AP LITERATURE Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 6629776546 | Indirect Object | the object that is the recipient or beneficiary of the action of the verb. Example: "Nate" in the sentence "I threw the ball to Nate." | 0 | |
| 6629785747 | Clause | Has both a subject and a verb | 1 | |
| 6629787740 | Phrase | Does not have both a subject and a verb | 2 | |
| 6629799697 | Noun | A person, place, thing, or idea (or an abstraction such as strength and determination) | 3 | |
| 6629803002 | Verb | A word that expresses action, a state of being or feeling, or a relation between two things | 4 | |
| 6629804894 | Adjective | A word that describes, modifies, or limits a noun or pronoun | 5 | |
| 6629809160 | Adverb | A word that modifies, describes, or limits a verb, an adjective, or another adverb (-ly) |  | 6 |
| 6629816163 | Preposition | A word or phrase that shows the relationship of a noun or pronoun to another noun or pronoun (at, by, in, to, from, with ) -Should not be the last word in a sentence in formal writing -Phrase begin with preposition and end with noun/pronoun EX: In the lake |  | 7 |
| 6629831034 | Pronoun | A word that takes the place of a noun |  | 8 |
| 6629841637 | Antecedent | The word, phrase, or clause (NOUN) referred to by a pronoun. |  | 9 |
| 6629850513 | Gerund | A verb ending in 'ing' to serve as a noun - 'Stabbing (used as a noun) is what I do said the thief.' |  | 10 |
| 6629859781 | Participle | A verb form that can be used as an adjective -'The girl, swimming across the lake, reminds me of my sister. |  | 11 |
| 6629868406 | Infinitive | A verb form, usually preceded by "to," that is used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. - "To + Verb" - To swim | 12 |
Flashcards
AP English Literature Terms Flashcards
sources of definitions are The Princeton Review (TPR) and Barron's AP study guides. and class notes that Mr. Enns distributed :)
Terms : Hide Images
| 4100192242 | abstract | an abbreviated synopsis of a longer work of scholarship or research | 0 | |
| 4100192243 | adage | a saying/proverb containing a truth based on experience and often couched in metaphorical language | 1 | |
| 4100192244 | allegory | a story in which the narrative/characters carry an underlying symbolic, metaphorical or possibly an ethical meaning | 2 | |
| 4100192245 | alliteration | the repetition of one or more initial consonant in a group of words or lines of poetry or prose. writers use this for ornament or for emphasis | 3 | |
| 4100192246 | allusion | a reference to a person, place, or event meant to create an effect or enhance the meaning of an idea | 4 | |
| 4100192247 | ambiguity | a vagueness of meaning; a conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings and interpretation | 5 | |
| 4100192248 | anachronism | a person, scene, event, or other element in literature that fails to correspond with the time/era in which the work is set | 6 | |
| 4100192249 | analogy | a comparison that points out similarities between two dissimilar things | 7 | |
| 4100192250 | annotation | a brief explanation,summary, or evaluation of a text or work of literature | 8 | |
| 4100192251 | antagonist | a character or force in a work of literature that, by opposing the protagonist produces tension or conflict | 9 | |
| 4100192252 | antithesis | a rhetorical opposition or contrast of ideas by means of a grammatical arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences | 10 | |
| 4100192253 | aphorism | a short, pithy statement of a generally accepted truth or sentiment | 11 | |
| 4100192254 | Apollonian | in contrast to Dionysian, it refers to the most noble, godlike qualities of human nature and behavior | 12 | |
| 4100192255 | apostrophe | a locution that addresses a person/personified thing not present | 13 | |
| 4100192256 | archetype | an abstract or ideal conception of a type; a perfectly typical example; an original model/form | 14 | |
| 4100192257 | assonance | the repetition of two or more vowel sounds in a group of words or lines in poetry and prose | 15 | |
| 4100192258 | ballad | a simple narrative verse that tells a story that is sung or recited; a long narrative poem, usually in very regular meter and rhyme, typically has a naive folksy quality | 16 | |
| 4100192259 | bard | a poet, in olden times, a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment | 17 | |
| 4100192260 | bathos | the use of insincere or overdone sentimentality | 18 | |
| 4100192261 | belle-lettres | the French term for the world of books, criticism, and literature in general | 19 | |
| 4100192262 | bibliography | a list of works cited or otherwise relevant to a subject or other work | 20 | |
| 4100192263 | Bildungsroman | a German word referring to a novel structured as a series of events that take place as the hero travels in quest of a goal | 21 | |
| 4100192264 | blank verse | poetry written in iambic pentameter, the primary meter used in English poetry and the works of Shakespeare and Milton. its lines generally do not rhyme | 22 | |
| 4100192265 | bombast | inflated, pretentious language used for trivial subjects | 23 | |
| 4100192266 | burlesque | a work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation; a broad parody and exaggerates it into ridiculousness | 24 | |
| 4100192267 | cacophony | grating, inharmonious sounds | 25 | |
| 4100192268 | caesura | a pause somewhere in the middle of a verse, often (but not always marked by punctuation) | 26 | |
| 4100192269 | canon | the works considered most important in national literature or period; works widely read and studied | 27 | |
| 4100192270 | caricature | a grotesque likeness of striking qualities in persons and things; a portrait that exaggerates a facet of personality | 28 | |
| 4100192271 | carpe diem | "seize the day" | 29 | |
| 4100192272 | catharsis | a cleansing of the spirit brought about by the pity and terror of a dramatic tragedy | 30 | |
| 4100192273 | classic | a highly regarded work of literature or other art form that has withstood the test of time, similar to canon | 31 | |
| 4100192274 | classicism | deriving from the orderly qualities of ancient Greek and Roman culture; implies formality, objectivity, simplicity and restraint | 32 | |
| 4100192275 | climax | the high point, or turning point, of a story/play | 33 | |
| 4100192276 | novel | a tale in which a young protagonist experiences an introduction to adulthood. the character may develop understanding via disillusionment, education, doses of reality, or any other experiences that alter his/her emotional/intellectual maturity. e.g. Invisible Man | 34 | |
| 4100192277 | conceit | a witty or ingenious thought; a diverting or highly fanciful idea, often stated in figurative language; a startling or unusual metaphor, or a metaphor developed and expanded upon several lines | 35 | |
| 4100192278 | anticlimax | this occurs when an action produces far smaller results than one had been led to expect, it is frequently comic in effect | 36 | |
| 4100192279 | antihero | a protagonist who is markedly unheroic: morally weak, cowardly, dishonest, or any number of other unsavory qualities | 37 | |
| 4100192280 | aside | a speech (usually just a short comment) made by an actor to the audience, as though momentarily stepping outside of the action on stage | 38 | |
| 4100192281 | aspect | a trait of characteristic, as in "an aspect of the dew drop" | 39 | |
| 4100192282 | atmosphere | the emotional tone or background that surrounds a scene | 40 | |
| 4100192283 | black humor | this is the use of disturbing themes in comedy. e.g. two tramps comically debating over which should commit suicide first, and whether the branches of a tree will support their weight | 41 | |
| 4100192284 | cadence | the beat or rhythm of poetry in a general sense | 42 | |
| 4100192285 | canto | is a divider in long poems, much like chapters in a novel | 43 | |
| 4100192286 | coinage | a.k.a. neologism, inventing a word | 44 | |
| 4100192287 | colloquialism | this is a word or phrase used in everyday conversational English that isn't a part of accepted "schoolbook" English | 45 | |
| 4100192288 | controlling image | when an image dominates and shapes the entire work | 46 | |
| 4100192289 | metaphysical conceit | a type of conceit that occurs only in metaphysical poetry | 47 | |
| 4100192290 | connotation | the suggest or implied meaning of a word/phrase | 48 | |
| 4100192291 | consonance | the repetition of two or more consonant sounds within a group of words or a line of poetry | 49 | |
| 4100192292 | couplet | a pair of lines that end in rhyme | 50 | |
| 4100192293 | heroic couplet | two rhyming lines in iambic pentameter are called this | 51 | |
| 4100192294 | denotation | the literal, dictionary definition of a word | 52 | |
| 4100192295 | denouement | the resolution that occurs at the end of a play or work or fiction | 53 | |
| 4100192296 | deus ex machina | in literature, the use of an artificial device or gimmick to solve a problem | 54 | |
| 4100192297 | Dionysian | as distinguished from Apollonian, the word refers to sensual, pleasure seeking impulses | 55 | |
| 4100192298 | diction | the choice of words in oral and written discourse | 56 | |
| 4100192299 | syntax | the ordering and structuring of the words in a sentence | 57 | |
| 4100192300 | dirge | a song for the dead, its tone is typically slow, heavy, and melancholy | 58 | |
| 4100192301 | dissonance | the grating of incompatible sounds | 59 | |
| 4100192302 | doggerel | crude, simplistic verse, often in sing-song rhyme | 60 | |
| 4100192303 | dramatic irony | when the audience knows something that the characters in the drama do not | 61 | |
| 4100192304 | dramatic monologue | when a single speaker in literature says something to a silent audience | 62 | |
| 4100192305 | elegy | a poem or prose selection that laments or meditates on the passing/death of something/someone of value | 63 | |
| 4100192306 | elements | the basic techniques of each genre of literature. IN SHORT STORY: characters, irony, theme, symbol, plot, setting. IN POETRY: figurative language, symbol, imagery, rhythm, rhyme. IN DRAMA: conflict, characters, climax, conclusion, exposition, rising action, falling action, props. IN NONFICTION: argument, evidence, reason, appeals, fallacies, thesis. | 64 | |
| 4100192307 | ellipsis | three periods (...) indicating the omission of words in a thought or quotation | 65 | |
| 4100192308 | empathy | a feeling of association or identification with an object/person | 66 | |
| 4100192309 | end stopped | a term that describes a line of poetry that ends with a natural pause often indicated by a mark of punctuation | 67 | |
| 4100192310 | enjambment | the continuation of a syntactic unit from one line or couplet of a poem to the next with no pause | 68 | |
| 4100192311 | epic | an extended narrative poem that tells of the adventures and exploits of a hero that is generally larger than life and is often considered a legendary figure | 69 | |
| 4100192312 | mock epic | a parody form that deals with mundane events and ironically treats them as worthy of epic poetry | 70 | |
| 4100192313 | epitaph | lines that commemorate the dead at their burial place. usually a line or handful of lines, often serious or religious, but sometimes witty and even irreverent | 71 | |
| 4100192314 | epigram | a concise but ingenious, witty and thoughtful statement | 72 | |
| 4100192315 | euphony | when sounds blend harmoniously; pleasing, harmonious sounds | 73 | |
| 4100192316 | epithet | an adjective or phrase that expresses a striking quality of a person or thing | 74 | |
| 4100192317 | eponymous | a term for the title character of a work of literature | 75 | |
| 4100192318 | euphemism | a mild or less negative usage for a harsh or blunt term | 76 | |
| 4100192319 | exegesis | a detailed analysis or interpretation of a work of literature | 77 | |
| 4100192320 | expose | a piece of writing that reveals weaknesses, faults, frailties, or other short comings | 78 | |
| 4100192321 | explicit | to say or write something directly and clearly | 79 | |
| 4100192322 | explication | the interpretation/analysis of a text | 80 | |
| 4100192323 | extended metaphor | a series of comparisons between two unlike objects that occur over a number of lines | 81 | |
