ExplicitTo say or write something directly and clearly.57
9845167569FarceExtremely broad humor; in earlier times, a funny play or a comedy.58
9845167570Feminine rhymeLines rhymed by their final two syllables. Properly, the penultimate syllables are stressed and the final syllables are unstressed.59
9845167571FoilA secondary character whose purpose is to highlight the characteristics of a main character, usually by contrast.60
9845167572FootThe basic rhythmic unit of a line of poetry, formed by a combination of two or three syllables, either stressed or unstressed.61
9845167573ForeshadowingAn event of statement in a narrative that in miniature suggests a larger event that comes later.62
9845167574Free versepoetry written without a regular rhyme scheme or metrical pattern63
9845167575GenreA sub-category of literature.64
9845167576GothicA sensibility that includes such features as dark, gloomy castles and weird screams from the attic each night.65
9845167577HubrisThe excessive pride or ambition that leads to the main character's downfall66
9845167578HyperboleExaggeration or deliberate overstatement.67
9845167579ImplicitTo say or write something that suggests and implies but never says it directly or clearly.68
9845167580In media resLatin for "in the midst of things," i.e. beginning an epic poem in the middle of the action.69
9845167581Interior MonologueRefers to writing that records the mental talking that goes on inside a character's head; tends to be coherent.70
9845167582InversionSwitching the customary order of elements in a sentence or phrase.71
9845167583IronyA statement that means the opposite of what it seems to mean; uses an undertow of meaning, sliding against the literal a la Jane Austen.72
9845167584LamentA poem of sadness or grief over the death of a loved one or over some other intense loss.73
9845167585LampoonA satire.74
9845167586Loose sentenceA sentence that is complete before its end: Jack loved Barbara despite her irritating snorting laugh.75
9845167587Periodic SentenceA sentence that is not grammatically complete until it has reached it s final phrase: Despite Barbara's irritation at Jack, she loved him.76
9845167588LyricA type of poetry that explores the poet's personal interpretation of and feelings about the world.77
9845167589Masculine rhymeA rhyme ending on the final stressed syllable (regular old rhyme)78
9845167590MeaningWhat makes sense, what's important.79
9845167591MelodramaA form of cheesy theater in which the hero is very, very good, the villain mean and rotten, and the heroine oh-so-pure.80
9845167592MetaphorA comparison or analogy that states one thing IS another.81
9845167593SimileA comparison or analogy that typically uses like or as.82
9845167594MetonymyA word that is used to stand for something else that it has attributes of or is associated with.83
9845167595NemesisThe protagonist's arch enemy or supreme and persistent difficulty.84
9845167596ObjectivityTreatment of subject matter in an impersonal manner or from an outside view.85
9845167597SubjectivityA treatment of subject matter that uses the interior or personal view of a single observer and is typically colored with that observer's emotional responses.86
9845167598OnomatopoeiaWords that sound like what they mean87
9845167599OppositionA pairing of images whereby each becomes more striking and informative because it's placed in contrast to the other one.88
9845167600OxymoronA phrase composed of opposites; a contradiction.89
9845167601ParableA story that instructs.90
9845167602ParadoxA situation or statement that seems to contradict itself, but on closer inspection, does not.91
9845167603ParallelismRepeated syntactical similarities used for effect.92
9845167604ParaphraseTo restate phrases and sentences in your own words.93
9845167605Parenthetical phraseA phrase set off by commas that interrupts the flow of a sentence with some commentary or added detail.94
9845167606ParodyThe work that results when a specific work is exaggerated to ridiculousness.95
9845167607PastoralA poem set in tranquil nature or even more specifically, one about shepherds.96
9845167608PersonaThe narrator in a non first-person novel.97
9845167609PersonificationWhen an inanimate object takes on human shape.98
9845167610PlaintA poem or speech expressing sorrow.99
9845167611Point of ViewThe perspective from which the action of a novel is presented.100
9845167612OmniscientA third person narrator who sees into each character's mind and understands all the action going on.101
9845167613Limited OmniscientA Third person narrator who generally reports only what one character sees, and who only reports the thoughts of that one privileged character.102
9845167614ObjectiveA thrid person narrator who only reports on what would be visible to a camera. Does not know what the character is thinking unless the character speaks it.103
9845167615First personA narrator who is a character in the story and tells the tale from his or her point of view.104
9845167616Stream of ConsciousnessAuthor places the reader inside the main character's head and makes the reader privy to all of the character's thoughts as they scroll through her consciousness.105
9845167617PreludeAn introductory poem to a longer work of verse106
9845167618ProtagonistThe main character of a novel or play107
9845167619PunThe usually humorous use of a word in such a way to suggest two or more meanings108
9845167620RefrainA line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem.109
9845167621RequiemA song of prayer for the dead.110
9845167622RhapsodyAn intensely passionate verse or section of verse, usually of love or praise.111
9845167623Rhetorical questionA question that suggests an answer.112
