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AP Spanish Literature Terms Flashcards

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8517019107vanguardismorefers to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly in regard to art , the culture , the politics , philosophy and literature.0
8517019108surrealismoan artistic movement emerged in France from Dadaism , in the early 1920s , around the personality of the poet André Breton.1
8517019109postmodernismoPost-postmodernism is a term applied to a wide range of developments in critical theory , philosophy , architecture , art , the literature and culture emerging from and reacting to the postmodernism . Another recent similar term is metamodernism.2
8517019110neoclasicismoemerged in the eighteenth century to describe such negative movement aesthetic that came to be reflected in the arts , intellectual principles of the Enlightenment , since the mid- eighteenth century had been going on philosophy , and consequently had been transmitted to all areas of culture . However, coinciding with the decline of Napoleon Bonaparte , Neoclassicism was losing favor for the Romanticism .3
8517019111costumbrismothe literary or pictorial interpretation of local everyday life, mannerisms, and customs, primarily in the Hispanic scene, and particularly in the 19th century.4
8517019112culteranismoa stylistic movement of the Baroque period of Spanish history that is also commonly referred to as Gongorismo (after Luis de Góngora). It began in the late 16th century with the writing of Luis de Góngora and lasted through the 17th century.5
8517019113conceptismoa literary movement of the Baroque period of Portuguese and Spanish literature. It began in the late 16th century and lasted through the 17th century. Conceptismo is characterized by a rapid rhythm, directness, simple vocabulary, witty metaphors, and wordplay.6
8517019114retruécanoJuegos de palabras; inversión de los términos de una cláusula o proposición en otra subsiguiente para que esta última choque con la anterior.7
8517019115sinestesiaDescripción de una sensación o imagen por medio de sensaciones percibidas por distintos órganos sensoriales, por ejemplo, vista y olfato.8
8517019116sinécdoqueTipo de metáfora que usa una parte o cualidad de un objeto físico para representar todo el objeto.9
8517019117polisíndetonRepetición de conjunciones para alargar la frase o hacer más `solemne la expresión.10
8517019118paradojaContraposición de dos conceptos contradictorios que expresan una verdad.11
8517019119metonimiaUn tipo de metáfora en la que la imagen se asocia con lo representado, pero no es parte de ello; la metonimia hace que el destinatario del mensaje haga la asociación.12
8517019120epítetoPalabra o frase delante o después del nombre que sirve para caracterizar al personaje13
8517019121cacofoníaUso de palabras que combinan sonidos desagradables, ásperos y cortantes.14
8517019122asíndetonOmisión de conjunciones o palabras para suscitar viveza o energía.15
8517019123ironía dramáticaCircunstancia en la que el lector o espectador sabe algo desconocido por un personaje y sabe o sospecha lo que ocurrirá antes de que lo sepa el personaje.16
8517019124silvaPoema no estrófico que combina versos de siete y once sílabas, entrelazados por rima consonante y versos libres.17
8517019125narrador fidedignoNarrador digno de confianza, cuyo entendimiento de los personajes o las acciones del relato lo acredita para contar los hechos. Se ajusta a las normas que establece el autor implícito.18
8517019126leitmotivRepetición de una palabra, frase, situación o noción. Motivo recurrente en una obra.19