| 4100192324 | fable | a short tale often featuring nonhuman character that act as people whose actions enable the author to make observations or draw useful lessons about human behavior. i.e Orwell's "Animal Farm" | 82 | |
| 4100192325 | falling action | the action in a play or story that occurs after the climax and that leads to the conclusion and often to the resolution of the conflict | 83 | |
| 4100192326 | fantasy | a story containing unreal, imaginary features | 84 | |
| 4100192327 | farce | a comedy that contains an extravagant and nonsensical disregard of seriousness, although it may have a serious, scornful purpose | 85 | |
| 4100192328 | figurative language | in contrast to literal language, this implies meanings. It includes devices such as metaphors, similes, and personification, etc. | 86 | |
| 4100192329 | foil | a secondary character whose purpose is to highlight the characteristics of a main character, usually by contrast | 87 | |
| 4100192330 | first person narrative | a narrative told by a character involved in the story, using first-person pronouns such as "I" and "we" | 88 | |
| 4100192331 | flashback | a return to an earlier time in a story or play in order to clarify present actions or circumstances i.e. Invisible Man | 89 | |
| 4100192332 | foreshadowing | an event or statement in a narrative that suggests, in miniature, a larger event that comes later | 90 | |
| 4100192333 | foot | the basic rhythmic unit of a line in poetry. it is formed by a combination of two or three syllables, either stressed or unstressed | 91 | |
| 4100192334 | frame | a structure that provides premise or setting for a narrative | 92 | |
| 4100192335 | free verse | a kind of poetry without rhymed lines, rhythm or fixed metrical feet | 93 | |
| 4100192336 | genre | a term used to describe literary forms, such as novel, play, and essay | 94 | |
| 4100192337 | Gothic novel | a novel in which supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terror pervades the action. i.e. "Frankenstein" | 95 | |
| 4100192338 | harangue | a forceful sermon, lecture, or tirade | 96 | |
| 4100192339 | hubris | the excessive pride/ambition that leads to the main character's downfall | 97 | |
| 4100192340 | hyperbole | exaggeration/deliberate overstatement | 98 | |
| 4100192341 | humanism | a belief that emphasizes faith and optimism in human potential and creativity | 99 | |
| 4100192342 | implicit | to say or write something that suggests and implies but never says it directly or clearly | 100 | |
| 4100192343 | in medias res | Latin for "in the midst of things"; a narrative that starts not at the beginning of events but at some other critical point | 101 | |
| 4100192344 | idyll | a lyric poem or passage that describes a kind of ideal life or place | 102 | |
| 4100192345 | image | a word or phrase representing that which can be seen, touched, tasted, smelled or felt | 103 | |
| 4100192346 | inversion | switching customary order of elements in a sentence or phrase. when done badly it can give a stilted, artificial look-at-me-I'm-poetry feel to the verse. type of syntax | 104 | |
| 4100192347 | irony | a mode of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is stated, often implying ridicule or light sarcasm | 105 | |
| 4100192348 | invective | a direct verbal assault; a denunciation. i.e. Candide | 106 | |
| 4100192349 | kenning | a device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which the name of a thing is replaced by one of its functions/qualities, as in "ring-giver" for king and "wale-road" for ocean | 107 | |
| 4100192350 | lament | a poem of sadness or grief over the death of a loved one or over some other intense loss | 108 | |
| 4100192351 | lampoon | a satire | 109 | |
| 4100192352 | light verse | a variety of poetry meant to entertain or amuse, butt sometimes with a satirical thrust | 110 | |
| 4100192353 | loose sentence | a sentence that is complete before its end. follows customary word order of English sentences i.e. subject-verb-object | 111 | |
| 4100192354 | periodic sentence | a sentence not grammatically complete until it has reached its final phrase; sentence that departs from the usual word order of English sentences by expressing its main thought only at the end | 112 | |
| 4100192355 | lyric | personal, reflective poetry that reveals the speaker's thoughts and feelings about the subject; the word is used to describe tone, it refers to a sweet, emotional melodiousness | 113 | |
| 4100192356 | melodrama | a form of cheesy theater in which the hero is very, very good, the villain mean and rotten, and the heroine oh-so-pure. | 114 | |
| 4100192357 | litotes | a form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity | 115 | |
| 4100192358 | maxim | a saying or proverb expressing common wisdom or truth | 116 | |
| 4100192359 | metaphor | a figure of speech that compares unlike objects | 117 | |
| 4100192360 | metaphysical poetry | the work of poets, particularly those of 17th c., that uses elaborate conceits, is highly intellectual, and expresses the complexities of love and life | 118 | |
| 4100192361 | meter | the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables found in poetry | 119 | |
| 4100192362 | metonymy | a figure of speech that uses the name of one thing to represent something else with which it is associated. e.g. "The White House says..." | 120 | |
| 4100192363 | mode | the general form, pattern, and manner of expression of a work of literature | 121 | |
| 4100192364 | montage | a quick succession of images/impressions used to express an idea | 122 | |
| 4100192365 | mood | the emotional tone in a work of literature | 123 | |
| 4100192366 | nemesis | the protagonist's archenemy or supreme and persistent difficulty | 124 | |
| 4100192367 | objectivity | this treatment of a subject matter is an impersonal/outside view of events | 125 | |
| 4100192368 | subjectivity | this treatment of a subject matter uses the interior/personal view of a single observer and is typically colored with that observer's emotional responses | 126 | |
| 4100192369 | onomatopoeia | words that sound like what they mean | 127 | |
| 4100192370 | moral | a brief and often simplistic lesson that a reader may infer from a work of literature | 128 | |
| 4100192371 | motif | a phrase, idea, event that through repetition serves to unify or convey a theme in a work of literature. | 129 | |
| 4100192372 | muse | one of the ancient Greek goddesses presiding over the arts. the imaginary source of inspiration for an artist or writer | 130 | |
| 4100192373 | myth | an imaginary story that has become accepted part of the cultural or religious tradition of a group/society. often used to explain natural phenomena. | 131 | |
| 4100192374 | narrative | a form of verse or prose that tells a story | 132 | |
| 4100192375 | naturalism | a term often used as a synonym for "realism"; also a view of experiences that is generally characterized as bleak and pessimistic | 133 | |
| 4100192376 | non sequitur | a statement or idea that fails to follow logically from the one before | 134 | |
| 4100192377 | novel of manners | a novel focusing on and describing the social customs and habits of a particular social group | 135 | |
| 4100192378 | ode | a lyric poem usually marked by serious, respectful and exalted feelings toward the subject. | 136 | |
| 4100192379 | omniscient narrator | a narrator with unlimited awareness, understanding, and insight of characters, setting, background, and all other elements of the story | 137 | |
| 4100192380 | oxymoron | a phrase composed of opposites; a contradiction. juxtaposition of contradictory element to create a paradoxical effect | 138 | |
| 4100192381 | opposition | one of the most useful concepts in analyzing literature. it means that you have a pair of elements that contrast sharply. | 139 | |
| 4100192382 | ottava rima | an eight-line rhyming stanza of a poem | 140 | |
| 4100192383 | parable | like a fable or an allegory, it's a story that instructs; a story consisting of events from which a moral or spiritual truth may be derived | 141 | |
| 4100192384 | paradox | a statement that seems self-contradictory yet true | 142 | |
| 4100192385 | parallelism | repeated syntactical similarities used for effect | 143 | |
| 4100192386 | parody | an imitation of a work meant to ridicule its style and subject | 144 | |
| 4100192387 | paraphrase | a version of a text put into simpler, everyday, words | 145 | |
| 4100192388 | pastoral | a work of literature dealing with rural life | 146 | |
| 4100192389 | pathetic fallacy | faulty reasoning that inappropriately ascribes human feelings to nature or nonhuman objects | 147 | |
| 4100192390 | pathos | that element in literature that stimulates pity or sorrow | 148 | |
| 4100192391 | pentameter | a verse with five poetic feet per line | 149 | |
| 4100192392 | persona | the role/facade that a character assumes or depicts to a reader, viewer, or the world at large; the narrator in a non-first-person novel | 150 | |
| 4100192393 | personification | giving an inanimate object human like qualities or form | 151 | |
| 4100192394 | plot | the interrelationship among the events in a story, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution | 152 | |
| 4100192395 | picaresque novel | an episodic novel about a roguelike wanderer who lives off his wits. e.g. "Don Quixote", "Moll Flanders" | 153 | |
| 4100192396 | plaint | a poem or speech expressing sorrow | 154 | |
| 4100192397 | point of view | the perspective from which the action of a novel in presented. | 155 | |
| 4100192398 | omniscient narrator | 3rd person narrator who sees like God into each character's mind and understands all the action going on. | 156 | |
| 4100192399 | limited omniscient narrator | 3rd person narrator who generally reports only what one character (usually the main) sees, and who only reports the thoughts of that one privileged character. | 157 | |
| 4100192400 | objective narrator | 3rd person narr. who only reports on what would be visible to a camera, doesn't know what the character is thinking unless the character speaks of it. | 158 | |
| 4100192401 | first person narrator | this is a narrator who is a character in the story and tells the tale from his/her POV. when the narrator is crazy, a liar, very young, or for some reason not entirely credible, the narrator is "unreliable" | 159 | |
| 4100192402 | prosody | the grammar of meter and rhythm in poetry | 160 | |
| 4100192403 | protagonist | the main character in a work of literature | 161 | |
| 4100192404 | prelude | an introductory poem to a longer work of verse | 162 | |
| 4100192405 | pun | the usually humorous use of a word in such a way to suggest two or more meanings | 163 | |
| 4100192406 | pseudonym | also called "pen name", a false name or alias used by writers. i.e Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) George Orwell (Eric Blair) | 164 | |
| 4100192407 | quatrian | a four-line poem or a four-line unit of a longer poem | 165 | |
| 4100192408 | refrain | a line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem | 166 | |
| 4100192409 | requiem | a song of prayer for the dead | 167 | |
| 4100192410 | realism | the depiction of people, things, and events as they really are without idealization or exaggeration for effect | 168 | |
| 4100192411 | rhetoric | the language of a work and its style; words, often highly emotional, used to convince or sway an audience | 169 | |
| 4100192412 | rhetorical question | a question that suggests an answer. in theory, the effect is that it causes the listener to feel they have come up with the answer themselves | 170 | |
| 4100192413 | rhapsody | an intensely passionate verse or section of verse, usually of love or praise | 171 | |
| 4100192414 | rhyme | the repetition of similar sounds at regular intervals, used mostly in poetry | 172 | |
| 4100192415 | rhyme scheme | the patterns of rhymes within a given poem i.e. abba | 173 | |
| 4100192416 | rhythm | the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that make up a line of poetry. similar to meter | 174 | |
| 4100192417 | romance | an extended narrative about improbable events and extraordinary people in exotic places | 175 | |
| 4100192418 | sarcasm | a sharp, caustic expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt | 176 | |
