AP LITERATURE TERMS

202286211	adage	a saying or proverb containing a truth based on experience and often couched in metaphorical language
202286212	allegory	a story in which people, things and events have another meaning
202286213	alliteration	repetition of the same sound or letter at the beginning of consecutive words or syllables
202286214	allusion	indirect reference to another text or historic event
202286215	ambiguity	a vagueness of meaning; a conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings or interpretations
202286216	anachronism	a person, scene, event or other element that fails to correspond with the appropriate time or era
202286217	analogy	an extended comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things
202286218	anecdote	a short account of an interesting event
202286219	annotation	explanatory or critical notes added to a text
202286220	antagonist	a character or force in a work of literature that, by opposing the protagonist, produces tension or conflict
202286221	antithesis	parallel structure that juxtaposes contrasting ideas; direct opposite of or complete contrast to something else
202286222	apostrophe	addresses a person or personified thing not present
202286223	appositive	a word or phrase that renames a nearby noun or pronoun
202286224	archaic diction	the use of words common to an earlier time period; antiquated language
202286225	archetype	an abstract or ideal conception of a type
202286226	assertion	an emphatic statement; declaration
202286227	aside	dramatic convention by which an actor directly addresses the audience but it is not supposed to be heard by the other actors on the stage.
202286228	assonance	the repetition of two or more vowel sounds in a group of words in prose or poetry
202286229	assumption	a belief or statement taken for granted without proof
202286230	attitude	the speaker's position on a subject as revealed through his or her tone
202286231	audience	one's listener or readership; those to whom a speech or piece of writing is addressed
202286232	authority	a reliable, respected source - someone with knowledge
202286233	bard	a poet; in olden times, a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment
202286234	bias	prejudice or predisposition toward one side of a subject or issue
202286235	blank verse	unrhymed iambic pentameter
202286236	burlesque	a work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation
202286237	cacophony	grating, inharmonious sounds
202286238	canon	considered most important in a national literature or period; works widely read and studied
202286239	caricature	a grotesque likeness of striking qualities in persons and things
202286240	catharsis	process by which an unhealthy emotional state produced by an imbalance of feelings is corrected and emotional health is restored
202286241	characterization	method an author uses to develop characters in a work
202286242	classical (classicism)	deriving from the orderly qualities of ancient Greek and Roman culture
202286243	caesura	pause in a line of verse that disrupts the natural rhythm
202286244	climax	the high point, or turning point, of a story or play; the point of highest tension
202286245	close reading	a careful reading that is attentive to organization, figurative language, sentence structure, vocabulary, and other literary and structural elements of a text
202286246	colloquial	an informal or conversational use of language
202286247	common ground	shared beliefs, values, or positions
202286248	conceit	extended metaphor
202286249	concrete detail	a highly specific, particular, often real, actual or tangible detail; opposite of abstract
202286250	conflict	the catalyst for action in narrative and dramatic plots, whether melodramatic, comic, or tragic. It is basically the opposition, or struggle, between two major agents
202286251	connotation	that which is implied by a word, as opposed to the word's literal meaning
202286252	consonance	the repetition of two or more consonant sounds in a group of words or a unit of speech or writing
202286253	context	words, events, or circumstances that help determine meaning
202286254	credible	worthy of belief; trustworthy
202286255	critique	an analysis or assessment of a thing or situation for the purpose of determining its nature, its limitations, and its conformity to a set of standards
202286256	cynic	one who expects and observes nothing but the worst of human conduct
202286257	denouement	the resolution that occurs at the end of a narrative or drama, real or imagined
202286258	denotation	the literal meaning of a word; its dictionary definition
202286259	descriptive detail	graphic, exact, and accurate presentation of the characteristics of a person, place or thing
202286260	diction	word choice
202286261	didactic	having an instructive purpose; intending to convey information to teach a lesson usually in a dry, pompous manner
202286262	digression	the use of material unrelated to the subject of a work
202286263	elegiac	mournful over what has passed or been lost; often used to describe tone
202286264	elegy	a poem or prose selection that laments or meditates on the passing or death of someone of something of value
202286265	empathy	a feeling of association or identification with an object or person
256242361	enjambment	describes a line of poetry in which the sense and grammatical construction continues on to the next line
202286266	epiphany	major character's moment of realization or awareness
202286267	epic	a narrative poem that tells of the adventures and exploits of a hero
202286268	epigram	a brief witty statement
202286269	epithet	an adjective or phrase that expresses a striking quality or a person or thing
202286270	euphemism	a figure of speech using indirection to avoid offensive bluntness
202286271	euphony	pleasing, harmonious sounds
202286272	explication of text	explanation of a text's meaning through an analysis of all of its constituent parts, including the literary devices used
202286274	fable	a short tale often with nonhuman characters from which a useful lesson may be drawn
202286275	fantasy	a story containing unreal, imaginary features
202286276	farce	a comedy that contains an extravagant and nonsensical disregard of seriousness, although it may have a serious, scornful purpose
202286277	figurative language	the use of tropes or figures of speech; going beyond literal meaning to achieve literary effect; appealing to the senses
202286278	figure of speech	an expression that strives for literary effect rather than conveying a literal meaning
202286279	flat character	character constructed around a single idea or quality (character is immediately recognizable)
202286280	foil	character whose traits are the opposite of another and who thus points out the strengths and weaknesses of the other character.