8517019127realismo mágicoMovimiento literario hispanoamericano surgido a mediados del siglo XX, caracterizado por la introducción de elementos fantásticos —sueños, superstición, mitos, magia— inmersos en una narrativa realista. Hay antecedentes importantes en los libros de caballería, como señalan algunos de los escritores de este movimiento.20
8517019128pícaroPersonaje de baja condición, astuto, ingenioso y de mal vivir que protagoniza la novela picaresca21
8517019129novela picarescaGénero literario narrativo en prosa de carácter pseudoautobiográfico muy característico de la literatura española. Nace como parodia de las novelas idealizadoras del Renacimiento y saca la sustancia moral, social y religiosa del contraste cotidiano entre dos estamentos, el de los nobles y el de los siervos. El protagonista, un pícaro de muy bajo rango social y descendiente de padres marginados o delincuentes, pretende mejorar su suerte y para ello recurre a la astucia y el engaño.22
8517019130naturalismoCorriente literaria de mediados del siglo XIX que retrata al ser humano y su circunstancia con una objetividad científica. El ser humano carece de libre albedrío; su existencia está determinada por la herencia genética y el medio en el que vive. En cuanto a temas, abundan los asuntos fuertes y las bajas pasiones.23
8517019131modernismoMovimiento literario hispanoamericano cuyo mayor exponente es Rubén Darío y que funde tres movimientos franceses: parnasianismo, simbolismo y romanticismo. Emplea una rica musicalidad verbal para expresar pasiones, visiones, ritmos y armonías internos.24
8517019132libro de caballeríasGénero literario en prosa muy popular en España a mediados del siglo XVI, que celebra las hazañas de los caballeros andantes y contrapone a la fiereza guerrera un masoquismo amoroso inspirado en el amor cortés.25
8517019133Generación del 98Grupo de novelistas, poetas, ensayistas y filósofos españoles, activos durante y después de la Guerra de Cuba (1898), que restauraron a España a una prominencia intelectual y literaria. Les era de gran importancia definir a España como una entidad cultural e histórica.26
8517019134Edad Media (medieval)Período comprendido entre los siglos V y XV. En España se considera que la se cierra con la llegada de Colón a tierras americanas.27
8517019135boomEn la literatura hispanoamericana, un momento de gran auge de la creación de obras narrativas que inicia en 1940. La producción es muy variada y muchos de sus autores crearon best sellers internacionales y traducidos a múltiples idiomas. Una de las tendencias de esta literatura se corresponde con la denominada literatura del realismo mágico.28
8517019136barrocoMovimiento cultural español (1580-1700) caracterizado por su complejidad y su extravagante ornamentación, cuyo propósito era asombrar e incitar introspección29
8517019137hipérbatonAlteración del orden normal sintáctico de las palabras en una oración.30
8517019138apóstrofeRecurso en que el hablante se dirige a personas presentes o ausentes, a seres animados o a objetos inanimados31
8517019139antítesisYuxtaposición de una palabra, frase o idea a otra de significación contraria32
8517019140anáforaRepetición de palabras en una sucesión de versos o enunciados.33
8517019141teatro del absurdoObra dramática basada en una situación sin sentido, en la que los personajes se enfrentan a situaciones que muestran la insensatez de la vida en un mundo deshumanizado.34
8517019142sonetoPoema de procedencia italiana que consiste en catorce versos endecasílabos repartidos en dos cuartetos y dos tercetos; el esquema más común es ABBA ABBA CDC DCD; otro es ABBA ABBA CDE CDE35

