AP Literature - Literary Terms (2) Flashcards

7840327228	Informal Diction	Represents plain language of everyday use, and often includes many simple, common words	0
7840330169	Middle Diction	Maintains correct language usage, but is less elevated than formal diction	1
7840332509	Formal Diction	Consists of a dignified, impersonal, and elevated use of language	2
7840334722	Dramatic Irony	Creates a discrepancy between what a character believes or says and what the reader or audience member knows to be true	3
7840338883	Sarcasm	A strong form of verbal irony that is calculated to hurt someone through false praise	4
7840343606	Personification	A form of metaphor in which human characteristics are attributed to nonhuman things	5
7840345962	Oxymoron	A condensed form of paradox in which two contradictory words are used together	6
7840351034	Foil	A character in work whose behavior and values contrast with those of another character in order to highlight the distinctive temperament of the character	7
7840355341	Epiphany	In fiction, when a character suddenly experiences a deep realization about himself or herself	8
7840368614	Allegory	A narration or description usually restricted to a single meaning because its events, actions, characters, settings, and objects represent specific abstractions or ideas	9
7840373534	Denouement	A French term meaning "unraveling" or "unknotting" used to describe the resolution of the plot following the climax	10
7840381709	Connotation	Associations and implications that go beyond the literal meaning of a word, which derive from how the word has been commonly used and the associations people make with it	11
7840386395	Cliche	An idea or expression that has become tired and trite from overuse, its freshness and clarity having worn off	12
7840394931	Catharsis	Describes the release of the emotions of pity and fear by the audience at the end of a tragedy	13
7840397810	Canon	Those works generally considered by scholars, critics, and teachers to be the most important to read and study, which collectively constitute the "masterpieces" of literature	14
7840404185	Cacophony	Language that is discordant and difficult to pronounce	15
7840406443	Mondegreen	A misunderstood or misinterpreted word	16
7840408830	Archetype	A term used to describe universal symbols that evoke deep and sometimes unconscious responses in a reader	17
7840413094	Antagonist	The character, force, or collection of forces in fiction or drama that opposes the protagonist and gives rise to the conflict of the story	18