9845167624SatireAttempts to improve things by pointing out people's mistakes in the hope that once exposed, such behavior will become less common.113
9845167625SoliloquyA speech spoken by a character alone on stage, meant to convey the impression that the audience is listening to the character's thoughts.114
9845167626StanzaA group of lines roughly analogous in function in verse to the paragraphs function in prose.115
9845167627Stock charactersStandard or cliched character types.116
9845167628Subjunctive MoodA grammatical situation involving the words "if" and "were," setting up a hypothetical situation.117
9845167629SuggestTo imply, infer, indicate.118
9845167630SummaryA simple retelling of what you've just read.119
9845167631Suspension of disbeliefThe demand made of a theater audience to accept the limitations of staging and supply the details with their imagination.120
9845167632SymbolismA device in literature where an object represents an idea.121
9845167633TechniqueThe methods and tools of the author.122
9845167634ThemeThe main idea of the overall work; the central idea.123
9845167635ThesisThe main position of an argument. The central contention that will be supported.124
9845167636Tragic flawIn a tragedy, this is the weakness of a character in an otherwise good (or even great) individual that ultimately leads to his demise.125
9845167637TravestyA grotesque parody126
9845167638TruismA way-too obvious truth127
9845167639Unreliable narratorWhen the first person narrator is crazy, a liar, very young, or for some reason not entirely credible128
9845167640UtopiaAn idealized place. Imaginary communities in which people are able to live in happiness, prosperity, and peace.129
9845167641ZeugmaThe use of a word to modify two or more words, but used for different meanings. He closed the door and his heart on his lost love.130
9845167642OdeA poem in praise of something divine or noble131
9845167643IambA poetic foot -- light, heavy132
9845167644TrocheeA poetic foot -- heavy, light133
9845167645SpondeeA poetic foot -- heavy, heavy134
9845167646PyrrhieA poetic foot -- light, light135
9845167647AnapestA poetic foot -- light, light, heavy136
9845167648AmbibranchA poetic foot -- light, heavy, light137
9845167649DactylA poetic foot -- heavy, light, light138
9845167650ImperfectA poetic foot -- single light or single heavy139
9845167651PentameterA poetic line with five feet.140
9845167652TetrameterA poetic line with four feet141
9845167653TrimeterA poetic line with three feet142
9845167654Blank Verseunrhymed iambic pentameter.143
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AP Literature Tone Vocabulary Words Flashcards

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4733202594Satiricexposing to ridicule, denouncing, or deriding a vice or folly0
4733203826Whimsicalcapricious; unpredictable1
4733204360Learnedscholarly; showing knowledge acquired by experience or study2
4733214616Informativegiving information; instructive3
4733215149Somberextremely serious; grave4
4733215778Urgentinsistent; compelling or requiring immediate attention5
4733216512Confidenthaving strong belief or assurance; sure6
4733218826Mock-heroicsatirizing that which is heroic, as in manner, character, or action7
4733219648Objectiveunbiased; not influenced by personal feeling or prejudice8
4733220291Diffidenttimid9
4733220821Ironiccontradictory; exploiting then contrast between the literal and the actual, or between what is said and what is meant or understood10
4733223154Didacticintended for instruction; intended to lecture or to teach a moral lesson11
4733225249Pettyungenerous in trivial or trifling matters12
4733225958Factualbased on facts13
4733226988Restrainedcontrolled or repressed14
4733227703Elegiacexpressing sorrow or melancholy15
4733228870Disdainfullack of respect16
4733229512Lugubriousmournful or gloomy, espically in an exaggerated manner17
4733230227Pedanticostentatious in learning18
4733232383Indignantexpressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base19
4733237134Banteringcharacterized by good-nature exchange of light or playful remarks20
4733239185Flippantfrivolously disrespectful, shallow, or lacking21
4733241182Condescendingimplying a descent from dignity or superiority22
4733241658Patronizingdisplaying an offensively condescending manner23
4733245224Facetiousnot meant to be taken seriously or literally24
4733245648Clinicaldispassionately analytical; unemotionally critical25
4733247108Inflammatoryintending to arouse anger, hostility, or passion26
4733247459Benevolentcharacterized by goodwill or kindly feelings; charitable27
4733248817Burlesqueinvolving ludicrous or mocking treatment of solemn subjects28
4733255920Fancifulled by fantasy or imagination rather than reason29
4733256676Detachedunbiased; disengaged30
4733264663Cynicaldistrusting the motives or sincerity of others; pessimistic31
4733271810Incisiveclear and direct; keen; penetrating32
4733272495Allusivecontaining or given to references either directly or implied33
4733276402Scornfulderisive34
4733276933Effusiveextravagantly demonstrative35
4733277337Colloquialinformal; conversational; casual36
4733277675Compassionatesympathetic37
4733278424Impartialfair38
4733279783Insipidvapid; bland39
4733280826Pretentiouscharacterized by the assumption of dignity, importance, or artistic distinction, ostentatious40
4733285882Vibrantlively; energetic41
4733289343Irreverentlacking reverence or respect42
4733292250Sentimentalexpressive of or appealing to the tender emotions; mawkish; maudlin43
4733293718Moralisticconcerned with regulating morals44
4733294323Complimentaryadmiration45
4733295213Contemptuousscornful46
4733295989Sympatheticlooking upon with favor47
4733296692Tauntingshowing reproach or scorn with sarcasm or an insulting manner48