202286281	frame	a structure that provides a premise or setting for a narrative or other discourse
202286282	free and indirect style	narrative style that allows the reader to see things through the character's eyes and language but also through the author's eyes and language
202286283	genre	a term used to describe literary forms, such as novel, play, and essay
202286284	hubris	excessive pride that often affects tone
202286285	hyperbole	exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis
202286286	imagery	vivid use of language that evokes a reader's senses
202286287	inference	a conclusion or proposition arrived at by considering facts, observations, or some other specific data
202286288	intertextuality	interconnectedness among pieces of literature that have common reference points such as allusion, quotations, genre, or style
202286289	irony	contradiction between what is said and what is meant; incongruity between action and results
202286290	dramatic irony	a circumstance in which the audience or reader knows more about a situation than a character
202286291	situational irony	occurs when the outcome of a work is unexpected, or events turn out to be the opposite from what one had expected
202286292	verbal irony	when the reader is aware of a discrepancy between the real meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the writer's words
202286293	juxtaposition	placement of two things side by side for emphasis
202286294	kenning	a device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which the name of a thing is replaced by one of its functions or qualities
202286295	litotes	a form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity
202286296	lyrical prose	personal, reflective prose that reveals the speaker's thoughts and feelings about the subject
202286297	monologue	an extended speech by one character
202286298	metaphor	a figure of speech or trope through which one thing is spoken of as though it were something else, thus making an implicit comparison
202286299	Dead Metaphor	metaphor so overused that its original impact has been lost
202286301	Mixed Metaphor	when two metaphors are jumbled together, often illogically
202286302	metaphysical	a term describing poetry that uses elaborate conceits, expresses the complexities of love and life, and is highly intellectual
202286303	metonymy	use of an aspect of something to represent the whole
202286304	Middle English	the language spoken in England roughly between 1150 and 1500 A.D.
202286305	mood	the emotional tone or prevailing atmosphere in a work of literature or other discourse. In grammar, it refers to the intent of a particular sentence
202286306	moral	a brief and often simplistic lesson that a reader may infer from a work of literature
202286307	motif	a phrase, idea, or event that through repetition serves to unify or convey a theme in an essay or other discourse
202286308	muse	(n.) one of the ancient Greek goddesses presiding over the arts; the imaginary source of inspiration for an artist or writer. (v. To reflect deeply; to ponder)
202286309	myth	an imaginary story that has become an accepted part of the cultural or religious tradition of a group or society
202286310	direct characterization	to develop characters in a work, the author straightforwardly states the character's traits to develop characters in a work
202286311	indirect characterization	to develop characters in a work with traits that are implied through what the character says, does, how the character dresses, interacts with other characters, etc
202286312	narrative	form of verse or prose that tells a story
202286313	narrative voice	an identified narrator in a fictional or nonfiction narrative, or to an unidentified voice that readers perceive recounting a fictional story
202286314	Old English	the Anglo-Saxon language spoken from approximately 450 to 1150 A.D. in what is now Great Britain
202286315	omniscient narrator	an all-knowing, usually third-person narrator
202286316	onomatopoeia	the use of words that imitate sounds
202286317	oxymoron	a figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms
202286318	pacing	the relative speed that combines two contradictory terms
202286319	parable	a story designed to suggest a principle, illustrate a moral, or answer a question
202286320	paradox	a statement that seems contradictory but is actually true
202286321	parody	a piece that imitates and exaggerates the prominent features of another; used for comic effect or ridicule
202286322	pastoral	a work of literature dealing with rural life
202286323	pedantic	narrowly academic instead of broad and humane; excessively petty and meticulous
202286324	persona	the speaker, voice, or character assumed by the author of a piece of writing
202286325	personification	assigning human characteristics to inanimate objects
202286326	plot	the interrelationship among the events in a story
202286327	point of view	any of several possible vantage points; omniscient, limited to that of a single character, and limited to that of several characters
202286328	prose	any discourse that is not poetry
202286329	protagonist	chief character in a dramatic or narrative work, usually trying to accomplish some objective or working toward some goal
202286330	proverb	a short pithy statement of a general truth, one that condenses common experience into memorable form
202286331	pseudonym	a false name or alias used by writers
202286332	pulp fiction	novels written for mass consumption, often emphasizing exciting and titillating plots
202286333	pun	a humorous play on words, using similar-sounding or identical words to suggest different meanings
202286334	purpose	one's intention or objective in a speech or piece of writing
202286335	realism	the depiction of people, things, and events as they really are without idealization or exaggeration for effect
