AP Literature: Basic Elements of Fiction and Drama Flashcards

6642367326	Allusion	A reference to something in previous literature, history, or culture that adds to or emphasizes a theme of the work	0
6642367327	Allegory	A narrative or description with a secondary or symbolic meaning underlying the literal meaning	1
6642367328	Anecdote	A clever little story; a short account of an interesting situation	2
6642367329	Anti hero	A protagonist whose attributes are opposite of what is expected of heroes; may be confused, powerless, victimized, or simply pathetic	3
6642367330	Archetype	A symbol that recurs often enough in literature over time to be easily recognizable, such as water as a purifying element or the sun as knowledge; also character types that are common: prodigal son, wise grandfather, etc.	4
6642367331	Atmosphere	The emotional quality of the setting	5
6642367332	Epiphany	A moment of insight, spiritual or personal; a character's sudden revelation about life or his or her own circumstances	6
6642367333	Eulogy	A speech given at the memorial or funeral service in remembrance of one who as died	7
6642367334	Extended Metaphor	A detailed or complex metaphor that is evident throughout a work	8
6642367335	Foil	A character who possesses traits that emphasize the characteristics and qualities of another character, either by being similar to or opposite from that character	9
6642367336	Imagery	Language that appeals to the senses; emotionally evocative	10
6642367337	Invocation	A prayer or statement that calls for help from a god or goddess	11
6642367338	Irony	A discrepancy between appearance and reality	12
6642367339	Metaphor	Compares two generally dissimilar thins in order to show something new or to help readers see something in a new way	13
6642367340	Mood	The dominant tone in a piece of literature; typically the emotional quality of the scene or setting	14
6642367341	Motif	A recurring element, an image or idea, in a work of literature, whose repetition emphasizes some aspect of the work	15
6642367342	Parable	A short tale that teaches through example; usually teach a moral or even religious lesson; teach people about how they ought to live	16
6642367343	Paradox	A situation or statement containing contradictory elements which nonetheless seem plausible or true	17
6642367344	Parody	A work of satire where the author imitates the language and form of another work to ridicule the author or work	18
6642367345	Soliloquy	Primarily found in Shakespeare's plays, a monologue, one character on stage, or in the spotlight, who relates his/her plight	19
6642367346	Symbol	A person, place, thing, or idea that represents something else	20
6642367347	Syntax	In general, the order of words in a sentence that results in various sentence types used for a variety of rhetorical effects	21
6642367348	Tone	The speaker or narrator's attitude towards something or the emotional quality of a passage	22
6642367349	Verisimilitude	The quality in literature of being true to life; details seem realistic and believable, even if the setting is supernatural	23
6642367350	Vernacular	The ordinary, everyday speech of a region	24
6642367351	Catharsis	A purging of emotion, experienced by audiences especially through the pity they feel when witnessing the tragic hero's fall from grace	25
6642367354	Hubris	Excessive pride	26
6642367355	Tragedy	Typically a drama in which a tragic hero experiences a fall from noble stature	27
6642367356	Tragic Hero	A person of greater than normal stature who falls from grace due to a tragic flaw, or, more typically, pride	28
6642367357	Bildungsroman	The protagonist is a child whose experiences teach him or her about the realities of the adult world; transformation often complex, painful, and filled with disillusionment	29
6642367358	Dystopian novel	Presents readers with an apparent perfection society where human life is somehow diminished	30
6642367362	Novella	Prose fiction longer than a short story, but shorter than a novel	31