4733297917Concernedinterested or affected49
4733298156Turgidbombastic50
4733299155Sardonicbitter irony51
4733299838Contentiousquarrelsome; causing or involved in argument or controversy52
4733300537Insolentboldly rude53
4733301238Candidfrank; honest; outspoken54
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AP Literature Lit. Terms #4 Flashcards

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4821937022Explicationact of interpreting or discovering the meaning of a text, usually involves close reading and special attention to figurative language.0
4821939940Narrativethe form of discourse that tells about a series of events.1
4821948654Expositionone of the four major forms of discourse, in which something is explained or "set forth."2
4821950784Descriptiona form of discourse that uses language to create a mood or emotion3
4821962919Argumentform of persuasion that appeals to reason instead of emotion to convince an audience to think or act in a certain way.4
4821976342Argumentationone of the four forms of discourse which uses logic, ethics, and emotional appeals (logos, ethos, pathos) to develop an effective means to convince the reader to think or act in a certain way.5
4821978528Persuasionrelies more on emotional appeals than on facts.6
4821980631Essaya short piece of nonfiction prose in which the writer discusses some aspect of a subject.7
4821983798Epica long narrative poem, written in heightened language, which recounts the deeds of a heroic character who embodies the values of a particular society.8
4821989707Elegya poem of mourning, usually about someone who has died.9
4821992835Dictiona speaker or writer's choice of words.10
4821996683Casual Relationshipform of argumentation in which the writer claims that one thing results from another, often used as part of a logical argument.11
4822038300Didacticform of fiction or nonfiction that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of correct behavior or thinking.12
4822045299Epanalepsisdevice of repetition in which the same expression (single word or phrase) is repeated both at the beginning and at the end of the line, clause, or sentence.13
4822051046Epigrapha quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work suggestive of the theme.14
4822053762Epistrophedevice of repetition in which the same expression (single word or phrase) is repeated at the end of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences.15
4822065152Epithetan adjective or adjective phrase applied to a person or thing that is frequently used to emphasize a characteristic quality.16
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AP Literature Terms Flashcards

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9611072652AllegoryThe device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.0
9611085692AlliterationRepetition of sounds, especially in a row "bleed blue"1
9611100082Allusionreference back to something presumably well known(bible)2
9611142896Ambiguitymultiple meanings, intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentance or passage3
9611192730Analogysimilarity or comparison between two different things4
9611206368AnaphoraRepetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines.5
9611268256AnecdoteA short story about a real indecent or person6
9611280069AntecedentThe word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.7
9611331526AphorismA terse statement of known authorship, which expresses a general truth or moral principle; can be a memorable summation of the author's point.8
9611419928ApostropheA figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity.9
9611437403AsyndetonOmission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words.10
9611450512Atmosphereemotional mood of a literary work11
9611465099colloquialismslang or informalities in writing12
9611480478conceitA fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between dissimilar objects.13
9611728604connotativenon literal meaning of a word14
9611771170denotationliteral meaning of a word15
9611779681DictionA writer's or speaker's choice of words16
9611797788Epistrophethe repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences17
9611807773Extended Metaphormetaphor that reoccurs throughout a literary work18
9611829376Figurative LanguageLanguage that cannot be taken literally since it was written to create a special effect or feeling.19
9611969099figure of speechlanguage used in a figurative or nonliteral sense20
9611976498hyperbolea figure of speech that uses exaggeration or overstatement21
9612007810imagerylanguage that appeals to the senses22
9612116904verbal ironythe words literally state the opposite of the writer's (or speaker's) true meaning.23
9612125258situational ironyevents turn out the opposite of what was expected.24
9612127689dramatic ironyfacts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction but is known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work.25
9612169101juxtapositionPutting two different ideas, things, and/or images side-by-side to compare and contrast.26
9612202860litotesform of understatement in which a thing is affirmed by stating the negative of its opposite27
9612215226loose sentenceA type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses.28
9612224583metaphorfigure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity.29
9612237645metonymyfigure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it.30
9612258398moodgrammatical and deals with verbal units and a speaker's attitude.31
9612287213narrativeThe telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.32
9613375456onomatopoeiaA word that imitates the sound it represents.33
