AP Literature Primary Terms Flashcards

4724300695	Diction	Style of speaking or writing determined by the choice of words by a speaker or a writer. Diction or choice of words separates good writing from bad writing. It depends on a number of factors. Firstly, the word has to be right and accurate.	0
4724301159	Detail	Items or parts that make up a larger picture or story "Chaucer's Prologue to The Canterbury Tales is celebrated for its use of a few details to bring the characters to life."	1
4724301160	Syntax	The structure of a sentence; the arrangement of words in a sentence. Determines how the chosen words are used to form a sentence. Most often than not, adopting a complex diction means a complex syntactic structure of sentences and vice versa.	2
4724301161	Pacing	A stylistic device, which shows how fast a story unfolds. It is because when readers feel frustration in the length of the story, the writers use different techniques to control the pace of the story.	3
4724301448	Tone Shift	A change in the Author's attitude on a subject while writing. Example: Happy tone to Angry tone while talking about childhood.	4
4724301449	Imagery	Language and description that appeals to our five senses. When a writer attempts to describe something so that it appeals to our sense of smell, sight, taste, touch, or hearing; he/she has used imagery.	5
4724301697	Connotation	A meaning that is implied by a word apart from the thing which it describes explicitly. Words carry cultural and emotional associations or meanings in addition to their literal meanings or denotations.	6
4724301698	Figurative Language	Language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation. When a writer uses literal language, he or she is simply stating the facts as they are.	7
4724302009	Denotation	The literal meaning of a word, the "dictionary definition."¨ For example, if you look up the word snake in a dictionary, you will discover that one of its denotative meanings is "any of numerous scaly, legless, sometimes venomous reptiles	8
4724302010	Point of View	The angle of considering things, which shows us the opinion, or feelings of the individuals involved in a situation. In literature, point of view is the mode of narration that an author employs to let the readers "hear" and "see" what takes place in a story, poem, essay etc.	9
4724302959	Theme	the central topic a text treats. Themes can be divided into two categories: a work's thematic concept is what readers "think the work is about" and its thematic statement being "what the work says about the subject".	10