AP literature Flashcards

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8466748630AllegoryA narrative or descritpion having a second or symbolic meaning beneath the surface one0
8466751993AnecdoteA short account of an interesting or humorous event1
8466755131Artistic UnityThat condition of a successful literary work whereby all its elements work together for the achievement of its central purpose2
8466761203CacophonyA harsh, discordant, unpleasant-sounding choice and arrangement of sounds3
8466764905EuphonyA smooth, pleasant-sounding choice and arrangement of sounds4
8466769229MoralA rule of conduct or maxim for living expressed or implied as the "point" of a literary work5
8466777616Direct presentation of characterA method of characterization in which the author, by exposition or analysis, tells us directly what a character is like, or has someone else in the story do so.6
8466785568Dynamic characterA character who during the course of the story undergoes a permanent change in some aspect of character of outlook7
8466792231Flat characterA character whose characters is summed up in one or two traits8
8466795193FoilA character who contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) in order to highlight various features of that other character's personality, throwing these characteristics into sharper focus9
8466804139HubrisOverbearing and excessive pride10
8466809273Indirect presentation of characterThat method of characterization in which the author shows us a character in action, compelling us to infer what the character is like from what is said or done by the character11
8466816976Round characterA character whose character is complex and many sided12
8466819833Static characterA character who is the same sort of person at the end of a story as at the beginning13
8466824218Stock characterA stereotyped character14
8466826402Tragic flawA flaw in the character of the protagonist of a tragedy that brings the protagonist to ruin or sorrow15
8466833208ColloquialInformal, conversational language16
8466836970InvectiveDenunciatory or abusive language17
8466840736ProverbA short, pithy saying that expresses a basic truth or practical precept18
8466848135SoliloquyA device often used in drama where by a character relates his or her thoughts and feelings to him/herself and to the audience without addressing any of the other characters19
8466859616DenouementThe conclusion of the story. Conflicts are resolved, creating normality for the characters and a sense of catharsis for them and the reader. Sometimes a hint as to the characters' future is given20
8466872500Dramatic ironyAn incongruity of discrepancy between what a character says or thinks and what the readers knows to be true (or between what a character perceives and what the author intends the reader to perceive)21
8466882423Irony of situationA situation in which there is an incongruity between appearance and reality, or between expectation and fulfillment, or between the actual situation and what would seem appropriate22
8466889431Verbal ironyA figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant23
8466893476Epistolary novelA novel written as a series of documents24
8466895661In media resDenotes the literary and artistic narrative technique wherein the relation of a story begins either at the mid-point or at the conclusion, rather than at the beginning, establishing setting, character, and conflict via flashback and expository conversations25
8466906836Linear structurea plot that follows a straight-moving, cause and effect, chronological ordeer26
8466911229Objective point of viewThe author tells the story, using third person, but is limited to reporting what the characters say or do; the author does not interpret their behavior or tell us their private thoughts or feelings27
8466922501Nonlinear structureWhen the plot is presented in a non-casual order, with the events presented in a random series jumping to and from the main plot with flashbacks or flashforwards; or in any other manner that is not either chronological or not cause and effects (ex: in media res)28
8466933035Stream of consciousnessNarrative which presents the private thoughts of a character without commentary or interpretation by the author29
8466937368Unreliable narratorA narrator whose credibility has been seriously compromised. Theses are usually first-person narrators30
8466943584AnticlimaxA sudden descent form the impressive or significant to the ludicrous or inconsequential31
8466948400CatastropheThe concluding action of a classical tragedy containing the resolution of the plot32
8466954046Deus ex machinaThe resolution of a plot by use of a highly improbably chance or coincidence so named from the machine -- to rescue the protagonist from an impossible situation)33
8466968567Indeterminate endingAn ending in which the central problem or conflict is left unresolved34
8466972220InversionA reversal in order, nature, or effect35
8466977383Plot manipulationA situation in which the author gives the plot a twist or turn unjustified by preceding action or by the characters involved36
8466985544Plot deviceAn object, character, or event whose only reason for existing is to advance the story. Often breaks suspension of disbelief37
8466990124Red herringA literary tactic of diverting attention away from an item or person of significance38
8466993810Suspension of disbeliefAn unspoken agreement between writer and reader39
8466997697Comedy of mannersComedy that ridicules the manners (way of life, social customs, etc.) of a certain segment of society40
8467003215SatireA kind of literary work that ridicules human folly or vice with the purpose of bringing about reform or of keeping others from falling into similar folly or vice41
8467011993Scornful ComedyA type of comedy whose main purpose is to expose and ridicule human folly, vanity, or hypocrisy42
8467017485FarceA type of comedy that relies on exaggeration, horseplay, and unrealistic or improbably situations to provoke laughter43
8467022990Escapist literatureLiterature written purely for entertainment, with little or no attempt to provide insights into the true nature of human life or behavior44
8467031124Interpretive literatureLiterature that provides valid insights into the nature of human life or behavior45
8467034384NovellaA written, fictional, prose narrative longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel46
8467037436ParableA simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson47

AP Literature Vocab Flashcards

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5847369773catharsis (noun)the act or process of releasing a strong emotion (such as pity or fear) especially by expressing it in an art form0
5847375990hubris (noun)exaggerated pride or self-confidence1
5847383039drama (noun)a composition in verse or prose intended to portray life or character or to tell a story usually involving conflicts and emotions through action and dialogue and typically designed for theatrical performance2
5847393572tragedy (noun)a serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force (as destiny) and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that elicits pity or terror3
5847409160tragic hero (noun)a great or virtuous character in a character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat4
5847417748hamartia (noun)a fatal flaw leading to the downfsll of a tragic hero or heroine5
5847422087nemesis (noun)a formidable and usually victorious rival or opponent6
5847428390catastrophethe final event of the dramatic action especially of a tragedy7
5847432092antistrophe (noun)a returning movement in Greek choral dance exactly answering to a previous strophe8
5847443401foil (noun)-someone or something that serves as a contrast to another -character that prevents protagonist from succeeding9
5847452560soliloquy (noun)a dramatic monologue that represents a series of unspoken reflections10
5847456412aside (noun)an utterance meant to be inaudible to someone; especially : an actor's speech heard by the audience but supposedly not by other characters11