9613383728oxymoronfigure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox.34
9613400045paradoxA statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense, but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.35
9613401895parallelismsimilarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses36
9613413047parodywork that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.37
9613427100periodic sentencesentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.38
9613488350personificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes39
9613494465first-person narratortells the story with the first-person pronoun, "I"40
9613521830second-person narratora narrator who tells a story using "you"41
9613534724third-person narratora narrator who tells the story using "he/she/they"42
9613549092polysyndetonthe use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural43
9613565429proserefers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms, because they are written in ordinary language and most closely resemble everyday speech.44
9613582003puneither plays on multiple meanings of a word or replaces one word with another that is similar in sound but very different in meaning.45
9613594353repetitionduplication, either extract or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.46
9613643911rhetoricthe art of using language effectively and persuasively47
9613647314rhetorical questionA question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer48
9613650690sarcasminvolves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.49
9613680830satirework that targets human vices and follies, or social institutions and conventions, for reform or ridicule.50
9613685256similecomparison using like or as51
9613721414symbol/symbolismanything that represents itself and stands for something else52
9613723619synechdotea part of something that represents the whole53
9613732046syntaxsentence structure54
9613733461themeCentral idea of a work of literature55
9613735299toneAttitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character56
9613810227understatementthe presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is.57
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AP Literature Terms Flashcards

The Glossary of Literary Terms for the AP English Literature and Composition Test

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9626647737AbstractComplex, discusses intangible qualities like good and evil, seldom uses examples to support its points.0
9626647738AcademicDry and rhetorical writing; sucking all the life out of its subject with analysis.1
9626647739AccentIn poetry, the stressed portion of a word.2
9626647740AestheticAppealing to the senses; a coherent sense of taste.3
9626647741AllegoryA story in which each aspect of the story has a symbolic meaning outside the tale itself.4
9626647742AlliterationThe repetition of initial consonant sounds.5
9626647743AllusionA reference to another work or famous figure.6
9626647744Anachronism"Misplaced in time." An aspect of a story that doesn't belong in its supposed time setting.7
9626647745AnalogyA comparison, usually involving two or more symbolic parts, employed to clarify an action or a relationship.8
9626647746AnecdoteA Short Narrative9
9626647747AntecedentThe word, phrase, or clause that determines what a pronoun refers to.10
9626647748AnticlimaxOccurs when an action produces far smaller results than one had been led to expect.11
9626647749AntiheroA protagonist who is markedly unheroic: morally weak, cowardly, dishonest, or any number of other unsavory qualities.12
9626647750AphorismA short and usually witty saying.13
9626647751ApostropheA figure of speech wherein the speaker talks directly to something that is nonhuman.14
9626647752ArchaismThe use of deliberately old-fashioned language.15
9626647753AsideA speech (usually just a short comment) made by an actor to the audience, as though momentarily stepping outside of the action on stage.16
9626647754AspectA trait or characteristic17
9626647755AssonanceThe repeated use of vowel sounds: "Old king Cole was a merry old soul."18
9626647756BalladA long, narrative poem, usually in meter and rhyme. Typically has a naive folksy quality.19
9626647757BathosWriting strains for grandeur it can't support and tries too hard to be a tear jerker.20
9626647758PathosWriting evokes feelings of dignified pity and sympathy.21
9626647759BombastPretentious, exaggeratedly learned language.22
9626647760BurlesqueBroad parody, one that takes a style or form and exaggerates it into ridiculousness.23
9626647761CacophonyIn poetry, using deliberately harsh, awkward sounds.24
9626647762CatharsisDrawn from Aristotle's writings on tragedy. Refers to the "cleansing" of emotion an audience member experiences during a play25
9626647763ChorusIn Greek drama, the group of citizens who stand outside the main action on stage and comment on it.26
9626647764ClassicTypical, or an accepted masterpiece.27
9626647765ColloquialismA word or phrase used in everyday conversational English that isn't a part of accepted "school-book" English.28
9626647766Complex (Dense)Suggesting that there is more than one possibility in the meaning of words; subtleties and variations; multiple layers of interpretation; meaning both explicit and implicit29
9626647767Conceit (Controlling Image)A startling or unusual metaphor, or to a metaphor developed and expanded upon several lines.30
9626647768DenotationA word's literal meaning.31
9626647769ConnotationEverything other than the literal meaning that a word suggests or implies.32
9626647770ConsonanceThe repetition of consonant sounds within words (rather than at their beginnings)33
9626647771CoupletA pair of lines that end in rhyme34