| 4100192419 | satire | a literary style used to poke fun at, attack or ridicule an idea, vice, or foible, often for the purpose of inducing change. great subjects for this include hypocrisy, vanity and greed, especially if those characteristics have become institutionalized in society | 177 | |
| 4100192420 | simile | figurative comparison using the words "like" or "as" | 178 | |
| 4100192421 | setting | the total environment for the action in a novel/play. it includes time, place, historical milieu, and social, political and even spiritual circumstances | 179 | |
| 4100192422 | sentimental | a term that describes characters' excessive emotional response to experience; also nauseatingly nostalgic and mawkish | 180 | |
| 4100192423 | sentiment | a synonym for "view" or "feeling"; also refined and tender emotion in literature | 181 | |
| 4100192424 | scansion | the act of determining the meter of a poetic line. | 182 | |
| 4100192425 | sonnet | a popular form of verse consisting of fourteen lines and a prescribed rhyme scheme. two types: Shakespearean and Petrarchan | 183 | |
| 4100192426 | soliloquy | a speech spoken by a character alone on stage. meant to convey the impression that the audience is listening to the character's THOUGHTS. unlike an aside, it is not meant to imply that the actor acknowledges the audience's presence | 184 | |
| 4100192427 | stanza | a group of lines in verse, roughly analogous in function to the paragraph in prose; a group of two or more lines in poetry combined according to subject matter, rhyme, or some other plan | 185 | |
| 4100192428 | stream of consciousness | a style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind, e.g. Ernest Hemingway | 186 | |
| 4100192429 | stock characters | standard or cliched character types: the drunk, the miser, the foolish girl, etc. | 187 | |
| 4100192430 | suggest | to imply, infer indicate. goes along with the concept of implicit | 188 | |
| 4100192431 | style | the manner in which an author uses and arranges words, shapes ideas, forms sentences and creates a structure to convey ideas | 189 | |
| 4100192432 | subplot | a subordinate or minor collection of events in a novel or play, usually connected to the main plot | 190 | |
| 4100192433 | subtext | the implied meaning that underlies the main meaning of a work of literature | 191 | |
| 4100192434 | summary | a simple retelling of what you've just read. what you DON'T want to do in the Open Essay section :) | 192 | |
| 4100192435 | symbolism | a device in literature where an object represents an idea | 193 | |
| 4100192436 | synecdoche | a figure of speech in which a part signifies the whole or the whole signifies the part | 194 | |
| 4100192437 | theme | the main idea or meaning, often an abstract idea upon which a work of literature is built | 195 | |
| 4100192438 | thesis | the main position of an argument. the central contention that will be supported | 196 | |
| 4100192439 | tone | the author's attitude toward the subject being written about. it's the characteristic emotion that pervades a work or part of a work | 197 | |
| 4100192440 | tragic flaw | in a tragedy, this is the weakness of a character in an otherwise good individual that ultimately leads to his demise | 198 | |
| 4100192441 | tragedy | a form of literature in which the hero is destroyed by some character flaw and a set of forces that cause the hero considerable anguish, or even death | 199 | |
| 4100192442 | travesty | a grotesque parody | 200 | |
| 4100192443 | truism | a way-too-obvious truth | 201 | |
| 4100192444 | utopia | an idealized place. imaginary communities in which people are able to live in happiness, prosperity and peace. Sir Thomas More came up with this idea. | 202 | |
| 4100192445 | verbal irony | a discrepancy between the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken words | 203 | |
| 4100192446 | verse | a synonym for poetry. also a group of lines in a song or poem; also a single line of poetry | 204 | |
| 4100192447 | verisimilitude | similar to the truth; the quality of realism in a work that persuades readers that they are getting a vision of life as it is | 205 | |
| 4100192448 | versification | the structural form of a line of verse as revealed by the number of feet it contains. i.e. monometer = 1 foot; tetrameter = 4 feet; pentameter = 5 feet, etc. | 206 | |
| 4100192449 | villanelle | a French verse form calculated to appear simple and spontaneous but consisting of 19 lines and a prescribed pattern of rhymes | 207 | |
| 4100192450 | voice | the real or assumed personality used by a writer or speaker. a verb is in the active voice when it expresses an action performed by its subject. a verb is in the passive voice when it expresses an action performed upon its subject or when the subject is the result of the action. Active: The crew raked the leaves. Passive: The leaves were raked by the crew. | 208 | |
| 4100192451 | wit | the quickness of intellect and the power and talent for saying brilliant things that surprise and delight by their unexpectedness; the power to comment subtly and pointedly on the foibles of the passing scene | 209 | |
| 4100192452 | zeugma | the use of a word to modify two or more words, but used for different meanings. "He close the door and his heart on his lost love." | 210 | |
| 4100192453 | anastrophe | inversion of the natural or usual word order | 211 | |
| 4100192454 | parenthesis | insertion of some verbal unit in a position that interrupts the normal syntactical flow of the sentence | 212 | |
| 4100192455 | apposition | placing side by side two coordinate elements, the second of which serves as an explanation or modification of the first. "The mountain was the earth, her home." | 213 | |
| 4100192456 | ellipsis | deliberate omission of a word or words which are readily implied by context | 214 | |
| 4100192457 | asyndeton | deliberate omission of conjunctions between a series of related clauses. used to produce a hurried rhythm in the sentence. | 215 | |
| 4100192458 | polysyndeton | the deliberate use of many conjunctions. its effect is to slow down the rhythm of the sentence | 216 | |
| 4100192459 | anaphora | repetition of the same words or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses. e.g. "I have a dream..." | 217 | |
| 4100192460 | epistrophe | repetition of the same word or group of words at the ends of successive clauses "When we first came we were very many and you were very few. Now you are many and we are getting very few." | 218 | |
| 4100192461 | epanalepsis | repetition at the end of a clause of the word that occurred at the beginning of the clause. "Blood hat bought blood, and blows have answer'd blows" | 219 | |
| 4100192462 | anadiplosis | repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause. "The crime was common, common be the pain." | 220 | |
| 4100192463 | climax | the arrangement of words, phrases, or clauses in an order of importance | 221 | |
| 4100192464 | antimetabole | repetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order. "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." | 222 | |
| 4100192465 | chiasmus | reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses. "Exalts his enemies, his friends destroys." | 223 | |
| 4100192466 | polyptoton | repetition of words derived from the same root. "But in this desert country they may see the land being rendered USELESS by OVERUSE." | 224 | |
| 4100192467 | antanaclasis | repetition of a word in two different senses. "Your argument is sound, nothing but sound." | 225 | |
| 4100192468 | paronomasia | use of words alike in sound but different in meaning. "ask for me tomorrow and you will find me a GRAVE man." | 226 | |
| 4100192469 | syllepsis | the use of a word understood differently in relation to two or more other words, which it modifies/governs. "The ink, like our pig, keeps running out of the pen." | 227 | |
| 4100192470 | anthimeria | the substitution of one part of speech for another "I'll UNHAIR they head." | 228 | |
| 4100192471 | periphrasis | substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name or of a proper name for a quality associated with the name. "They do not escape JIM CROW; they merely encounter another, not less deadly variety." | 229 | |
| 4100192472 | autobiography | an account of a person's own life | 230 | |
| 4100192473 | dialect | a way of speaking that is characteristic of a particular region/group of people | 231 | |
| 4100192474 | epiphany | in a literary work, a moment of sudden insight/revelation that a character experiences | 232 | |
| 4100192475 | essay | a short piece of non-fiction prose that examines a single subject from a limited POV | 233 | |
| 4100192476 | suspense | the uncertainty/anxiety we feel about what is going to happen next in a story | 234 |
AP Language Terms Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 4313767888 | Ad hominem | Reducing the credibility of the opposition by attacking them personally for who they are or actions they've taken and not addressing their arguments or statements. | 0 | |
| 4313793763 | Tautology (Circular Reasoning) | An argument is circular if its conclusion is among its premises. | 1 | |
| 4313803578 | Reductio ad absurdum | Used to to show an abuse of this style of argument by stretching the logic in order to force an absurd conclusion. | 2 | |
| 4313845213 | Idyllic | extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque. | 3 | |
| 4313858400 | Unequivocal | leaving no doubt; unambiguous. | 4 | |
| 4313872430 | Insolent | showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect. | 5 | |
| 4313885527 | Indignant | feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment. | 6 | |
| 4313892027 | Foreboding | fearful apprehension; a feeling that something bad will happen. | 7 | |
| 4313901693 | Sullen | a sulky or depressed mood. | 8 | |
| 4313906532 | Vexed | annoyed, frustrated, or worried. | 9 | |
| 4313913319 | Disparaging | expressing the opinion that something is of little worth; derogatory. | 10 | |
| 4313917491 | Impetuous | of, relating to, or characterized by sudden or rash action, emotion, etc.; impulsive. | 11 | |
| 4313926361 | Avaricious | having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain. | 12 | |
| 4313935058 | Pedantic | marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects | 13 | |
| 4313945508 | Poignant | evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret. | 14 | |
| 4313949290 | Morose | sullen and ill-tempered. | 15 | |
| 4313950856 | Enigmatic | difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious. | 16 | |
| 4313956467 | Docile | ready to accept control or instruction; submissive. | 17 | |
| 4313964787 | Euphemistic | the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt. | 18 | |
| 4313969351 | Grotesque | comically or repulsively ugly or distorted. | 19 | |
| 4313993628 | Inundates | overwhelm (someone) with things or people to be dealt with. | 20 | |
| 4314001071 | Postulates | suggest or assume the existence, fact, or truth of (something) as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief. | 21 | |
| 4314006940 | Corroborates | confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding). | 22 | |
| 4314017735 | Sagacious | having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewd. | 23 | |
| 4314039213 | Piquant | pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the mind. | 24 | |
| 4314051572 | Aphoristic | is a short, pithy statement containing a truth of general import; | 25 | |
| 4314071304 | Periodic sentence | has the main clause or predicate at the end | 26 | |
| 4314112699 | Complex sentence | A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses connected to it | 27 | |
| 4314115860 | Compound-complex sentence | a sentence having two or more coordinate independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses. | 28 | |
| 4314123693 | Interrogative sentence | one which asks a question. | 29 | |
| 4314134321 | Omniscient | is to know everything that can be known about a character, including past history, thoughts, feelings, etc. | 30 | |
| 4314139482 | In media res | It usually describes a narrative that begins, not at the beginning of a story, but somewhere in the middle — usually at some crucial point in the action. | 31 | |
| 4314187184 | Effeminate | (of a man) having or showing characteristics regarded as typical of a woman; unmanly. | 32 | |
| 4314260236 | Parenthetical expression | is a phrase or clause that's inserted within—in effect, it interrupts—another phrase or clause | 33 | |