Ap literature Flashcards

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4042149589AllusionA reference in a work of literarure to something outside the work, especially to a well know event person or work.0
4042149590AttitudeThe disposition toward or opinion of a subject by a speaker, author, or character1
4042149591DetailsDetails are the individual items or parts that make up a larger picture or story2
4042149592Devices and soundThe techniques of developing the sound of work, especially in poetry3
4042149593DictionWord choice4
4042149594Figurative languageWriting these figure of speech such as metaphors simile and irony5
4042149595ImageryThe images created by literary work; figurative language6
4042149596IronyA figure of speech in which the intended meaning and actual meaning differ, characteristically using praise to indicate blame or using blame to indicate praise7
4042149597MetaphorA figurative use of language in which a comparison is expressed without comparative like like and as8
4042149598Narrative techniquesThe methods involved in telling a story9
4042149599Omniscient point of viewThe vantage point of a story which the narrator can know, see and report whatever he or she chooses10
4042149600Point of viewAny of several possible vantage points from which the story is told11
4042149601Resources of languageA general phrase12
4042149602Rhetorical techniquesThe devices used in effect13
4042149603SatireWriting that uses ridicule to arouse a reader14

AP Literature Strickland (List Eleven) Flashcards

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8037945511Bemuse(to someone) confuse, puzzle, bewilder, confound; perplex, mystified, disoriented0
8037945512Laden(ea)weighed down, burdened; heavily loaded1
8037945513Unswervingsteady, unfaltering; not changing or becoming weaker, steady, or constant2
8037945514Subterfugedeception by artifice in stratagem, evade; deceit used in order to achieve one's goal3
8037945515Starkabsolute, unabating; complete, sheer4
8037945516Intransigentfixed; unwilling or refusing to change one's views or to agree about something5
8037945517Volatileexplosive behavior or personality, unstable; liable to change rapidly and unpredictably esp for the worse6
8037945518Conviviala description on tone, genial, friendly; (of a person) cheerful and friendly, jovial7
8037945519Unwarranteduncalled for; not justified or authorized8
8037945520Slovenlyuntidy, unclean, unkempt; (esp of a person or their appearance) messy and dirty9
8037945521Duplicitoustreacherous, treasonous, deceitful10
8037945522Inhibitedrestrained, hindered, checked; unable to act in a relaxed and natural way because of self-consciousness or mental restraint11

AP Spanish Literature Historical Contexts Flashcards

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5037224749La Edad Media"El conde Lucanor"0
5037224750La Edad Media"Romance del rey moro que perdió Alhama"1
5037224751La Conquista"Visión de los vencidos"2
5037224752La Conquista"Segunda carta de relación"3
5037224753El Renacimiento"Lazarillo de Tormes"4
5037224754El Renacimiento"En tanto que de rosa y azucena"5
5037224755El Renacimiento"El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha"6
5037224756El Barroco"Mientras por competir con tu cabello"7
5037224757El Barroco"Miré los muros de la patria mía"8
5037224758El Barroco"El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra"9
5037224759El Barroco"Hombres necios que acusáis"10
5037224760El Romanticismo"En una tempestad"11
5037224761El Romanticismo"Volverán las oscuras golondrinas"12
5037224762El Modernismo"Nuestra América"13
5037224763La Generación del 98"He andado muchos caminos"14
5037224764El Modernismo"A Roosevelt"15
5037224765El Realismo"Las medias rojas"16
5037224766El Naturalismo"El hijo"17
5037224767La Generación del 98"San Manuel Bueno, mártir"18
5037224768El Femenismo"Peso ancestral"19
5037224769Siglo XX"Prendimiento de Antoñito el Camborio" y "La casa de Bernarda Alba"20
5037224770La Poesía Negra"Balada de los dos abuelos21
5037224771El Vanguardismo"Walking Around"22
5037224772El Femenismo"A Julia de Burgos"23
5037224773Siglo XX"Borges y yo" y "El sur"24
5037224774Siglo XX"No oyes ladrar los perros"25
5037224775El Boom Latinoamericano"Chac Mool"26
5037224776El Boom Latinoamericano"La noche de boca arriba"27
5037224777El Boom Latinoamericano"La siesta del martes" y "El ahogado más hermoso del mundo"28
5037224778Siglo XX"Mi caballo mago"29
5037224779Siglo XX"...y no se lo tragó la tierra"30
5037224780El Femenismo"Mujer negra"31
5037224781El Teatro del Absurdo"El hombre que se convirtió en perro"32
5037224782El Femenismo"Dos palabras"33
5037224783El Femenismo"Como la vida misma"34