9626647772DecorumA character's speech must be styled according to her social station, and in accordance to the situation.35
9626647773DictionThe words an author chooses to use.36
9626647774SyntaxThe ordering and structuring of words.37
9626647775DirgeA song for the dead. Its tone is typically slow, heavy, depressed, and melancholy38
9626647776DissonanceRefers to the grating of incompatible sounds.39
9626647777Dramatic IronyWhen the audience knows something that the characters in the drama do not40
9626647778Dramatic MonologueWhen a single speaker in literature says something to a silent audience.41
9626647779ElegyA type of poem that meditates on death or mortality in a serious, thoughtful manner.42
9626647780EnjambmentThe continuation of a syntactic unit from one line or couplet of a poem to the next with no pause.43
9626647781EpicA very long narrative poem on a serious theme in a dignified style; typically deal with glorious or profound subject matter.44
9626647782EpitaphLines that commemorate the dead at their burial place.45
9626647783EuphemismA word or phrase that takes the place of a harsh, unpleasant, or impolite reality.46
9626647784FarceExtremely broad humor; in earlier times, a funny play or a comedy.47
9626647785FoilA secondary character whose purpose is to highlight the characteristics of a main character, usually by contrast.48
9626647786FootThe basic rhythmic unit of a line of poetry, formed by a combination of two or three syllables, either stressed or unstressed.49
9626647787ForeshadowingAn event of statement in a narrative that in miniature suggests a larger event that comes later.50
9626647788Free versepoetry written without a regular rhyme scheme or metrical pattern51
9626647789GothicA sensibility that includes such features as dark, gloomy castles Characterized by gloom and mystery and the grotesque; gothic novels include Frankenstein; uncanny52
9626647790HubrisThe excessive pride or ambition that leads to the main character's downfall53
9626647791HyperboleExaggeration or deliberate overstatement.54
9626647792ImplicitTo say or write something that suggests and implies but never says it directly or clearly.55
9626647793In media resLatin for "in the midst of things," i.e. beginning an epic poem in the middle of the action.56
9626647794Interior MonologueRefers to writing that records the mental talking that goes on inside a character's head; tends to be coherent.57
9626647795InversionSwitching the customary order of elements in a sentence or phrase.58
9626647796IronyA statement that means the opposite of what it seems to mean; uses an undertow of meaning, sliding against the literal a la Jane Austen.59
9626647797LamentA poem of sadness or grief over the death of a loved one or over some other intense loss.60
9626647798Loose sentenceA sentence that is complete before its end: Jack loved Barbara despite her irritating snorting laugh.61
9626647799Periodic SentenceA sentence that is not grammatically complete until it has reached it s final phrase: Despite Barbara's irritation at Jack, she loved him.62
9626647800LyricA type of poetry that explores the poet's personal interpretation of and feelings about the world.63
9626647801MelodramaA form of cheesy theater in which the hero is very, very good, the villain mean and rotten, and the heroine oh-so-pure.64
9626647802MetaphorA comparison or analogy that states one thing IS another.65
9626647803SimileA comparison or analogy that typically uses like or as.66
9626647804MetonymyA word that is used to stand for something else that it has attributes of or is associated with.67
9626647805ObjectivityTreatment of subject matter in an impersonal manner or from an outside view.68
9626647806SubjectivityA treatment of subject matter that uses the interior or personal view of a single observer and is typically colored with that observer's emotional responses.69
9626647807OnomatopoeiaWords that sound like what they mean70
9626647808OppositionA pairing of images whereby each becomes more striking and informative because it's placed in contrast to the other one.71
9626647809OxymoronA phrase composed of opposites; a contradiction.72
9626647810ParableA story that instructs.73
9626647811ParadoxA situation or statement that seems to contradict itself, but on closer inspection, does not.74
9626647812ParallelismRepeated syntactical similarities used for effect.75
9626647813ParaphraseTo restate phrases and sentences in your own words.76
9626647814Parenthetical phraseA phrase set off by commas that interrupts the flow of a sentence with some commentary or added detail.77
9626647815ParodyThe work that results when a specific work is exaggerated to ridiculousness.78
9626647816PastoralA poem set in tranquil nature or even more specifically, one about shepherds.79
9626647817PersonaThe narrator in a non first-person novel.80
9626647818Point of ViewThe perspective from which the action of a novel is presented.81
9626647819OmniscientA third person narrator who sees into each character's mind and understands all the action going on.82
9626647820Limited OmniscientA Third person narrator who generally reports only what one character sees, and who only reports the thoughts of that one privileged character.83
9626647821ObjectiveA thrid person narrator who only reports on what would be visible to a camera. Does not know what the character is thinking unless the character speaks it.84
9626647822First personA narrator who is a character in the story and tells the tale from his or her point of view.85
9626647823Stream of ConsciousnessAuthor places the reader inside the main character's head and makes the reader privy to all of the character's thoughts as they scroll through her consciousness.86