| 4314264737 | Parallelism | the use of successive verbal constructions in poetry or prose that correspond in grammatical structure, sound, meter, meaning, etc. | 34 | |
| 4314268696 | Anaphora | the deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect | 35 | |
| 4314278526 | Asyndeton | It is a stylistic device used in literature and poetry to intentionally eliminate conjunctions between the phrases and in the sentence, yet maintain the grammatical accuracy | 36 | |
| 4314285557 | Apostrophe | A writer or a speaker, using an apostrophe, detaches himself from the reality and addresses an imaginary character in his speech. | 37 | |
| 4314290330 | Passive voice | The noun or noun phrase that would be the object of an active sentence (such as Our troops defeated the enemy) appears as the subject of a sentence with passive voice (e.g. The enemy was defeated by our troops). | 38 | |
| 4314307551 | Allegory | a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. | 39 | |
| 4314315651 | Syllogism | is a kind of logical argument that applies deductive reasoning to arrive at a conclusion based on two or more propositions that are asserted or assumed to be true. | 40 | |
| 4314346810 | Antecedent | The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun | 41 | |
| 4314352371 | Chiasmus | is a figure of speech in which two successive phrases or clauses are parallel in syntax, but reverse the order of the analogous words. | 42 | |
| 4333123749 | Ellipsis | In grammar, the omission of a word or words necessary for complete construction but understood in context. | 43 | |
| 4333156547 | Prolepsis | A future event is refereed to in anticipation; a grammatical construction that consist of putting a syntactic unit before that to which it would logically correspond | 44 | |
| 4333194399 | Analepsis | A flashback; to restore or do over | 45 | |
| 4333206334 | Dichotomy | Having two parts that are contradictory | 46 | |
| 4333210979 | Tautology | Needless redundancy of the same idea | 47 | |
| 4333215289 | Apotheosize | To glorify, exalt or raise to the heavens | 48 | |
| 4333219594 | Volatile | fickle, tending toward violence; explosive | 49 | |
| 4333239568 | Warrant | The assumption or principle that connects the data to the claim | 50 | |
| 4333244881 | Consession | Presenting or accepting an argument from the other side of the issue | 51 | |
| 4333256948 | Brusque | Abrupt or offhand in speech or manner. | 52 | |
| 4333261393 | Cynicism | An inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest; skepticism. | 53 | |
| 4333262352 | Derisive | Expressing contempt or ridicule. | 54 | |
| 4333265883 | Effusive | Expressing feelings of gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner. | 55 | |
| 4333273146 | Fervent | having or displaying a passionate intensity. | 56 | |
| 4333279215 | Insolent | showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect. | 57 | |
| 4333284575 | Jocund | cheerful and lighthearted. | 58 | |
| 4333285786 | Jovial | cheerful and friendly. | 59 | |
| 4333289924 | Lethargic | sluggish and apathetic. | 60 | |
| 4333292578 | Lugubrious | looking or sounding sad and dismal. | 61 | |
| 4333294938 | Parochial | having a limited or narrow outlook or scope. | 62 | |
| 4333298263 | Reticent | not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily. | 63 | |
| 4333300093 | Sanguine | optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation. | 64 | |
| 4333310991 | Abhorring | regard with disgust and hatred. | 65 | |
| 4333315383 | Vitriolic | filled with bitter criticism or malice. | 66 | |
| 4333319220 | Antecedent | a thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another. | 67 | |
| 4333328240 | Jeremiads | a long, mournful complaint or lamentation; a list of woes. | 68 | |
| 4333332620 | Staccato | short and not sounding connected | 69 | |
| 4333348459 | Enumeratio | Figure of amplification in which a subject is divided into constituent parts or details, and may include a listing of causes, effects, problems, solutions, conditions, and consequences; the listing or detailing of the parts of something | 70 | |
| 4333351471 | Homily | any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice | 71 | |
| 4333361175 | Metonymy | is a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. | 72 | |
| 4333381586 | Synesthesia | when one kind of sensory stimulus evokes the subjective experience of another | 73 | |
| 4333397988 | Sardonic | grimly mocking or cynical. | 74 | |
| 4333403150 | Esoteric | intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest. | 75 | |
| 4333405934 | Pedantic | someone who's too concerned with literal accuracy or formality. | 76 | |
| 4333411081 | Abstruse | difficult to understand; obscure. | 77 | |
| 4333413027 | Veneration | great respect; reverence. | 78 | |
| 4333415770 | Mirth | amusement, especially as expressed in laughter. | 79 | |
| 4333418824 | Forlorn | pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely. | 80 | |
| 4333423819 | Platonic | (of love or friendship) intimate and affectionate but not sexual. | 81 | |
| 4333426188 | Enamor | be filled with a feeling of love for. | 82 | |
| 4333428631 | Vehement | showing strong and often angry feelings | 83 | |
| 4333432046 | Petulant | (of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered. | 84 | |
| 4333444529 | Autonomous | acting independently or having the freedom to do so. | 85 | |
| 4333449079 | Exacerbate | make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse. | 86 | |
| 4333451229 | Prolific | present in large numbers or quantities; plentiful. | 87 | |
| 4333456765 | Dogmatic | inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true. | 88 | |
| 4333458690 | Mundane | lacking interest or excitement; dull. | 89 | |
| 4333466034 | Bequeath | leave (a personal estate or one's body) to a person or other beneficiary by a will. | 90 | |
| 4333469485 | expunge | erase or remove completely (something unwanted or unpleasant). | 91 | |
| 4333473719 | scrupulous | (of a person or process) diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details. | 92 | |
| 4333477070 | corroboration | evidence that confirms or supports a statement, theory, or finding; confirmation. | 93 | |
| 4333479705 | acquiesce | accept something reluctantly but without protest. | 94 | |
| 4333497480 | discourse | a formal discussion of a subject in speech or writing, as a dissertation, treatise, sermon | 95 | |
| 4333507890 | invective | vehement or violent denunciation, censure, or reproach. an insulting or abusive word or expression. | 96 | |
| 4333512087 | inverted sentence | one in which the subject appears after the verb. This construction causes the subject to receive more emphasis. | 97 | |
| 4333530461 | syntax | grammatical sentence structure | 98 | |
| 4333536316 | wit | speech or writing showing such perception and expression. The ability to perceive and express in an ingeniously humorous manner the relationship between seemingly incongruous or disparate things | 99 |
AP Literature Literary Terms Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 2984278312 | lyric | subjective, reflective poetry with regular rhyme scheme and meter which reveals the poet's thoughts and feelings to create a single, unique impression. | 0 | |
| 2984278313 | narrative | nondramatic, objective verse with regular rhyme scheme and meter which relates a story or narrative. | 1 | |
| 2984278314 | sonnet | a highly formal and rigid14-line lyric verse form, with variable structure and rhyme scheme according to type. It usually occurs in iambic pentameter, and is written about one important subject (often love). | 2 | |
| 3040776859 | English (Shakespearean) | Sonnet with three quatrains and concluding couplet in iambic pentameter, rhyming abab, cdcd, efef, gg or abba, cddc, effe, gg. The Spenserian sonnet is a specialized form with linking rhyme abab, bcbc, cdcd, ee. | 3 | |
| 3040778633 | Italian (Petrarchan) | Sonnet with an octave and sestet, between which a break in thought occurs. The traditional rhyme scheme is abba, abba, cde, cde (or, in the sestet, any variation of c, d, e). | 4 | |
| 2984278315 | ode | elaborate lyric verse which deals seriously with a dignified theme. | 5 | |
| 2984278316 | blank verse | unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter. | 6 | |
| 2984278317 | free verse | unrhymed lines without regular rhythm. | 7 | |
| 2984278318 | epic | a long, dignified narrative poem which gives the account of a hero important to his nation or race. | 8 | |
| 2984278319 | dramatic monologue | a lyric poem in which the speaker tells an audience about a dramatic moment in her life and, in doing so, reveals her character. | 9 | |
| 2984278320 | elegy | a poem of lament, meditating on the death of an individual. | 10 | |
| 2984278321 | ballad | simple, narrative verse which tells a story to be sung or recited; the folk ballad is anonymously handed down, while the literary ballad has a single author. | 11 | |
| 2984278322 | idyll | lyric poetry describing the life of the shepherd in pastoral, bucolic, idealistic terms. | 12 | |
| 2984278323 | villanelle | a French verse form, strictly calculated to appear simple and spontaneous; five tercets and a final quatrain, rhyming aba, aba, aba, aba, aba, abaa. Lines 1, 6, 12, 18 and 3, 9, 15, 19 are refrain. | 13 | |
| 2984278324 | light verse | a general category of poetry written to entertain, such as lyric poetry, epigrams, and limericks. It can also have a serious side, as in parody or satire. | 14 | |
| 2984278325 | haiku | Japanese verse in three lines of five, seven, and five syllables, often depicting a delicate image. | 15 | |
| 2984278326 | limerick | humorous nonsense-verse in five anapestic lines rhyming aabba; a-lines being trimeter and b-lines being dimeter. | 16 | |
| 2984278327 | meter | poetry's rhythm, or its pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. Meter is measured in units of feet. | 17 | |
| 2984278328 | scansion | the analysis of the mechanical elements within a poem to determine meter. Feet are marked off with slashes ( / ) and accented appropriately as stressed or unstressed. | 18 | |
| 2984278329 | caesura | a pause in the meter or rhythm of a line. | 19 | |
| 2984278330 | enjambment | a run-on line, continuing into the next without a grammatical break. | 20 | |
| 2984278331 | rime | old spelling of rhyme, which is the repetition of like sounds at regular intervals, employed in versification, the writing of verse. | 21 | |
| 2984278332 | versification | the writing of verse. | 22 | |
| 2984278333 | end rhyme | rhyme occurring at the ends of verse lines; most common rhyme form. | 23 | |
| 2984278334 | internal rhyme | rhyme contained within a line of verse. | 24 | |
| 2984278335 | rhyme scheme | pattern of rhymes within a unit of verse; in analysis, each end rhyme-sound is represented by a letter (abab etc.) | 25 | |
| 2984278336 | masculine rhyme | rhyme in which only the last, accented syllable of the rhyming words correspond exactly in sound; most common kind of end rhyme (night/skies/bright/eyes). | 26 | |
| 2984278337 | feminine rhyme | rhyme in which two consecutive syllables of the rhyming words correspond, the first syllable carrying the accent; double rhyme (flying/dying). | 27 | |
| 2984278338 | half rhyme (slant rhyme) | imperfect, approximate rhyme (sun/sea/scud/beaks). | 28 | |
| 2984278339 | assonance | repetition of two or more vowel sounds within a line. | 29 | |
| 2984278340 | consonance | repetition of two or more consonant sounds within a line. | 30 | |
| 2984278341 | alliteration | repetition of one or more initial sounds, usually consonants, in words within a line. | 31 | |
| 2984278342 | onomatopoeia | the use of a word whose sound suggests it meaning. | 32 | |
| 2984278343 | euphony | the use of compatible, harmonious sounds to produce a pleasing, melodious effect. | 33 | |
| 2984278344 | cacophony | the use of inharmonious sounds in close conjunction for effect; the opposite of euphony. | 34 | |
| 2984278345 | metaphor | a figure of speech which makes a direct comparison of two unlike objects by identification or substitution. | 35 | |
| 2984278346 | simile | a direct comparison of two unlike objects, using like or as. | 36 | |
