AP Literature Definitions Flashcards
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| 10339712351 | Allegory | the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence | 0 | |
| 10339712352 | Alliteration | the repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables (such as wild and woolly, threatening throngs) | 1 | |
| 10339713028 | Allusion | an implied or indirect reference especially in literature | 2 | |
| 10339713029 | Analogy | a comparison of two otherwise unlike things based on resemblance of a particular aspect | 3 | |
| 10339713618 | Anecdote | Brief story, told to illustrate a point or serve as an example of something, often shows character of an individual | 4 | |
| 10339713619 | Antagonist | Opponent who struggles against or blocks the hero, or protagonist, in a story. | 5 | |
| 10339714088 | Apostrophe | calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person, or to a place or thing, or a personified abstract idea. If the character is asking a god or goddess for inspiration it is called an invocation. [Josiah Holland ---"Loacöon! Thou great embodiment/ Of human life and human history!" "By Jove" "O, what light through window breaks" | 6 | |
| 10339714089 | Assonance | the repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds especially in words that are together. | 7 | |
| 10339714614 | ballad | a narrative composition in rhythmic verse suitable for singing | 8 | |
| 10339715443 | colloquialism / vernacular / local color | a local or regional dialect expression | 9 | |
| 10339716825 | Connotation | something suggested by a word or thing | 10 | |
| 10339716826 | Couplet | two successive lines of verse forming a unit marked usually by rhythmic correspondence, rhyme, or the inclusion of a self-contained utterance | 11 | |
| 10339719309 | Dialect | a regional variety of language distinguished by features of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting together with them a single language | 12 | |
| 10339719310 | Diction | choice of words especially with regard to correctness, clearness, or effectiveness | 13 | |
| 10339719902 | Elegy | a song or poem expressing sorrow or lamentation especially for one who is dead | 14 | |
| 10339720485 | epic | a long narrative poem in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero | 15 | |
| 10339720486 | Epithet | a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing | 16 | |
| 10339721222 | Exposition | a setting forth of the meaning or purpose (as of a writing) | 17 | |
| 10339721223 | Fable | a legendary story of supernatural happenings | 18 | |
| 10339722350 | Foil | is a character who contrasts with another character - usually the protagonist— to highlight particular qualities of the other character. | 19 | |
| 10339722351 | Foreshadowing | an indication of what is to come | 20 | |
| 10339723710 | Imagery | the product of image makers or vivid descriptions in order to create a picture of the scene/ description | 21 | |
| 10339723711 | mood | conscious state of mind or predominant emotion | 22 | |
| 10339724447 | motif | a dominant idea or central theme | 23 | |
| 10339724448 | Onomatopoeia | the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it | 24 | |
| 10339725246 | oxymoron | a combination of contradictory or incongruous words (such as cruel kindness); broadly : something (such as a concept) that is made up of contradictory or incongruous elements | 25 | |
| 10339725247 | Paradox | a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true | 26 | |
| 10339725842 | Personification | attribution of personal qualities; especially : representation of a thing or abstraction as a person or by the human form | 27 | |
| 10339727140 | Reliable/unreliable narrator | is a narrator whose credibility has been seriously compromised. | 28 | |
| 10339727730 | Objective / subjective pov | Subjective information or writing is based on personal opinions, interpretations,points of view, emotions and judgment. It is often considered ill-suited for scenarios like news reporting or decision making in business or politics. Objective information or analysis is fact-based, measurable and observable. | 29 | |
| 10339728062 | Pun | the usually humorous use of a word in such a way as to suggest two or more of its meanings or the meaning of another word similar in sound | 30 | |
| 10339728384 | Protagonist/antagonist | is the main character in a drama. Technically, there can only be one protagonist in a drama, though writers often use the word in reference to two or more central characters. The opposite is the main character's chief | 31 | |
| 10339728824 | Legend | a story coming down from the past; especially : one popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable | 32 | |
| 10339728825 | Caricature | exaggeration by means of often ludicrous distortion of parts or characteristics | 33 | |
| 10339729919 | Narrative convention | refers to the elements and techniques employed by the writer to make meaning in a story. They include such things as characters, setting, plot and point of view. | 34 | |
| 10339729920 | Dramatic convention | is a set of rules which both the audience and actors are familiar with and which act as a useful way of quickly signifying the nature of the action or of a character. | 35 | |
| 10339730399 | enjambment / enjambed line | the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza. | 36 | |
| 10339730400 | end stopped | (of verse) having a pause at the end of each line. | 37 | |
| 10339731244 | Satire | a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn | 38 | |
| 10339731245 | Simile | a figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by like or as | 39 | |
| 10339731772 | Soliloquy / monologue | a poem, discourse, or utterance of a character in a drama that has the form of a monologue or gives the illusion of being a series of unspoken reflections | 40 | |
| 10339731773 | Stereotype | a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. | 41 | |
| 10339732244 | Suspense | is the intense feeling that an audience goes through while waiting for the outcome of certain events. It basically leaves the reader holding their breath and wanting more information. | 42 | |
| 10339732245 | Symbol | can take many forms including: A figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other than its literal meaning. The actions of a character, word, action, or event that have a deeper meaning in the context of the whole story. | 43 | |
| 10339732695 | Theme tone | in written composition, is an attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience. Tone is generally conveyed through the choice of words, or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject. Every written piece comprises a central theme or subject matter. | 44 | |
| 10339732696 | Meter | is a unit of rhythm in poetry, the pattern of the beats. It is also called a foot. Each foot has a certain number of syllables in it, usually two or three syllables. | 45 | |
| 10339733175 | Blank verse | is a literary device defined as un-rhymingverse written in iambic pentameter. In poetry and prose, it has a consistent meter with 10 syllables in each line (pentameter); where, unstressed syllables are followed by stressed ones, five of which are stressed but do not rhyme. | 46 |