9626647824PreludeAn introductory poem to a longer work of verse87
9626647825ProtagonistThe main character of a novel or play88
9626647826PunThe usually humorous use of a word in such a way to suggest two or more meanings89
9626647827RefrainA line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem.90
9626647828RequiemA song of prayer for the dead.91
9626647829RhapsodyAn intensely passionate verse or section of verse, usually of love or praise.92
9626647830SatireAttempts to improve things by pointing out people's mistakes in the hope that once exposed, such behavior will become less common.93
9626647831SoliloquyA speech spoken by a character alone on stage, meant to convey the impression that the audience is listening to the character's thoughts.94
9626647832StanzaA group of lines roughly analogous in function in verse to the paragraphs function in prose.95
9626647833SymbolismA device in literature where an object represents an idea.96
9626647834ThemeThe main idea of the overall work; the central idea.97
9626647835ThesisThe main position of an argument. The central contention that will be supported.98
9626647836Tragic flawIn a tragedy, this is the weakness of a character in an otherwise good (or even great) individual that ultimately leads to his demise.99
9626647837TruismA way-too obvious truth100
9626647838Unreliable narratorWhen the first person narrator is crazy, a liar, very young, or for some reason not entirely credible101
9626647839UtopiaAn idealized place. Imaginary communities in which people are able to live in happiness, prosperity, and peace.102
9626647840OdeA poem in praise of something divine or noble103
9626647841IambA poetic foot -- light, heavy104
9626647842PentameterA poetic line with five feet.105
9626647843Blank Verseunrhymed iambic pentameter.106
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AP LITERATURE VOCABULARY Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
9876432275foreshadowingto hint at or to present an indication of the future beforehand0
9876432276enjambmentthe continuation of a sentence from one line of a poem to the next1
9876432277pastorala work that describes the simple life of country folk who live in a timeless, painless life in a world full of beauty, music and love; bucolic, idyll2
9876432278odea lyric poem that is somewhat serious in subject and treatment, elevated in style and sometimes uses elaborate stanza structure, which is often patterned in sets of three3
9876432279antithesisthe juxtaposition of sharply contrasting ideas in balanced or parallel words, phrases, grammatical structure, or ideas4
9876432280apostrophean address or invocation to something that is inanimate5
9876432281denotationa direct and specific meaning, often reffered to as the dictionary definition of a word6
9876432282blank versethe verse form consisting of unrhymed lines in iambic pentameter7
9876432283caesurapause in a line of verse, indicated by natural speech patterns rather than due to specific metrical patterns8
9876432284antagonistany force that is in opposition to the main character9
9876432285colloquialordinary language, the vernacular10
9876432286themea generalized, abstract paraphrase of the dominant idea or concern of a work11
9876432287couplettwo rhyming lines of iambic pentameter that together present a single idea or connection12
9876432288dialectthe language and speech idiosyncrasies of a specific area, region, or group of people13
9876432289synechdochewhen a part is used to signify a whole, as in "All hands on deck!"-hands= sailors14
9876432290dictionthe specific word choice an author uses to persuade or convey tone, purpose, or effect15
9876432291syntaxthe way words are put together to form phrases, clauses, and sentences16
9876432292flashbackretrospection, where an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronology of the narrative17
9876432293elegya poetic lament upon the death of a particular person, usually ending in consolation18
9876432294epica poem that celebrates, in a continuou narrative, the achievements of mighty heroes and heroines, often concerned with the founding of a nation or developing of a culture19
9876432295allusiona reference to a literary or historical event, person, or place20
9876432296extended metaphora detailed and complex metaphor that extends over a long section of a work; also called a conceit21
9876432297farcea play or scene in a play or book that is characterized by broad humor, wild antics, and often slapstick and physical humor22
9876432298in-medis-resrefers to opening a story in the middle of the action, necessitating filing in past details by exposition or flashback; literally, "in the midst of things"23
9876432299formal dictionlanguage that is lofty, dignified, and impersonal24
9876432300expositionthat part of the structure of a plot that sets the scene, introduces and identifies characters, and establishes the situation at the beginning of a story or play25
9876432301satirea literary work that holds up human failing to ridicule26
9876432302alliterationthe sequential repetition of similar initial sound, usually applied to consonants, usually heard in closely proximate stressed syllables27
9876432303stylea distinctive manner of expression expressed through an author's diction, rhythm, imagery, and more28
9876432304free versepoetry that is characterized by varying line lengths, lack of traditional meter, and non-rhyming lines29
9876432305genrea type or class of literature such as epic or narrative or poetry30
9876432306hyperboleoverstatement characterized by exaggerated language31
9876432307iambica metrical foot in poetry that consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable32