AP Literature Vocabulary Unit 4 Flashcards

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8177768003a'ffinity(n.) a natural attraction to a person, thing, or activity; a relationship, connection0
8177768004'bilious(adj.) peevish or irritable; sickeningly unpleasant1
8177768005'cognate(adj.) closely related in origin, essential nature, or function; (n.) such a person or thing2
8177768006'corollary(n.) a proposition that follows from one already proven; a natural consequence or result; (adj.) resultant or consequent3
8177768007'cul-de-sac(n.) a blind alley or dead-end street; any situation in which further progress is impossible; an impasse4
8177768008'derring-do(n.) valor or heroism; daring deeds or exploits (often used to poke fun at false heroics)5
8177768009divi'nation(n.) the art or act of predicting the future or discovering hidden knowledge6
8177768010e'lixir(n.) a potion once thought capable of curing all ills and maintaining life indefinitely; panacea; a sweet liquid used as a vehicle in medicines7
8177768011'folderol(n.) foolish talk, ideas, or procedures; nonsense; a trifle8
8177768012'gamut(n.) an entire range or series9
8177768013hoi po'lloi(n.) the common people, the masses10
8177768014in'effable(adj.) not expressible in words; too great or too sacred to be uttered11
8177768015lucu'bration(n.) laborious study or thought, especially at night; the result of such work12
8177768016mne'monic(adj.) relating to or designed to assist the memory; (n.) a device to aid the memory13
8177768017'obloquy(n.) public abuse indicating strong disapproval or censure; the disgrace resulting from such treatment14
8177768018pa'rameter(n.) a determining or characteristic element; a factor that shapes the total outcome; a limit, boundary15
8177768019'pundit(n.) a learned person; one who gives authoritative opinions16
8177768020'risible(adj.) pertaining to laughter; able or inclined to laugh; laughable17
8177768021sympto'matic(adj.) typical or characteristic; being or concerned with a symptom of a disease18
8177768022volte-'face(n.) an about-face; a complete reversal19