| 2984278347 | conceit | an extended metaphor comparing two unlike objects with powerful effect. (It owes its roots to elaborate analogies in Petrarch and to the Metaphysical poets, particularly Donne.) | 37 | |
| 2984278348 | personification | a figure of speech in which objects and animals have human qualities. | 38 | |
| 2984278349 | apostrophe | an address to a person or personified object not present. | 39 | |
| 2984278350 | metonymy | the substitution of a word which relates to the object or person to be named, in place of the name itself. | 40 | |
| 2984278351 | synecdoche | a figure of speech in which a part represents the whole object or idea. | 41 | |
| 2984278352 | hyperbole | exaggeration for effect; overstatement. | 42 | |
| 2984278353 | litotes | a form of understatement in which the negative of an antonym is used to achieve emphasis and intensity. | 43 | |
| 2984278354 | irony | the contrast between actual meaning and the suggestion of another meaning: | 44 | |
| 2984278358 | symbolism | the use of one object to suggest another. | 45 | |
| 2984278359 | imagery | the use of words to represent things, actions, or ideas by sensory description. | 46 | |
| 2984278360 | paradox | a statement which appears self-contradictory, but underlines a basis of truth. | 47 | |
| 2984278361 | oxymoron | contradictory terms brought together to express a paradox for strong effect. | 48 | |
| 2984278362 | allusion | a reference to an outside fact, event, or other source. | 49 | |
| 2984278363 | tone | the author's attitude toward her audience and subject. | 50 | |
| 2984278364 | theme | the author's major idea or meaning. | 51 | |
| 2984278365 | dramatic situation | the circumstance of the speaker. | 52 | |
| 2984278366 | stanza | a section of a poem | 53 | |
| 2984278367 | aubade | a song written to praise the coming of dawn. | 54 | |
| 2984278368 | ballad | a simple poem, usually created for singing, dealing with a dramatic episode. | 55 | |
| 2984278369 | ballade | a French poem of three stanzas and an envoy, a four-line refrain recited to another person. | 56 | |
| 2984278370 | dirge | a poem or song of lament, usually a commemoration for the dead. | 57 | |
| 2984278371 | eclogue | a bucolic or pastoral poem such as Spenser's Shepheardes Calendar. | 58 | |
| 2984278372 | epithalamion | a poem written in celebration of marriage. | 59 | |
| 2984278373 | hymn | a poem of religious emotion usually written for singing. | 60 | |
| 2984278374 | monody | a poem similar to a dirge; a Greek poem of mourning sung by one person. | 61 | |
| 2984278375 | pastoral | many forms of literature fit this category; its setting is a created world marked by constant summer and fecund nature. | 62 | |
| 2984278376 | rondeau | a French poem for light topics; it has 15 lines, with short refrains at lines 9 and 15, rhymed aabba, aabc, aabbac. | 63 | |
| 2984278377 | rondel | a poem very similar to a rondeau, with 13 or 14 lines. | 64 | |
| 2984278378 | song | a poem for musical expression, usually brief, straightforward, and emotional. | 65 | |
| 2984278379 | threnody | a poem similar to a dirge; in Greek poetry it mourns the dead and is sung by a chorus. | 66 | |
| 2984278380 | vers de société | light verse, written in a congenial, witty, amorous way. | 67 | |
| 2984278381 | lyric poem | The lyric poem is the most widely used type of poem, so diverse in its format that a rigid definition is impossible. However, several qualities are common to all lyric poems=1. limited in length 2. intensely subjective3. personal expressions of personal emotion 4. expresses thoughts and feelings of a single speaker 5. highly imaginative 6. has a regular rhyme scheme | 68 | |
| 2984278382 | narrative poem | The narrative poem tells a story, sometimes simple, sometimes complicated, sometimes brief, sometimes long (as in the epic). Because of the increasing acceptance of the novel and shorter forms of prose fiction, narrative poems appears less frequently today. Almost the opposite of the lyric, it can be characterized as follows=1. highly objective 2. told by a speaker detached from the action 3. the thoughts and feelings of the speaker do not enter the poem 4. the rhyme scheme is regular | 69 | |
| 2984278383 | soliloquy | (literally one-speech)--a sustained moment where one character speaks his private thoughts aloud. Other characters cannot hear him, but the audience can. | 70 | |
| 2984278384 | aside | a brief moment where one character speaks his private thoughts aloud while in the middle of a conversation with other characters. Other characters cannot hear him, but the audience can. | 71 | |
| 2984278385 | ode | an exalted, complex, rapturous lyric poem written about a dignified, lofty subject. | 72 | |
| 2984278386 | blank verse | unrhymed verse, but each line is basically iambic pentameter. It is often used in plays, especially those of Shakespeare. The tone of blank verse tends to be serious. Today, critics employ the term to include many unrhymed metric forms, where iambic pentameter occurs but not constantly. | 73 | |
| 2984278387 | free verse (vers libre) | it is free from the limitations of fixed meter and rhyme, but this is not to say that it lacks poetic techniques. Free verse is very rhythmic, often patterned after the spoken word. (The American poet Walt Whitman is one of its great practitioners). | 74 | |
| 2984278388 | dramatic monologue | Another form of the lyric, the dramatic monologue was brought to great heights by the Victorian poet Robert Browning. As the title suggests, it is a poem told by one speaker about a significant event. We enter the psyche of the speaker, and the skillful poet makes much of his own nature, attitudes and circumstances available in words to the reader who discerns the implications of the poem. The dramatic monologue differs from soliloquy in a play in that in drama time and place are developed before the character ascends the stage alone to make his remarks, whereas the dramatic monologue by itself establishes time, place and character. In the dramatic monologue, the speaker= 1. reveals in his own words some dramatic situation in which he is involved 2. demonstrates his character through the poem 3. addresses a listener who does not engage in dialogue but helps to develop the speech | 75 | |
| 2984278389 | elegy | a poem that mourns the death of an individual, the absence of something deeply loved, or the transience of mankind. A form of the lyric, the poem has a solemn, dignified tone as it laments the loss of something dear to the poet or to man. A particular subset is the Pastoral Elegy, a mourning poem with a joyous ending. The format involves a shepherd set in a pastoral world, a rustic, fertile environment marked by eternal summer and a fecund nature. | 76 | |
| 2984278390 | metric feet | iambic= a light followed by a stressed syllable (balloon) trochaic= a stressed followed by a light syllable (soda) anapestic= two light followed by a stressed syllable (contradict) dactylic= a stressed followed by two light syllables (maniac) spondaic= two successive syllables with approximately equal strong stresses (man-made) pyrrhic= two successive syllables with approximately equal light stresses | 77 | |
| 2984278391 | types of verse lines | Aspect of poetry measured as follows: monometer/one foot; dimeter/two feet; trimeter/three feet; tetrameter/four feet; pentameter/five feet hexameter/six feet (also called an Alexandrine); heptameter/seven feet (also called a fourteener); octometer/eight feet | 78 | |
| 2984278392 | figurative language | writing or speech not meant to be interpreted literally; it is language used to create vivid word pictures, to make writing emotionally intense and concentrated, and to state ideas in new and unusual ways | 79 | |
| 2984278393 | flashback | interruption of the narrative to show an episode that happened before that point in the story | 80 | |
| 2984278394 | foreshadowing | hint to the reader of what is to come | 81 | |
| 2984278395 | mood (atmosphere) | feeling created in the reader by the passage | 82 | |
| 2984278396 | parable | short tale that teaches a lesson or illustrates a moral truth (The Pearl, "The Minister's Black Veil") | 83 | |
| 2984278397 | point of view | the vantage point from which a story is told; first-person- the story is told by a character within the story third-person- the story is told by a narrator outside the story limited - the storyteller knows the internal state of one character omniscient - the storyteller knows the internal states of all characters | 84 | |
| 2984278398 | rhythm | pattern of stressed or unstressed sounds in spoken or written language | 85 | |
| 2984278399 | sentence structure | varied length and arrangement of words to produce a desired effect | 86 | |
| 2984278400 | setting | time and place of action | 87 | |
| 2984278401 | structure | overall design or arrangement of material | 88 | |
| 2984278402 | style | mode of expression, the devices an author employs in his writing, the way the content is presented | 89 | |
| 2984278403 | syntax | arrangement of words to show their mutual relations | 90 | |
| 2984278404 | word choice (diction) | particular choice of words for meaning and suggestion | 91 | |
| 2998185039 | anaphora | the repetition of a word or short phrase for dramatic or rhetorical effect (ex: MLK's use of "I have a dream") | 92 | |
| 2998189200 | anastrophe | Inverted syntax, like how Yoda talks | 93 | |
| 2998190717 | asyndeton | the omission or absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentnece | 94 | |
| 2998193303 | zeugma | a figure of speech in which a word applies to two others in different senses or to two others of which it semantically suits only one (ex: Frank and his license expired last month [different ways of expiring]) | 95 |
AP Literature Allusions Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 4890897923 | Achilles's Heel | This is a term from greek mythology. When Achilles was a baby, his mother dipped his body in the River Styx, the water gave immortality to humans. His mother held him by his heel, so this is the only place on this body that did not touch the body. His one area of vulnerability. Later he was killed by being stabbed by a poisonous arrow in his heel. Today the term has come to refer to a person's area of particular vulnerability. | 0 | |
| 4890900829 | Pound of Flesh | In Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, Shylock, a moneylender demands a pound of flesh as payment should anything happen to the ships. When the ships are lost at sea, Shylock insists that he must have a pound of flesh, as the contract demanded. Antonio is spared only because of a technicality: not entitled any of his blood. So, he cannot take a pound of flesh unless he can do so without blood. This phrase is used to describe someone's insistence on being repaid | 1 | |
| 4974051627 | Sacred Cow | In hinduism, cows are considered to be sacred; thus cows are not to be harmed, and certainly not killed for food. If a cow wanders into a shop, the merchant can only try to lure it out with food; he is not allowed to interfere with it by prodding or poking, even if it is breaking things. The idiom "Sacred Cow" refers to something that cannot be interfered with or harmed | 2 | |
| 4890903024 | Crossing the Rubicon | After defeating the Gauls in the Gallic Wars, JUlius Caesar was ordered by his enemies in the Senate, so he traveled south toward Italy. BY Roman Law, a general was forbidden from crossing Italy with an army. He did it anyway, making civil war inevitable. After Caesar crossed the Rubicon, there was no turning back for him and his troops. To cross the Rubicon is to take an irreversible step, often involving some danger. | 3 | |
| 4890904966 | Pearls before swine | In the sermon on the mount, Jesus admonished his followers to "cast not your pearls before swine." That is, his followers were to deliver their message to those who would appreciate the message, not those incapable of appreciating something of value. Swine, or pigs, would not be able to appreciate pearls. To offer something of value to someone who can not understand its worth or value. | 4 | |
| 4890907325 | Once in a blue moon | A "blue moon" is a second full moon within the same calendar month, a phenomenon that occurs approximately every three years. It is thought that calendar markers traditionally pictured the first full moon in red and second in blue. This phrase describes something that occurs very rarely. | 5 | |