9876432308conceita comparison of two unlikely things that is drawn out within a piece of literature; in particular, an extended metaphor within a poem33
9876432309motifa recurrent device, formula, or situation that often serves as a signal for the appearance of a character or event34
9876432310dramatic monologuealso, a soliloquy; a monologue set in a specific situation and spoken to an imaginary audience35
9876432311imagerybroadly defined, any sensory detail or evocation in a work; more narrowly, the use of figurative language to evoke a feeling, to call to mind an idea, or to describe an object36
9876432312informal dictionlanguage that is not as lofty or impersonal as formal diction; similar to everyday speech37
9876432313ironya situation or statement characterized by a significant difference between what is expected or understood and what actually happens or is meant38
9876432314lyricany short poem in which the speaker expresses intense personal emotion rather than desciribing a narrative or dramatic situation; a sonnet and ode are two examples39
9876432315consonancethe repetition of a sequence of two or more consonants, but with a change in the intervening vowels40
9876432316mooda feeling or ambiance resulting from the tone of a piece as well as the writer/narrator's attitude and point of view41
9876432317metaphorone thing pictured as if it were something else, suggesting a likeness or analogy between them; an implicit comparison of two unlike things42
9876432318villanellea verse form consisting of nineteen lines divided into six stanzas- five tercets and one quatrain; the first and third line of the first tercet rhyme, and this rhyme is repeated through each of the next four tercets and in the last two lines of the concluding quatrain43
9876432319allegorya prose or poetic narrative in which the characters, behavior, and even the setting demonstrates multiple levels of meaning and significance; often is a universal symbol or personified abstraction44
9876432320tonethe attitude a literary work takes toward its subject and theme45
9876432321narrative structurea textual organization based on sequences of connected events, usually presented in a straightforward, chronological framework46
9876432322narratorthe character who tells the story47
9876432323connotationwhat is suggested by a word, apart from what it explictly describes48
9876432324omniscientalso called unlimited focus; a perspective that can be seen from multiple characters49
9876432325oxymorona figure of speech that combines two apparently contradictory elements, sometimes resulting in a humorous image or statement50
9876432326parablea short fiction that illustrates an explicit moral lesson through the use of analogy51
9876432327realismthe practice in literature of attempting to describe nature and life without idealization and with attention to detail52
9876432328juxtapositionthe location of one thing as being adjacent with another; this placement of two items side by side creates a certain effect, reveals an attitude, or accomplishes some purpose of the writer53
9876432329ancedotea brief story or tale told by a character in a piece of literature54
9876432330structurethe organization or arrangement of the various elements in a work55
9876432331parallel structurethe use of similar forms in writing for nouns, verbs, phrases, or thoughts; maintains balance and symmetry56
9876432332personathe voice or figure of the author who tells and structures the story and who may or may not share the values of the actual author57
9876432333archetyperecurrent designs, patterns of action, character types, themes, or images which are identifiable in a wide range of literature58
9876432334refraina repeated stanza or line(s) in a poem or song59
9876432335quatraina poetic stanza of four lines60
9876432336rhymethe repetition of the same or similar sounds, most often at the ends of lines61
9876432337similea direct, explicit comparison of two things, usually using like or as to draw the connection62
9876432338solioquya monologue in which the character in a play is alone and speaking only to himself or herself63
9876432339protagonistthe main character in a work who may or may not be heroic64
9876432340assonancerepetition of identical or similar vowel sounds, usually those found in stressed syllables of close proximity65
9876432341personificationtreating an abstraction or nonhuman object as if it were a person by endowing it with human qualitites66
9876432342Shakespearean sonneta sonnet form divided into three quatrains and one couplet; also called an English sonnet67
9876432343onomatopoeiaa work capturing or approximating the sound of what it describes68
9876432344speakerthe person, not necessarily the author, who is the voice of the poem69
9876432345symbolisma person, place, thing, event, or pattern in a literary work that designates itself and at the same time figuratively represents something else70
9876432346Petrachan sonneta sonnet form divided into an octave and a sestet; also called an Italian sonnet71
9876432347settingthe time and place of the action in a story, poem, or play72
9876432348tragedya drama in which a character, usually of noble or high rank, is brought to a disastrous end in confrontation with a superior force73
9876432349sestinaa highly structured poem consisting of six six-line stanzas followed by a tercet; the same set of six words ends the lines of each of the six-line stanzas, but in a different order each time74
9876432350paradoxa statement that seems contradictory but may actually be true75
9876432351rhythmthe modulation of weak and strong (stressed and unstressed) elements in the flow of speech76
9876432352terza rimaa verse form consisting of three-line stanzas in which the second line of each rhymes with the first and third of the next77
