ap literary terms Flashcards
(146 cards)
1
Q
adage
A
- a proverb or short statement expressing a general truth
- a known and true statement (ex. to thine own self be true, slow and steady wins the race)
2
Q
allegory
A
a story/poem/picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral/political one (ex. Inferno, Lord of the Flies)
3
Q
alliteration
A
the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words that are close together
4
Q
allusion
A
- literary device used for a context in a literary work through reference to a well-known/familiar person, place, event, or other work of literature
- indirect reference to something that the reader is supposed to be familiar with
5
Q
analogy
A
- literary technique in which 2 unrelated objects are compared for their shared qualities
- unlike a simile or metaphor, an analogy isn’t a figure of speech
- instead, analogies are strong rhetorical devices used to make rational arguments and support ideas by showing connections and comparisons between dissimilar things
6
Q
antagonist
A
character, force, or obstacle that opposes the protagonist , driving conflict and shaping the narrative by creating hurdles for the main character (mc)
7
Q
anticlimax
A
a disappointing or trivial turn of events that occurs instead of a significant or expected climax, often used to undercut tension or create a humorous effect
8
Q
antihero
A
a central character who lacks the traditional heroic qualities like courage, grace, and moral integrity, yet still acts as the protagonist of the story, often being flawed, morally ambiguous, and relatable (ex. mersault de l’étranger par albert camus)
9
Q
antithesis
A
a rhetorical device that presents contrasting ideas in a parallel grammatical structure to emphasize their opposition and create a striking effect
10
Q
apostrophe
A
a literary device where a speaker addresses an absent person, a dead person, a non-human object, or an abstract idea as if they were present and capable of understanding, often expressing strong emotion
11
Q
aphorism
A
- a concise, memorable statement that expresses a truth or principle, often with a witty or pithy delivery, and can be a source of wisdom or instruction
- a style of writing rather than an adage
12
Q
archetype
A
a universal, recurring symbol, character type, situation, or theme that appears across various cultures and time periods, representing common human experiences and emotions
13
Q
assonance
A
the repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close together in a sentence or verse
14
Q
atmosphere
A
the overall feeling or emotional climate created by a literary work, shaped by elements like setting, imagery, and descriptive language, which immerse the reader in the narrative
15
Q
bathos
A
a sudden descent from a serious or exalted tone to a trivial or absurd one, often resulting in an anticlimactic or disappointing effect
16
Q
bildungsroman
A
a coming of age novel; a novel that focuses on the protagonist’s psychological and moral growth and development from youth to adulthood (ex. Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga)
17
Q
canon
A
a collection of literary works widely considered to be essential and influential within a particular culture or period, serving as a standard for literary excellence and shaping what is studied and valued
18
Q
character
A
any person, animal, or object/thing portrayed in a narrative, who drives the plot and interacts with other elements of the story
19
Q
cliché
A
a phrase or expression that is so overused it has become trite and lacks originality, appearing as filler rather than contributing to effective writing or speech
20
Q
climax
A
the turning point or most intense moment of a story, where the conflict is resolved, and the protagonist’s fate is decided, typically occurring near the end of the narrative
21
Q
comedy
A
- a type of literary work characterized by a humorous or lighthearted tone, often with a happy ending and focus on relatable characters and situations, exploring social commentary or human folly in a humorous way
- chaos in the middle and order in the end (ex. all the fighting and shit happening in the middle of Twelfth Night)
- order wins against chaos
22
Q
comic relief
A
- when comedy is used as a literary device to break the tension in a scene
- strategic placement of comedy so it can be used to add contrast to a darker moment in the plot
- can be thought of as a diversion from the current intensity in the scene
23
Q
conflict
A
a struggle or opposition between opposing forces, whether internal (within a character) or external (between characters, nature, or society), which drives the plot and creates tension
24
Q
connotation
A
the implied, suggested, or associative meaning of a word or phrase beyond its literal definition, including the emotions, attitudes, or ideas it evokes
25
consonance
literary device that occurs when 2 words have the same consonant sound following different vowel sounds
26
contrapasso
- often associated with dante alighieri
- the punishment of souls by a process either resembling or contrasting with the sin itself
27
denotation
the literal or dictionary definition of a word, without any emotional or symbolic associations
28
dénouement
- the resolution
- the final part of a story's **plot** after the **climax**, where all loose ends are tied up, and the main **conflicts** are resolved, providing a satisfying resolution for the reader
29
dialogue
- a written or spoken exchange between 2 or more **characters**
- a common feature in **fiction**, plays, and other **narrative** forms, serving to advance the **plot**, reveal **character**, and explore **themes**
30
diction
refers to a writer's deliberate choice of words, and how those choices contribute to the meaning, **tone**, and overall effect of a piece of writing
31
dramatic irony
a literary device where the audience or reader knows something that a **character(s)** in the play/story/film do not, creating a contrast that can be humorous, tragic, or suspenseful
32
elegy
a poem of lament, typically commemorating the dead, but can also mourn loss or a specific time period, and often ends with a sense of consolation or acceptance
33
epic
refers to a long, **narrative** poem, often book-length, focusing on the heroic journey of an individual or group, often with a vast **setting**, supernatural elements, and a sustained elevated **style,** frequently told by an **omniscient narrator**
34
epigram
a short, pithy, and often witty statement that makes a point or conveys an observation about life or some aspect of it in a concise and memorable way
35
euphemism
a word or phrase used to indirectly and often subtly replace one that is considered harsh, offensive, or unpleasant, aiming to soften the impact or express something in a less blunt way