| 4890910472 | Mrs. Grundy | In Speed the Plow, a 1798 play by Thomas Morton, Mrs. Grundy is a character who never appears on stage. However, other characters frequently ask "what would Mrs. Grundy say?" Mrs. Grundy is a narrow-minded prudish person. Grundyism and the phrase Mrs.Grundy refer to an attitude of narrow-minded prudishness. | 6 | |
| 4890910661 | Crocodile Tears | Crocodiles were once thought to shed large tears before devouring their prey. This belief, which dates to ancient time, comes from the fact that crocodiles have small ducts in the corner of their eyes which release "tears" when the crocodile opens its jaw wide. Obviously a cold-blooded reptile has no real feelings of sympathy for its prey. Thus to shed crocodile tears, is to show false sympathy for someone. | 7 | |
| 4890914086 | Sirens | In greek mythology, sirens were sea creatures who lured sailors to their deaths on the rocky shores by singing a beautiful, irresistible song. They are usually depicted as a woman, or as half-woman, half-bird. In modern usage, sirens can refer to anything that tempts a person away from safety and toward a destructive path. | 8 | |
| 4961623682 | Read the Riot Act | Under English Common Law, an unruly crowd had to be read the Riot Act before action could be taken, to force them to disperse. To issue a stern warning that if unacceptable behavior does not cease, severe consequences will follow. | 9 | |
| 4961630969 | Thirty pieces of silver/ betrayed with a kiss | In the bible, Judas was the disciple who agreed to betray Jesus to the authorities in exchange for payment. The thirty pieces of silver were the price of Judas' betrayal.The way judas identified Jesus for the authorities was to approach and greet him with a kiss. Thirty pieces of silver refers to payment for an act of treachery and betrayal with a kiss refers to a supposed friend's treachery. | 10 | |
| 4974036416 | Gordian Knot | According to legend, Gordius was a Greek King. He tied an extremely complex kot, and an oracle prophesied that whoever unties it would rule all of Asia. Alexander the Great "untied" the knot by simply cutting it with a sword. A "Gordian knot" is an extremely complex problem, and "cutting the Gordian knot" refers to solving such a problem in a quick, decisive manner | 11 | |
| 4974039162 | Ivory Tower | A French poet, Alfred de Vigny, was said to have shut himself in an ivory tower so that he could compose his poems. Furthermore "ivory towers" are mentioned in various 18th century fairy tales. The term thus refers to a beautiful, unreachable place. It has come to have negative connotation of being out of touch with reality. A person who is secluded or protected from the real world and thus out of touch with reality is said to be residing in an "ivory tower". | 12 | |
| 4974041506 | All that glitters is not gold | This is a proverb from a latin translation of Aristotle. The proverb read, "Do not hold as gold all that shines as gold." In other words, just because something looks like gold, one should not assume that is actually is gold. The message of the proverb is that something which appears valuable on the outside, may in fact be less valuable. Appearances=deceptive. | 13 | |
| 4974047039 | Sound and Fury | In shakespeare's Macbeth, when Macbeth is informed that his wife has died, he speaks of the inevitability of death: Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing "Sound and fury" refers to a great, tumultuous, and passionate uproar that actually is unimportant or meaningless. | 14 |
AP Language Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 2669468574 | Anecdote | A short account of an interesting or humorous incident | 0 | |
| 2669484281 | Antecedent | The word phrase or clause that determines what a pronoun refers to | 1 | |
| 2669484081 | Anthimeria | Substitution of one part of speech for another Example: changing a noun into a verb | 2 | |
| 2676643239 | Anthropomorphism | when animals are given human characteristics often confused with personification | 3 | |
| 2676647612 | anticlimax | Occurs when an action produces far smaller results than one had been lead to expect | 4 |
AP Literature: All terms Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 6266508910 | pathos | appeal to emotion | 0 | |
| 6266508911 | pentameter | a line of five feet | 1 | |
| 6266508912 | periodic sentence | a sentence that, by leaving the completion of its main clause to the end, produces an effect of suspense | 2 | |
| 6266508913 | peripeteia | a sudden turn of events or an unexpected reversal in a tragedy | 3 | |
| 6266508914 | personification | the technique by which animals, abstract ideas, or inanimate objects are referred to as if they were human | 4 | |
| 6266508915 | plot | the careful arrangement by an author of incidents in a narrative to achieve a desired effect | 5 | |
| 6266508916 | point of view | the vantage point, or stance, from which a story is told | 6 | |
| 6266508917 | polysyndeton | the opposite of asyndeton. the use of many conjugations has a slowing effect. | 7 | |
| 6266508918 | post-modernism | a tendency in contemporary culture characterized by the rejection of objective truth. | 8 | |
| 6266508919 | primitivism | the belief that nature provides a truer and more healthful model than culture; the nobel savage | 9 | |
| 6266508920 | prosody | the study of sound and rhythm in poetry | 10 | |
| 6266508921 | pun | a form of wit, not necessarily funny, involving a play on a word with two or more meanings | 11 | |
| 6266508922 | puritanism | extreme strictness in moral or religious matters, often to excess; rigid austerity | 12 | |
| 6266508923 | quatrain | a verse stanza of four lines, rhymed or unrhymed | 13 | |
| 6266508924 | rationalism | the doctrine that reason alone is a source of knowledge and is independent of experience | 14 | |
| 6266508925 | realism | the author's use of accuracy in the portrayal of life or reality | 15 | |
| 6266508926 | regionalism | the tendency in literature to focus on a specific geographical region or locality, re-creating as accurately as possible its unique setting, speech, customs, manners, beliefs and history | 16 | |
| 6266508927 | rhetoric | the art of persuasion, in speaking or writing | 17 | |
| 6266508928 | rising action | the part of a plot that leads through a series of events of increasing interest and poe to the climax or turning point | 18 | |
| 6266508929 | romanticism | literature depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form | 19 | |
| 6266508930 | sarcasm | harsh, cutting, personal remarks to or about someone, not necessarily ironic | 20 | |
| 6266508931 | satire | any form of literature that blends ironic humor and wit with criticism directed at a particular folly, vice or stupidity. satire seeks to correct, improve, or reform through ridicule | 21 | |
| 6266508932 | setting | the general locale, time in history, or social milieu in which the action takes place | 22 | |
| 6266508933 | simile | a less direct metaphor, using like or as | 23 | |
| 6266508934 | situational irony | the contrast between what is intended or expected and what actually occurs | 24 | |
| 6266508935 | slant rhyme | inexact rhyme between two words | 25 | |
| 6266508936 | soliloquy | a speech by one character while alone on the stage or under the impression of being alone | 26 | |
| 6266508937 | sonnet | a fourteen-line lyric poem in iambic pentameter | 27 | |
| 6266508938 | speaker's attitude | the speaker's viewpoint regarding his subject matter | 28 | |
| 6266508939 | stanza | a section or division of a poem, resembling paragraphs in prose | 29 | |
| 6266508940 | stock character | a stereotyped character; one familiar to use from examples in previous fiction | 30 | |
| 6266508941 | stream of consciousness | a technique in which the reader sees the continuous, chaotic flow of a character's thoughts | 31 | |
| 6266508942 | structure | the pattern of organization | 32 | |
| 6266508943 | style | how the author's word choice, sentence structure, figurative language, and sentence arrangement all work together to establish mood, images, and meaning in the text | 33 | |
| 6266508944 | surrealism | employs illogical, dreamlike images and events to suggest the unconscious | 34 | |
| 6266508945 | syllogism | a form of logical reasoning, consisting of two premises and a conclusion (A=B B=C A=C) | 35 | |
| 6266508946 | symbol | anything that stands for or represents something else beyond it | 36 | |
| 6266508947 | synathesia | the description of one kind of sensation in terms of another | 37 | |
| 6266508948 | synecdoche | figure of speech that utilizes a part as representative of a whole | 38 | |
| 6266508949 | syntax | the rules or patterns of grammatical language | 39 | |
| 6266508950 | theme | an abstract idea that emerges from a literary work's treatment of its subject matter | 40 | |
| 6266508951 | title character | a character who gives his/her name to the work | 41 | |
| 6266508952 | tone | the reflection in a work of the author's attitude toward his or her subject | 42 | |
| 6266508953 | tragedy | a drama in which the protagonist, a person of high position, suffers a fall in fortune due to some error of judgement or flaw in his or her nature | 43 | |
| 6266508954 | tragic flaw | the defect of a character that brings about the protagonist's downfall in a tragedy | 44 | |
| 6266508955 | transcendentalism | the american version of romanticism; held that there was something in human beings that transcended human nature -- a spark of divinity | 45 | |
| 6266508956 | trope | any literary or rhetorical device, as metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, and irony, that consists in the use of words in other than their literal sense | 46 | |
| 6266508957 | unity of action | a tragedy that has one main action that it follows with no or few subplots | 47 | |
| 6266508958 | verbal irony | a contrast between what is said and what is actually meant | 48 | |
| 6266508959 | verisimilitude | the appearance or semblance of truth | 49 | |
| 6266508960 | villanelle | a lyric poem made up of five stanzas of three lines, plus a final stanza of four lines | 50 | |
| 6266508961 | voice | how a written work conveys to a reader of the writer's attitude, personality, and character | 51 | |
| 6266508962 | wit | ingenuity in connecting amusingly incongruous ideas; intellect, humor | 52 | |
| 6266508963 | allegory | a story with a second distinct meaning partially hidden behind its literal or visible meaning ex. animal farm | 53 | |
| 6266508964 | alliteration | the repitition of the same sounds, usually initial consonants, in neighboring words ex. anxious ants avoid anteaters | 54 | |
| 6266508965 | allusion | an indirect or passing reference to an event, person, place or artistic work that the author assumes the reader will understand | 55 | |
| 6266508966 | ambiguity | a word, phrase or attitude that has double or even multiple meanings, resulting in multiple interpretations | 56 | |
| 6266508967 | anachronism | an event, custom, person, or thing that is out of its natural order of time ex. back to the future | 57 | |
| 6266508968 | anagnorisis | the critical moment of recognition or discovery in a tragedy | 58 | |
| 6266508969 | anaphora | the regular reputation of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases or clauses | 59 | |
| 6266508970 | antithesis | a figure of speech in which opposing or contrasting ideas are balanced against each other using grammatically parallel syntax | 60 | |
| 6266508971 | apostrophe | a rhetorical device in which the speaker addresses a dead or absent person, or an inanimate object or abstraction | 61 | |
| 6266508972 | archetype | a pattern or model of an action, a character type, or an image that recurs consistently enough in life and literature to be considered universal | 62 | |
| 6266508973 | assonance | the repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds in neighboring words | 63 | |
| 6266508974 | asyndeton | conjunctions are omitted, producing a fast-paced and rapid prose | 64 | |
| 6266508975 | ballad | a form of narrative poetry that presents a single dramatic episode, which is often tragic or violent | 65 | |
| 6266508976 | bildungsroman | a coming of age work that follows its protagonist from youth to experience, or maturity ex. to kill a mockingbird, harry potter | 66 | |