9876432354first person POVuses "i", narrators thoughts/feelings78
9876432355second person POVnarrator refers to the audience as "you" (rare)79
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AP Language Vocab 2 Test Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
7340003919Abstinentabstaining, voluntarily not doing something0
7340007658Abstracttheoretical, impersonal1
7340009269Abstrusehard to understand2
7340010507Abysmalextremely hopeless or wretched; bottomless3
7340014178Accoladean award, an honor4
7340015402Accostto approach and speak to someone aggressively5
7340017318Acerbicsour, severe, like acid in temper, mood, or tone6
7340020109Acquiesceto comply passively, to accept, to assent, to agree7
7340022593Acridharshly pungent, bitter8
7340026589Acrimoniousfull of spite, bitter, nasty9
7340028176Acumenkeenness of judgement, mental sharpness10
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Pre-AP World History Chapter 3 Vocab Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
3187227239MinoansEarliest civilization on Crete (c.1600 BCE)0
3187230654MyceneansEarliest Greek civilization, conquered Crete from Minoans1
3187235988PhoeniciansSeafaring civilization in Mediterranean and Aegean Seas2
3187239420polisGreek city-state3
3187239421monarchyGoverning system led by a king; hereditary rule by one4
3187242501aristocracyRule by upper class; characteristic of a governing system5
3187245800oligarchyRule by a few; characteristic of a governing system6
3187248028tyrantOne man rule; often but not always a military leader7
3187251372Phonetic alphabetWriting system which used 22 "letters" to make sounds8
3187253266HomerBlind Greek poet best known for the Iliad and Odyssey9
3187256500hoplitesHeavily armed Greek infantry soldiers10
3187258802secularismDealing with worldly, non-religious affairs11
3187261116natural lawForces of nature that causes phenomena to occur12
3187263562SocratesAthenian philosopher who focused on ethics and challenged authority13
3187267461PlatoAthenian philosopher; student of Socrates14
3187270013AristotleGreek philosopher and scientist from Stageira; student of Plato15
3187276016Cyrus the GreatPersian warrior king16
3187279029satrapsPersian governors in the provinces who answered to the king17
3187281824Delian LeagueGreek alliance led by Pericles of Athens; formed after Persian Wars18
3187289808Peloponnesian War(431-404 BCE) civil war between Athens and Sparta; Sparta won19
3187295015Alexander the GreatMacendonian king who conquered Persia, India, and Egypt20
3187299033Hellenistic Age(323-30 BCE) era of Macedonian control after Alexander the Great's death21
3187301356republic(res publica) "thing of the people", government run by elected officials, no monarch22
3187305460senateruling body of elected officials in Rome23
3187740233patriciansAristocrats, upper-class in Rome24
3187741867plebeiansCommoners, lower-class in Rome25
3187748785consulsTwo executives chosen by the Roman Senate26
3187752047tribunesRepresentatives of the plebeians in government in Rome27
3187760505Julius CaesarSuccessful military general, conquered Gaul (France), became dictator28
3187766051triumvirateRule of three: Julius Caesar, Crassus, Pompey29
3187770188Caesar AugustusOctavian (Caesar's nephew), name meant "revered one", first emperor of Rome30
3187777378Law of Twelve TablesRoman Republic's Laws31
3187832995Pax Romana200 years of Roman peace32
3187835102Punic Wars(264-146 BCE) Wars of conquest fought between Rome and Carthage of Africa33
3187847704VirgilRoman poet, wrote the Aeneid34
3187849821LivyRoman historian35
3187851342DiocletianRoman emperor who divided the empire into two halves36
3187856792ConstantineRoman emperor who established Constantinople and legalized Christianity37
3187862874Period of Warring StatesEnd of Zhou Dynasty, marked by civil war in China among warlords38
3188100572LegalismChinese philosophy based on the assumption that all humans are evil and corrupt39
3188126579DaoismChinese philosophy based on the belief in two opposing forces of nature and the Dao40
3188131451ConfucianismChinese philosophy based on the five key relationships and filial piety41
3188156826Shi HuangdiQin ruler known as "China's first emperor", unified China using strict harsh rule42
3188166345Han WudiHan emperor known for conquest and expansion of China43
3188171821Forbidden CityHan capital in Chang'an, only emperor, his family and his close advisors44
3188227731Scholar GentryClass of well-educated elite who worked for the Chinese government45
3188232060AryansIndo-European invaders to India46
3188234027CasteSocial class of hereditary status, no social mobility between classes47
3188242290BrahminsHindu priests; highest social class in the Caste system48
3188257267KshatriyaHindu warriors and rulers; second social class in the Caste system49
3188245724VaishyaHindu merchants, artisans and farmers, third social class in the Caste system50
3188263061ShudrasHindu peasants, lowest social class in the Caste system51
3188265363jatisubgroups of families within a caste52
3188275001Upanishadswritings which reflect Aryan and Dravidian beliefs; commentaries on the Vedas53
3188280882reincarnationrebirth of the soul in another life after death54
3188282504HinduismPolytheistic religion, begun as a combination of Aryan and Dravidian beliefs55
3188289744BuddhismAthiest religion/philosophy, began by Siddharta Gautama56
3188298325Siddharta GautumaNepalese prince, founder of Buddhism; first Buddha57
3188301121AsokaThird ruler of the Mauryan dynasty, converted/spread Buddhism58
3188308505Chandra Gupta (Gupta Empire, not Maurya Dynasty)Founder of the Gupta dynasty59
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