202286336	rhythm	the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that make up speech and writing
202286337	romance	an extended narrative about improbable events and extraordinary people in exotic places
202286338	round character	a character drawn with sufficient complexity to be able to surprise the reader without losing credibility
202286339	sarcasm	a sharp, caustic attitude conveyed in words through jibes, taunts, or other remarks
202286340	sardonic	cynical; dark
202286341	satire	an ironic, sarcastic, or witty composition that claims to argue for something, but actually argues against it
202286342	sentiment	a synonym for view of feeling; also a refined and tender emotion in literature
202286343	setting	the background to a story
202286344	simile	a figure of speech that uses like or as to compare two things
202286345	soliloquy	character speaks alone on stage to give audience access to his or her thoughts
202286346	speaker	a term used for the author or the person whose perspective (real or imagined) is being advanced in a speech or piece of writing
202286347	stream of consciousness	a style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind
202286348	style	the distinctive quality of speech or writing created by the selection and arrangement of works and figures of speech
202286349	stylistic devices	a general term referring to diction, syntax, tone, figurative language, and all other elements that contribute to the style or manner of a given piece of discourse
202286350	subject	in rhetoric, the topic addressed in a piece of writing
202286351	subjective	of or relating to private and personal feelings and attitudes as opposed to facts and reality
202286352	subtext	the implied meaning that underlies the main meaning of an essay or other work
202286353	symbol	An object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself
202286354	synecdoche	a figure of speech in which a part signifies the whole or the whole signifies the part
202286355	syntax	sentence structure
202286356	synthesize	combining or bringing together two or more elements to produce something more complex
202286357	theme	the main thought expressed by a work; topic and more specific issue
202286358	tone	the speaker's attitude toward the subject or audience
202286359	tragedy	a form of literature in which the hero is destroyed by some character flaw and by a set of forces that cause the hero considerable anguish
202286360	tragic flaw	tragic error in judgment; a mistaken act which changes the fortune of the tragic hero from happiness to misery; (also known as hamartia)
202286361	understatement	lack of emphasis in a statement or point; restraint in language often used for ironic effect; opposite of exaggeration
202286362	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
232670092	catastrophe	The action at the end of a tragedy that initiates the denouement or falling action of a play
232670093	chorus	A group of characters in Greek tragedy (and in later forms of drama), who comment on the action of a play without participation in it
232670094	comedy	A type of drama in which the characters experience reversals of fortune, usually for the better; may be either romantic or satiric comedy.
232670095	comic relief	The use of a comic scene to interrupt a succession of intensely tragic dramatic moments; typically parallels the tragic action that the scenes interrupt
232670096	complication	An intensification of the conflict in a story or play; builds up, accumulates, and develops the primary or central conflict in a literary work
232670097	dialogue	The conversation of characters in a literary work
232670098	dramatic monologue	A type of poem in which a speaker addresses a silent listener
232670099	dramatis personae	Latin for the characters or persons in a play
232670100	exposition	The first stage of a fictional or dramatic plot, in which necessary background information is provided
232670101	falling action	In the plot of a story or play, the action following the climax of the work that moves it towards its denouement or resolution
232670102	flashback	An interruption of a work's chronology to describe or present an incident that occurred prior to the main time frame of a work's action; used to complicate the sense of chronology in the plot of their works and to convey the richness of the experience of human time
232670103	foot	A metrical unit composed of stressed and unstressed syllables
232670104	foreshadowing	Hints of what is to come in the action of a play or a story
232670105	gesture	The physical movement of a character during a play; used to reveal character, and may include facial expressions as well as movements of other parts of an actor's body.
232670106	iamb	An unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one
232670107	movement	a change in a character over the span of the play
232670108	pathos	A quality of a play's action that stimulates the audience to feel pity for a character; always an aspect of tragedy, and may be present in comedy as well
232670109	props	Articles or objects that appear on stage during a play.
232670110	quatrain	A four-line stanza in a poem
232670111	recognition	The point at which a character understands his or her situation as it really is
232670112	reversal	The point at which the action of the plot turns in an unexpected direction for the protagonist
232670113	rising action	A set of conflicts and crises that constitute the part of a play's or story's plot leading up to the climax
232670114	subplot	A subsidiary or subordinate or parallel plot in a play or story that coexists with the main plot
232670115	tragic hero	A privileged, exalted character of high repute, who, by virtue of a tragic flaw and fate, suffers a fall from glory into suffering
232670116	unities	The idea that a play should be limited to a specific time, place, and story line