| 6266508977 | blank verse | poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter | 67 | |
| 6266508978 | bombast | speech too pompous for an occasion; pretentious words | 68 | |
| 6266508979 | burlesque | an artistic composition, especially literary or dramatic, that, for the sake of laughter, vulgarizes lofty material or treats ordinary material with mock dignity | 69 | |
| 6266508980 | cacophony | harsh, clashing, or dissonant sounds, often produced by combinations of words that require a clipped, explosive delivery | 70 | |
| 6266508981 | caesura | a pause in a line of verse, often coinciding with a break between clauses or sentences | 71 | |
| 6266508982 | caricature | a picture, description, etc., ludicrously exaggerating the peculiarities or defects of persons or things ex. clueless | 72 | |
| 6266508983 | catharsis | the effect of purification achieved by tragic drama; emotional release | 73 | |
| 6266508984 | chiasmus | grammatical structure in which the first clause or phrase is reversed in the second, sometimes repeating the same words. | 74 | |
| 6266508985 | classicism | an adherence to the principals of greek and roman literature | 75 | |
| 6266508986 | climax | the turning point or high point in a plot's action | 76 | |
| 6266508987 | colloquial | words or phrases that are used in everyday conversation; informal writing | 77 | |
| 6266508988 | conceit | an unusually far-fetched or elaborate metaphor presenting a surprisingly apt parallel between two apparently dissimilar things or feelings | 78 | |
| 6266508989 | consonance | the repetition of identical or similar consonants in neighboring words whose vowel sounds are different | 79 | |
| 6266508990 | couplet | two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme and that are written to the same meter | 80 | |
| 6266508991 | dactyl | metrical foot of three syllables, on accented followed by two unaccented | 81 | |
| 6266508992 | dénouement | the portion of a plot that reveals the final outcome of its conflicts or the solution of its mysteries | 82 | |
| 6266508993 | determinism | philosophy that suggests people's actions and all other events are determined by forces over which human beings have no control ex. romeo and juliet | 83 | |
| 6266508994 | deus ex machina | the resolution of a plot by use of highly improbable change, coincidence or artificial device that solves some difficult problem or crisis | 84 | |
| 6266508995 | diction | the choice of words used in a literary work | 85 | |
| 6266508996 | digression | a portion of a written work that interrupts or pauses the development of the theme of plot | 86 | |
| 6266508997 | dissonance | harshness of sound and/or rhyme, either inadvertent or deliberate | 87 | |
| 6266508998 | dramatic irony | a situation in which the audience knows more about a character's situation that the character does, foreseeing an outcome contrary to the character's expectations ex. romeo and juliet | 88 | |
| 6266508999 | dystopia | an undesirable imaginary society | 89 | |
| 6266509000 | elegy | an elaborately formal lyric poem lamenting the death of a friend or public figure, or serious reflection on a serious subject | 90 | |
| 6266509001 | end-stopped | a line brought to a pause at which the end of a verse line coincides with the completion of a sentence, clause, or other independent unit of syntax | 91 | |
| 6266509002 | enjambment | the running over of the sense and grammatical structure form one verse line or couplet to the next without a punctuated pause | 92 | |
| 6266509003 | epic | a long narrative poem celebrating the great deeds of one or more legendary heroes in a grand style ex. the odyssey | 93 | |
| 6266509004 | epistolary | a novel written in the form of correspondence between characters ex. frankenstein, perks of being a wallflower | 94 | |
| 6266509005 | epithet | any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality ex. "richard the lion-hearted" | 95 | |
| 6266509006 | euphony | a pleasing smoothness of sound, perceived by the ease with which the words can be spoken in combination | 96 | |
| 6266509007 | exegesis | critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of text | 97 | |
| 6266509008 | exposition | the setting forth of a systematic explanation of or argument about nay subject; or the opening part of a play or story | 98 | |
| 6266509009 | extended metaphor | a metaphor that is sustained for several lines or that becomes the controlling image of an entire poem | 99 | |
| 6266509010 | fable | a brief tale that conveys a moral lesson usually by giving human speech and manners to animals and inanimate things ex. the tortoise and the hare | 100 | |
| 6266509011 | falling action | the segment of the plot that comes between the climax and the conclusion | 101 | |
| 6266509012 | farce | a type of drama related to comedy but emphasizing improbable situations, violent conflicts, physical action, and coarse wit over characterization or articulated plot | 102 | |
| 6266509013 | feminine rhyme | two-syllable rhyme | 103 | |
| 6266509014 | first person pov | the story is told by one of its characters, using the first person pronoun "i" which does not give the reader insight into the other characters' motives or thoughts | 104 | |
| 6266509015 | flashback | a way or presenting scenes or incidents that took place before the opening scene | 105 | |
| 6266509016 | foil | a character whose qualities or actions serve to emphasize those of the protagonist by providing a strong contrast with them | 106 | |
| 6266509017 | foot | the basic unit of rhythmic measurement in a line of poetry | 107 | |
| 6266509018 | foreshadowing | the organization and presentation of events and scenes in a work of fiction or drama so that the reader or observer is prepared to some degree for what occurs later in the work | 108 | |
| 6266509019 | frame narrative | the result of inserting one or more small stories within the body of a larger story that encompasses the smaller ones | 109 | |
| 6266509020 | free verse | poetry that is free of rhyme and meter resembling natural speech | 110 | |
| 6266509021 | gothic novel | a type of novel characterized by master, horror, and the supernatural, often with haunted castles, secret passageways, grisly visions, and all the paraphernalia of the tale of terror | 111 | |
| 6266509022 | grotesque | a character or location that is irregular, extravagant or fantastic in form | 112 | |
| 6266509023 | harmartia | the greek word for error or failure; slightly different from tragic flaw, which is a flaw of character | 113 | |
| 6266509024 | heroic couplet | two end-stopped iambic pentameter lines rhymed aa, bb, cc, with the thought usually compete the two line unit | 114 | |
| 6266509025 | hexameter | a line containing six feet | 115 | |
| 6266509026 | homily | religious sermon or discourse | 116 | |
| 6266509027 | hubris | the greek word for insolence or affront, applied to the arrogance or pride of the protagonist in a tragedy in which he or she defies moral laws in the prohibitions of the gods. | 117 | |
| 6266509028 | humanism | a variety of ethical theory and practice that emphasizes reason, scientific inquiry, and human fulfillment in the natural world and often rejects the importance of belief in God. | 118 | |
| 6266509029 | hyperbole | exaggeration for the sake of emphasis in a figure of speech not meant literally | 119 | |
| 6266509030 | lamb | a metrical foot consisting of two syllables, an unaccented syllable followed by an accented ex: invade, today | 120 | |
| 6266509031 | idyll | a poe or prose work describing an idealized rural life, pastoral scenes | 121 | |
| 6266509032 | imagery | the making of pictures in words | 122 | |
| 6266509033 | impressionism | a practice in literature that emphasizes immediate aspects of objects or actions without attention to details | 123 | |
| 6266509034 | in medias res | latin for "the middle of things," the term describes the narrative practice of beginning a story in the middle of the action to involve the reader, and then sing one or more flashbacks to fill in what led up to that point | 124 | |
| 6266509035 | internal rhyme | rhyme which comes within the line | 125 | |
| 6266509036 | invective | direct denunciation or name-calling | 126 | |
| 6266509037 | irony | the incongruity, or difference, between reality (what is) and appearance (what seems to be) | 127 | |
| 6266509038 | jargon | the special language of a profession or group | 128 | |
| 6266509039 | juxtaposition | the "side by side" comparison of two or more objects or ideals for the purpose of highlighting similarities or differences | 129 | |
| 6266509040 | kenning | a metaphoric compound word or phrase used as a synonym for a common noun | 130 | |
| 6266509041 | lampoon | a sharp, often virulent satire directed against an individual or institution | 131 | |
| 6266509042 | limited pov | the narrator limits him;herself to a complete knowledge of one character in the story and tells us only what the one character feels, thinks, sees or hears. | 132 | |
| 6266509043 | litotes | a figure of speech by which an affirmation is made indirectly by saying its opposite, usually with an effect of understatement | 133 | |
| 6266509044 | loose sentence | sentence that follows normal patterns, subject then verb then modifiers | 134 | |
| 6266509045 | lyric poetry | a usually short, personal poem expressing the poet's emotions and thoughts rather than telling a story | 135 | |
| 6266509046 | malapropism | the comic substitution of one word for another similar in sound, but different in meaning. functions to make characters look ignorant or amusingly uneducated. | 136 | |
| 6266509047 | masculine rhyme | one-syllable rhyme | 137 | |
| 6266509048 | metaphor | one thing, idea, or action, is referred to by a word or expression normally denoting another thing, idea or action, so as to suggest some common quality shared by the two | 138 | |
| 6266509049 | metaphysical poetry | intricate 17th century English poetry employing with and unexpected images | 139 | |
| 6266509050 | meter | the pattern of measured sound-units recurring more or less regularly in lines of verse | 140 | |
| 6266509051 | metonymy | figure of speech in which a representative term is used for a large idea | 141 | |
| 6266509052 | mock epic | comically or satirically imitates the form and style of the epic, treating a trivial subject in a lofty manner | 142 | |
| 6266509053 | mode | an employed method or approach, identifiable with a written work | 143 | |
| 6266509054 | modernism | movement and emphasizing the desire to break away from established traditions | 144 | |
| 6266509055 | mood | the prevailing emotional attitude in a literary work | 145 | |
| 6266509056 | myth | an anonymous narrative, originating in the primitive folklore of a race or nation, that explains natural phenomena, or recounts the deeds of the heroes, passed on through oral tradition | 146 | |
| 6266509057 | naturalism | style of writing that rejects idealized portrayals of life and attempts complete accuracy, disinterested objectivity, and frankness in depicting life as a brutal struggle for survival | 147 | |
| 6266509058 | non sequitur | an inference or conclusion that does not follow established evidence or premises | 148 | |
| 6266509059 | novel of manners | a novel, usually comical and satirical, whose characters and plot emerge from and are limited by the social customs, values, habits and mores of a particular social class in a particular time and place | 149 | |
| 6266509060 | ode | an elaborately formal lyric poem, often in the form of a lengthy address to a person or abstract entity always serious and elevated in tone | 150 | |
| 6266509061 | omniscient pov | the narrator knows all (godlike) and is free to tell us anything, including what the characters are thinking or feeling and why they act as they do | 151 | |
| 6266509062 | onomatopeia | the use of words that seem to imitate the sounds they refer to | 152 | |
| 6266509063 | oxymoron | a figure of speech in which two contradictory words or phrases are combined in a single expression | 153 | |
| 6266509064 | parable | a brief tale intended to be understood as an allegory illustrating some lesson or moral | 154 | |
