Literary Terms - AP Literature Flashcards

14666220718	Theme	The meaning of the work; an insight into or a question about the human condition	0
14666223414	Setting	The time and place in which a story, play or novel occurs. Time includes time of day, season, and historical setting. Setting and the details associated with it not only depict a time and place, but also convey values associated with that setting.	1
14666225161	Structure	The arrangement of the parts and sections of a text, the relationship of the parts to each other, and the sequence in which the text reveals information are all structural choices made by a writer that contribute to the reader's interpretation of a text.	2
14666226000	Plot	The sequence of events in a work of fiction; most plots involve some sort of tension or conflict	3
14666233624	Exposition	Introduces the main characters, setting, conflict, theme	4
14666234917	Rising Action	Begins the forward momentum of the story, involves complications and develops conflict.	5
14666240908	Climax	High point of the story, when the conflict comes to a head	6
14666239557	Falling action	Usually involves resolution of the conflict	7
14666260451	conclusion	Offers some comment or insight into the story	8
14666261880	epiphany	A moment of insight, often in which something ordinary is seen in a new way.	9
14666268796	Flashback	Part of a narrative that interrupts the chronological flow by relating an event from the past	10
14666269842	foreshadowing	Early clues about what will happen later in a narrative or play.	11
14666271660	subplot	A secondary plot in a novel or play; usually, reinforces the themes of the main plot but sometimes just provides interest, excitement or comic relief.	12
14666274847	Conflict	Tension between competing values either within a character, known as internal or psychological conflict, or with outside forces that obstruct a character in some way, known as external conflict.	13
14666276432	Character	Characters in literature allow readers to study and explore a range of values, beliefs, assumptions, biases, and cultural norms represented by those characters.	14
14666279653	Protagonist	Main character in a work of fiction, usually involved in an external or internal conflict	15
14666279654	Antagonist	A character (or force) whose actions oppose those of the protagonist.	16
14666282113	Hero	A protagonist with noble qualities, usually better than the average person	17
14666284597	Antihero	A protagonist who does not have the qualities of a hero, often someone quite average or even below average.	18
14666299658	Round character	A character developed with sufficient complexity to seem real or lifelike	19
14666308363	Flat character	A character used as a plot device, sometimes a stereotype	20
14666310983	Foil	A character, usually minor, who emphasizes the qualities of a main character through an implied contrast	21
14666314316	Dialogue	Conversation between characters that reveals who these characters are (what they say and how they say it).	22
14666314317	Narration	A narrator's or speaker's perspective controls the details and emphases that affect how readers experience and interpret a text. Perspective refers to how narrators, characters, or speakers see their circumstances, while point of view refers to the position from which a narrator or speaker relates the events of a narrative.	23
14666316973	Point of view	The angle or perspective from which a story is reported and interpreted.	24
14666319249	Narrator	The person who tells the story to the audience or reader	25
14666358252	First person	Someone (often the protagonist) tells the story as he or she experienced it (using the pronoun I)	26
14666360499	Omniscient	The narrator knows everything about the characters and events and can move about into the minds of the characters	27
14666362110	Limited	The story is limited to the thoughts and observations of a single character (not identified as I).	28
14666364749	Shifting	A limited view, which can shift to the perspective of more than one character.	29
14666364750	Objective	The actions and conversations are presented as they occur, without any comment from the author or narrator.	30
14666366836	Unreliable	Narrated from the point of view of a character unwilling or unable to give an accurate account.	31
14667370660	Imagery	Passages that stir emotions by appealing to the senses	32
14667371476	Motif	A pattern of identical or similar images recurring throughout a passage or entire work.	33
14667371477	Tone	Attitude of narrator toward subject	34