Ocar AP Literature Poetry Terms Flashcards

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5310401079alliterationrepetition of initial consonant sounds0
5310401080allusiona reference to another work of literature, person, or event1
5310401081anaphoraemphasis on words or phrases by repeating them at the beginning of nearby clauses2
5310401082anastrophethe inversion of the natural order of words or phrases3
5310401083apostrophea figure of speech in which someone absent, dead, or nonhuman is addressed as if it were alive and present4
5310401084assonanceRepetition of vowel sounds in close proximity to each other5
5310401085allegorya poem in the form of a narrative or story that has a second meaning beneath the surface meaning6
5310401086iambrythmic unit based on stressed and unstressed syllables (two syllables)7
5310401087iambic pentameterline of poetry with five iambs (ten syllables)8
5310401088couplettwo lines of poetry which rhymes9
5310401089heroic couplettwo lines of iambic pentameter that rhyme10
5310401090blank verseunrhymed verse often in iambic pentameter11
5310401091quatraina stanza with four lines12
5310401092terseta three line stanza13
5310401093motonomypart of something that represents something bigger (ex. lend me your ears)14
5310401094free versepoetry with no particular meter or rhyme scheme15
5310401095paradoxa statement or situation containing apparently contradictory or incompatible elements, but on a closer inspection may be true16
5310401096enjabmentthe running over of the structure of a line of a couplet into the next verse17
5310401097end stoppeda line of verse that has punctuation at the end18
5310401098caesuraa break, especially a sense pause, usually near the middle of a verse19
5310401099imagerydescription that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)20
5310401100ironya contrast or discrepancy between what is stated and what is really meant, or between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen21
5310401101situational ironyirony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected22
5310401102dramatic ironyirony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play23
5310401104consonanceRepetition of consonant sounds, not necessarily at beginning of word24
5310401105hyperbolepurposeful exaggeration for effect25
5310401106tonea writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.26
5310401107sonneta lyric poem of fourteen lines, usually in iambic pentameter, with rhymes arranged according to certain definite patterns. It usually expresses a single, complete idea or thought with a reversal, twist, or change of direction in the concluding lines27
5310401108point of viewthe perspective from which a story is told28
5310401109characterizationa method an author uses to let readers know more about the characters and their personal traits29
5310401110direct characterizationthe author directly states a character's traits30
5310401111indirect characterizationauthor subtly reveals the character through actions and interactions31
5310401113conceitA fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.32
5310401115Italian sonnetDivided into 8 lines and 6 lines; marks a shift in poem33
5310401116English sonnetDivided into 3 quatrains and 2 lines; marks a shift34
5310401117villanelle19 lines35
5310401118sestina6 stanzas 6 lines each36
5310401119aubadeA poem about dawn; a morning love song; or a poem about the parting of lovers at dawn37
5310401120metonymyOne thing is used to refer to a greater concept38
5310401121odePoem with highly elevated language; addressed to a particular subject39
5310401122balladSong, written in poetry form40
5310401123colloqiualIn common speech of a language41
5310401124cacophonyOpposite of harmony42
5310401125synecdochea figure of speech that utilizes a part as representative of the whole43
5310401129lyricthoughts and feelings44
5310455918euphonypleasant, harmonious sound45
5310458336litotesA form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite46
5310462171onomatopoeiaA word that imitates the sound it represents.47
5310465806oxymoronA figure of speech consisting of two apparently contradictory terms48
5310471142personificationA figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.49
5310474945syllepsisa construction in which one word is used in two different senses ("After he threw the ball, he threw a fit.")50
5310480288tautologyunnecessary repetition51