| 6266509065 | paradox | a statement or expression so surprisingly self-contradictory as to provoke us into seeking another sense in which it would be true | 155 | |
| 6266509066 | parody | a composition that ridicules another composition by imitating and exaggerating aspects of its content | 156 | |
| 6266509067 | pastoral | a poem dealing with rural life | 157 | |
| 6266509068 | pathetic fallacy | the presentation of nature as possessing human feelings | 158 |
AP Literature Terms Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 6249433466 | Allegory | A story or poem in which characters, settings, and events stand for other people or events of for abstract ideas or qualities | 0 | |
| 6249433467 | Ambiguity | Deliberately suggesting 2 or more different meanings in a work. An event or situation that may be interpreted in more than one way | 1 | |
| 6249433468 | Allusion | Reference to someone or something that is known from history, literature, religion, etc. | 2 | |
| 6249433469 | Analogy | Comparison made between 2 things to show how they are alike | 3 | |
| 6249433470 | Anaphora | Repition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of 2 or more sentences in a row | 4 | |
| 6249433471 | Anastrophe | Inversion of the usual, normal, or logical order of the parts of a sentence | 5 | |
| 6249433472 | Anecdote | Brief story, told to illustrate a point or serve as an example of something | 6 | |
| 6249433473 | Antimetabole | Repetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order | 7 | |
| 6249433474 | Antithesis | Balancing words, phrases, or ideas that are strongly contrasted, often by means of grammatical structure | 8 | |
| 6249433475 | Antihero | Central character who lacks all the qualities traditionally associated with heroes | 9 | |
| 6249433476 | Anthropomorphism | Attributing human characteristics to an animal or inanimate object | 10 | |
| 6249433477 | Aphorism | Brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life, or of a principle or accepted general truth | 11 | |
| 6249433478 | Apostrophe | Calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person, or to a place or thing, or a personified abstract idea | 12 | |
| 6249433479 | Apposition | Placing an immediately succeeding order of 2 or more coordinate elements, latter of which is an explanation, qualification, or modification of the first. | 13 | |
| 6249433480 | Asyndeton | Commas used without conjunction to separate a series of words | 14 | |
| 6249433481 | Balance | Constructing a sentence so that both halves are about the same length and importance | 15 | |
| 6249433482 | Indirect characterization | Author reveals to the reader what the character is like by describing how the character looks and dresses, hear what the character says, revealing their private thoughts and feelings, etc | 16 | |
| 6249433483 | Direct characterization | Author tells us directly what the character is like | 17 | |
| 6249433484 | Static character | One who does not change much in the course of a story | 18 | |
| 6249433485 | Dynamic character | One who changes in some important way as a result of the story's action | 19 | |
| 6249433486 | Flat character | Has only 1 or 2 personality traits | 20 | |
| 6249433487 | Round character | Has more dimensions to their personalities-they are complex | 21 | |
| 6249433488 | Chiasmus | In poetry, a type of rhetorical balance in which the second part is syntactically balanced against the first, but with the parts reversed | 22 | |
| 6249433489 | Colloquialism | A word or phrase in everyday use in conversation and informal writing but is inappropriate for formal situations | 23 | |
| 6249433490 | Comedy | A story that ends with a happy resolution of the conflicts faced by the main character(s) | 24 | |
| 6249433491 | Conceit | An elaborate metaphor that compares 2 things that are startlingly different | 25 | |
| 6249433492 | Confessional poetry | A 20th century term used to describe poetry that uses intimate material from the poet's life | 26 | |
| 6249433493 | External conflict | Conflict between 2 people, person and nature or a machine, or a person and a whole society | 27 | |
| 6249433494 | Internal conflict | Involving opposing forces within a person's mind | 28 | |
| 6249433495 | Connotation | The associations and emotional overtones that have become attached to a word or phrase, in addition to its strict dictionary definition | 29 | |
| 6249433496 | Couplet | Two consecutive rhyming line software poetry | 30 | |
| 6249433497 | Dialect | A way of speaking that is characteristic of a certain social group or of the inhabitants of a certain geographical area | 31 | |
| 6249433498 | Diction | A speaker or writer's choice of words | 32 | |
| 6249433499 | Didactic | Form of fiction or nonfiction that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of correct behavior or thinking | 33 | |
| 6249433500 | Elegy | A poem of mourning, usually about someone who has died | 34 | |
| 6249433501 | Epanalepsis | Device of repetition in which the same expression is repeated both at the beginning and at the end of the line, clause, or sentence ("common sense is not so common") | 35 | |
| 6249433502 | Epic | A long narrative poem, written in heightened language, which recounts the deeds of a heroic character who embodies the values of a particular society | 36 | |
| 6249433503 | Epigraph | A quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work suggestive of the theme | 37 | |
| 6249433504 | Epistrophe | Device of repetiton in which the same expression is repeated at the end of 2 or more lines, clauses, or sentences | 38 | |
| 6249433505 | Epithet | An adjective or adjective phrase applied to a person or thing that is frequently used to emphasize a characteristic quality | 39 | |
| 6249433506 | Essay | A short piece of nonfiction prose in which the writer discusses some aspect of a subject | 40 | |
| 6249433507 | Argumentation | An essay that uses logic, ethics, and emotional appeals to develop an effective means to convince the reader to think or act in a certain way | 41 | |
| 6249433508 | Casual relationship | Form of argumentation on which the writer claims that one thing results from another, often used as part of a logical argument | 42 | |
| 6249433509 | Exposition | Something is explained or "set forth" | 43 | |
| 6249433510 | Description | A form of discourse that uses language to create a mood or emotion | 44 | |
| 6249433511 | Explication | Act of interpreting or discovering the meaning of a text, usually involves close reading and special attention to figurative language | 45 | |
| 6260854651 | Fable | A very short story told in prose or poetry that teaches a practical lesson about how to succeed in life | 46 | |
| 6260854652 | Farce | A type of comedy in which ridiculous and often stereotyped characters are involved in silly, far-fetched situations | 47 | |
| 6260854653 | Foil | A character who acts as contrast to another character. Often a funny sidekick to the dashing hero, or a villain contrasting a hero | 48 | |
| 6260854654 | Free verse | Poetry that does not conform to a regular meter or rhyme scheme | 49 | |
| 6260854655 | Hyperbole | Incredible exaggeration | 50 | |
| 6260854656 | Hypotactic | Sentence marked by use of connecting words between clauses or sentences, explicitly showing the logical or other relationships between them | 51 | |
| 6260854657 | Inversion | The reversal of the normal word order in a sentence or phrase | 52 | |
| 6260854658 | Verbal irony | Occurs when someone says one thing but really means something else | 53 | |
| 6260854659 | Situational irony | Takes place when there is discrepancy between what is expected to happen, and what would be appropriate to happen, and what really does happen. | 54 | |
| 6260854660 | Dramatic irony | The audience knows something that the character does not | 55 | |
| 6260854661 | Juxtaposition | A form of contrast by which writers call attention to dissimilar ideas or images or metaphors | 56 | |
| 6260854662 | Litotes | A form of understatement in which the positive form is emphasized through the negation of a negative form | 57 | |
| 6260854663 | Local color | A term applied to fiction or poetry which tends to place special emphasis on a particular setting | 58 | |
| 6260854664 | Loose sentence | One in which the main clause comes first, followed by further dependent grammatical units | 59 | |
| 6260854665 | Lyric poem | A poem that does not tell a story but expresses the personal feelings or thoughts of the speaker | 60 | |
| 6260854666 | Metonymy | A figure of speech in which a person, place, or thing, is referred to by something closely associated with it | 61 | |
| 6260854667 | Mood | An atmosphere created by a writer's diction and the details selected | 62 | |
| 6260854668 | Motif | A recurring image, word, phrase, action, idea, object, or situation used throughout a work, unifying the work by trying the current situation to previous ones, or new ideas to the theme | 63 | |
| 6260854669 | Oxymoron | A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase (pretty ugly) | 64 | |
| 6260854670 | Paradox | A statement that appears self-contradictory, but that reveals a kind of truth | 65 | |
| 6260854671 | Parallelism | The repition of words or phrases that have similar grammatical structures | 66 | |
| 6260854672 | Paratactic sentence | Simply juxtaposes clauses or sentences (I am tired: it is hot) | 67 | |
| 6260854673 | Parody | A work that makes fun of another work by imitating some aspect of the writer's style | 68 | |
| 6260854674 | Periodic | Sentence that places the main idea or central complete thought at the end of the sentence, after all introductory elements | 69 | |
| 6260854675 | Exposition | Introduces characters, situations, and setting | 70 | |
| 6260854676 | Rising action | Complications in conflict and situations | 71 | |
| 6260854677 | 1st person POV | One of the characters tells the story | 72 | |
| 6260854678 | 3rd person POV | An unknown narrator, tells the story, but this narrator zooms in to focus on the thoughts and feelings of only one character | 73 | |
| 6260854679 | Omniscient POV | An all-knowing narrator tells the story, also using the third person pronouns | 74 | |
| 6260854680 | Objective POV | A narrator who is totally impersonal and objective tells the story, with no comment on any characters or events | 75 | |
| 6260854681 | Polysyndeton | Sentence which uses a conjunction with NO commas to separate the items in a series | 76 | |
| 6260854682 | Quatrain | A poem consisting of four lines, or four lines of a poem that can be considered a unit | 77 | |
| 6260854683 | Rhetoric | Art of effective communication, especially persuasive discourse | 78 | |
| 6260854684 | Rhetorical question | A question asked for an effect, and not actually requiring an answer | 79 | |
| 6260854685 | Romance | In general, a story in which an idealized hero or heroine undertakes a quest and is successful | 80 | |
| 6260854686 | Satire | A type of writing that ridicules the shortcomings of people or institutions in an attempt to bring about change | 81 | |
| 6260854687 | Soliloquy | A long speech made by a character in a play while no other characters are on stage | 82 | |
| 6260854688 | Stream of consciousness | A style of writing that portrays the inner (often chaotic) workings of a characters mind | 83 | |
| 6269283375 | Synecdoche | A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole. | 84 | |
| 6269283376 | Syntactic fluency | Ability to create a variety of sentence structures, appropriately complex and/or simple and varied in length | 85 | |
| 6269283377 | Syntactic permutation | Sentence structures that are extraordinarily complex and involved. | 86 | |
| 6269283378 | Telegraphic sentence | A sentence shorter than five words in length | 87 | |
| 6269283379 | Tone | Attitude of the writer toward the subject of a work, the characters in it, or the audience | 88 | |
| 6269283380 | Tricolon | Sentence of three parts of equal importance and length, usually three independent clauses | 89 | |
| 6269283381 | Vernacular | The languages spoken by the people who live in a particular locality | 90 |
Pages
Need Help?
We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.
For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.
If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.
Need Notes?
While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!