AP Literature Allusions Flashcards

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7389739698Albatross around one's neckAlludes to the poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It is used to talk about an unfortunate person having to carry a burden on their shoulders.0
7389855086"Balm in Gilead"This is an allusion to the Old Testament in the Bible. It means healing or the need to be healed.1
7389922621Big BrotherThis is an allusion to George Orwell's book, Nineteen Eighty-Four. It is used as a warning ("Big Brother is watching you.") since it refers to a ruler or government that invades a citizen's privacy.2
7389961989Cain and AbelThis is an allusion to a story in the Bible. It means enmity, or feeling hostile towards someone, between people.3
7390297319CamelotThis is an allusion to a legend. It means a place or a time of ideal happiness.4
7390048833Carpe DiemThis phrase means seize the day and is an allusion to Robert Frost's poem "Carpe Diem."5
7390063379CassandraThis is an allusion to Greek mythology. When someone is referred to as a Cassandra, it means that they repeatedly predict an incident that leads to misfortune, but no one ever believes them.6
7390179288Catch 22This is an allusion to Joseph Heller's novel, Catch-22. It means an absurd or no-win situation.7
7390261655Cheshire CatThis alludes to the cat with an enormous grin in Alice in Wonderland. If someone is called a Cheshire cat, it means they have a big, visible, long-lasting smile.8
7390347650Crown of ThornsThis is an allusion to the Crucifixion of Jesus. It means a painful burden someone has to bear or something that ridicules or disrespects someone.9
7390453340Daniel in the Lion's DenThis is an allusion to a story in the Bible. It means extreme bravery.10
7390547922FalstaffianThis is an allusion to Shakespeare's character Sir John Falstaff in Henry IV. It refers to someone who is full of wit and sexual humor.11
7390575431Florence NightingaleThis is an allusion to a person in history. If someone is compared to Florence Nightingale, it means they are compassionate, caring, and determined.12
7390672224Hobbit-likeThis is an allusion to J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, the Hobbit. It is used to describe someone who is like a hobbit (short, hairy, and big feet).13
7390882406Holden CaulfieldThis is an allusion to a character in The Catcher in the Rye. To pull a Holden Caulfield means to go on a trip with no set goal in mind.14
7390993601"It's Greek to Me"This is an allusion to a Shakespeare story. It means that all foreign languages sound the same because they are unintelligible.15
7391077531JudasThis is an allusion to a person in the Bible. It is used to describe someone who back stabbed or betrayed someone else.16
7391133110KafkaesqueThis is an allusion to the writings of Frank Kafka. It is used to describe craziness.17
7391200472Land of LilliputThis is an allusion to Gulliver's Travels. It is used to describe something small or irrelevant.18
7391265932LuciferThis is an allusion to a fallen angel from the Bible, better known as the devil. This is used to describe someone who is devil-like and dark.19
7401295134Manna from HeavenThis is an allusion to a story in the Bible. This is used as a way to say that people need to work for what they want because they will not receive it for free like the Israelites received their free manna.20
7518676863MephistopheleanThis is an allusion to a demon in the Christian world. It is used as a description towards the devil or towards devilish deeds.21
7518724875MuseThis is an allusion to the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne in Greek Mythology. This is used to describe someone who inspires an artist to do what they do.22
7518760639Oedipus ComplexThis is an allusion to Sophocles's Oedipus. It is defined by Freud as the attraction that a child feels, typically during the ages of 3-5, towards the parent of the opposite sex.23
7518827695Pandora's BoxThis is an allusion to Greek Mythology. This is commonly used in the phrase, "Don't open Pandora's Box," which means to do something that might seem insignificant, but that ultimately has large long term consequences.24
7521013397PanglossianThis is an allusion to Volitaire's book, Candide. It is used to describe someone who is blindly or misleadingly optimistic.25
7521050559ProcrustesThis is an allusion to Greek Mythology. He would invite people to his home, and when they went to bed, he would either cut off their legs if they were taller than the length of the bed or stretch them out until they were the length of the bed if they were shorter. This is used to describe someone who always tries to make something fit their criteria.26
7521176225Prodigal SonThis is an allusion to the Bible. This is used to describe someone who does not live up to the expectations of his parents or guardian(s).27
7521241705PrufrockThis is an allusion to the poem "The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot. It is used to describe someone who is timid or shy or someone who is indecisive and has many unfulfilled desires.28
7521305387PuckThis is an allusion to A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare. It is used to describe someone who is silly and clever or mischievous.29
7521331773PygmalionThis is an allusion to Roman Mythology. It is used to describe a man who creates a perfect woman for himself based on his standards and falls in love with her.30
7521391667ScheherazadeThis is an allusion to a female Arabian storyteller who narrated the stories of the Arabian Nights. It is used to describe a woman who is a great storyteller.31
7521418779Scylla and CharybdisThis is an allusion to Greek Mythology. They are both monsters, one being a 6-headed monster and another being a whirlpool. It is used to tell someone they are between two dangers or two mistakes, so even if you avoid one, you'll still end up at the other.32
7521447822Siren's SongThis is an allusion to Greek Mythology. It refers to something that is hard to resist.33
7521476400Star-Crossed LoversThis is an allusion to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It is used to describe a doomed relationship.34
7521500887Summa Cum LaudeThis means "with highest honor" and is used to indicate the level at which a student's academics are at. This was done in Europe since the Middle Ages and did not start in America until 1869 at Harvard.35
7521529577SwiftianThis is an allusion to the satirist, Jonathan Swift. It is used to describe something satirical.36
7521598363Sword of DamoclesThis is an allusion to Greek Mythology. This is used to describe a situation in which something bad is bound to happen soon.37
7521643521Trojan HorseThis is an allusion to Greek Mythology. It is used to describe something that may appear beneficial, but is actually malicious.38
7521662432"Water, water, everywhere"This is an allusion to lines from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." It is used to describe a situation where someone is surrounded by plentiful things but cannot use any of them.39

AP Literature Term Quiz #2 Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
7376699502elegya meditative poem in the classical tradition of certain Greek and Roman poems, which deals with more serious subjects (e.g. justice, fate, or providence). These may include elegiac motifs, reminding the reader of the transitory nature of life. These can be mournful, lamenting poems0
7376723738end-stoppeda line that has a natural pause at the end (period, comma)1
7376729458enjambedthe running over of a sentence or thought into the next couplet or line without a pause at the end of the line, a run on line.2
7376736555epica long, grand narrative poem about the brave, exemplary deeds of ancient heroes. A "primary" epic the oldest type, based upon oral tradition; a "literary" epic is written down from the start. Examples of the first type include Homer's Iliad and the Odyssey, and the Anglo Saxon epic, Beowulf; examples of the second type include Virgil's the Aeneid, Spenser's Faerie Queene, and Milton's Paradise Lost3
7376759422epistolary novela novel in the form of letters which pass between the main characters (The Screwtape Letters)4
7376766921epistrophethe repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. Also called antistrophe is the counterpart to anaphora.5
7376775512epitheta picturesque tag or nickname associated with a certain character. Epithets can serve as a mnemonic device to remember and distinguish different characters. It is also an adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned.6
7376801565essaya short work of nonfiction prose in which a writer attempts to fulfill a specific purpose, as represented by the basic types or forms of essay7
7376806080analytical essayan attempt to identify an author's purpose and to evaluate his or her success in achieving it8
7376811257argumentative essayan attempt to convince an audience to think or act in a certain way based upon an appeal to reason (logos)9
7376817146descriptive essayan attempt to enable an audience to feel a certain way by using words to create a mood or emotion10
7376822876expositoryan attempt to enable an audience to understand something unfamiliar through a clear explanation which sets forth a number of connected facts11
7376828922narrativean attempt to enable an audience to understand something unfamiliar through a compelling story which sets forth a series of connected events12
7376837534persuasive essayan attempt to convince an audience to think or act in a certain way based upon emotional appeals (pathos)13
7376844743explicationa detailed explanation of something (a poem)14
7376847618extended metaphoran implied analogy or comparison which is carried throughout a stanza or an entire poem15
7376853005euphemismthe substitution of a mild or less negative word or phrase for a harsh or blunt one16
7376858024figurative languagedescriptive language in which one thing is associated with another, through the use of simile, metaphor, or personification17
7376865153footthe basic unit of meter consisting of a group of two or three syllables. Scanning or scansion is the process of determining the prevailing foot in a line of poetry18
7376882613foreshadowinghints of future events through unusual circumstances in the present19
7376887915frame storythe literary device of creating a larger story for the purpose of combining a number of shorter stories in a unity (story within a story)20
7376899376free versea type of poetry which avoids the patterns of regular rhyme or meter. Rhyme may be used, but with great freedom. There is no regular meter or line length. The poet relies instead upon diction, imagery and syntax to create a coherent whole.21
7376911868genrea distinct classification in literature. A classification according to what different works have in common, in their structure and treatment of a subject.22
7376921822heroic coupletone of the most common forms of English poetry. It consists of two rhymed lines of iambic pentameter which together express a complete thought.23
7376927990hyperboleexaggeration for effect24
7376931302imagerylively description which appeals to other sensory experience. Any figures of speech such as similes and metaphors to visualize a mood, idea, or character. Can involve all the senses, but usually involves the sense of sight25
7376945282internal rhymerhyme that occurs within a line, rather than at the end26
7376948010invectivespeech or writing that abuses, denounces. It can be directed against a person, cause, idea or system27
7376952941ironyusing a word or situation to mean the opposite of its usual or literal meaning, usually done in humor, sarcasm, or disdain. A contradiction between what something appears to man and what it really means28
7376963948verbal ironywhen a character says one thing but means something else (sarcasm)29
7376966451dramatic ironywhen an audience perceives something that a character in the literature does not know30
7376972828juxtapositionthe arrangement of two or more ideas, characters, actions, settings, phrases, or words side-by-side or in similar narrative moments for the purpose of comparison, contrast, rhetorical effect, suspense, or character development31

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