36
euphony
- the pleasant, harmonious, and musical quality of sounds in a text
- often achieved through the strategic use of vowels, soft consonants, and rhythmic patterns to create a mellifluous or pleasant effect
37
explication
refers to the act of closely reading and deeply interpreting a text, focusing on the meaning conveyed through word choice, structure, **imagery**, and literary devices
38
expository
- refers to a **style** that explains, describes, and illuminates a topic, aiming to inform the reader without taking a side or expressing opinions, as seen in academic **essays** and news articles
- basically a lengthy explanation or summary
39
extended metaphor
- a literary device where a **metaphor** is developed and sustained throughout a passage or work of art
- contrasts with a simple **metaphor** by continuing the comparison across multiple sentences, lines, or paragraphs
40
fable
a short, **fictional narrative**, often featuring anthropomorphic animals, designed to convey a moral lesson or ethical principle
41
farce
- a type of **comedy** in the literary **genre**
- a subcategory of dramatic **comedy** that uses improbable, humorous situations, extensive exaggeration, and violent physical humor to entertain the audience
42
figurative language
- refers to expressions that go beyond literal meaning, using words or phrases to create vivid **imagery** and evoke emotions or ideas
- ex. **simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, allusion**
43
flashback
a literary device that interrupts the chronological flow of a story to show events that occurred earlier in the **narrative**, providing context, background, or insight into **characters** or events
44
foil
- a foil **character** contrasts with another **character,** often the **protagonist**, to highlight specific qualities, strengths, or weaknesses, deepening the understanding of the main **character** and enriching the **narrative**
- ex. benvolio and tybalt from romeo and juliet
45
foreshadowing
a literary device where an author hints at future events, creating suspense and anticipation for the reader without explicitly revealing the **plot's** outcome
46
frame (narrative)
a literary device where a story is situated within another story, often with a **narrator** recounting events or presenting other tales within a larger **narrative** framework
47
Freytag's pyramid
a 5-part dramatic structure that describes the exposition, rising action, **climax**, falling action, and resolution **(dénouement)** of a story, which is like a pyramid structure
48
genre
a category of literary composition characterized by distinct form, **style**, and content (ex. **fiction**, poetry, **drama**, **romance**, horror, **lyric poetry**, scifi)
49
hamartia
- **tragic flaw** or error in judgement in a **character**
- ultimately leads to their downfall
50
hubris
refers to excessive pride, overconfidence, or a disregard for boundaries or limitations, often leading to a **character's** downfall
51
hyperbole
refers to a figure of speech that uses exaggeration for emphasis or effect, often employed to intensify an emotion, emphasize a point, or create a humorous or dramatic impact, but not meant to be taken literally
52
idyll
refers to a short poem, or sometimes a **prose** work, that describes rural or **pastoral** life, often featuring a simple, peaceful, and idealized **setting** or **scene**
53
imagery
refers to descriptive language that appeals to the senses to create vivid pictures or experiences in the reader's mind
54
in medias res
- Latin for into the middle of things
- describes a **narrative** that begins not at the story's beginning, but partway through the **plot**, forcing the audience to peace together the preceding events
55
irony
- a literary device where there's a contrast or incongruity between what is said or expected and what actually happens or is meant
- the discrepancy can involve words, situations, or **characters'** perspectives, creating a sense of surprise, humor, or heightened emotion for the audience
56
kenning
a figurative expression, often a compound word or phrase, used to replace a simpler noun, serving as a **metaphorical description**
57
literal language
using words at their most basic, dictionary, defined, or straightfoward meaning, as opposed to **figurative language** which uses words for a more symbolic or imaginative effect
58
litotes
a phrase that uses negation to create an affirmative understanding (ex. "that wasn't half bad")
59
maxim
a concise statement expressing a general truth, moral principle, or rule of conduct, often presented as a saying or proverb
60
melodrama
describes a dramatic work, whether a play, movie, or story, characterized by exaggerated emotional reactions, sensational events, and stereotypical **characters**, prioritizing **plot** and action over nuanced characterization and subtlety
61
metaphor
a figure of speech that directly compares one thing to another by stating that one is the other, without using "like or "as," to create a vivid or symbolic comparison (ex. i had a ton of homework today, it's raining cats and dogs)
62
metonymy
a **figurative language** technique where a word or phrase is used to represent something else closely related or associated with it, rather than its literal meaning, like saying "the crown" to mean "the monarch"
63
Modernism
- a literary movement (late 19th-early 20th century) characterized by a deliberate break from traditional forms, exploring new techniques and ideas, often reflecting the complexities of a rapidly changing world and questioning established norms
- characterized by sudden POV shift
- Virginia Woolf
- 1919-1925 ish
64
monologue
a lengthy speech delivered by a single **character**, often used to express their thoughts and feelings, or to address other **characters** or the audience, commonly found in plays, films, and literature
65
mood
refers to the overall **atmosphere** or emotional feeling a piece of writing evokes in the reader, created through elements like **setting, imagery, and diction**, distinct from the author's **tone**
66
leitmotif
a recurring **theme**, image, object, or phrase that carries significant meaning and contributes to the overall structure and thematic development of a literary work, often serving to reinforce or symbolize a concept, emotion, or idea
67
narrative
a spoken or written account of related events, often a story, that is told using specific literary techniques and devices, and can be used for **fiction or nonfiction**
68
narrative pov
refers to the perspective from which a story is told, determining the reader's access to **characters** thoughts and the events of the **narrative**
- third-person limited: **narrator** focuses on thoughts and feelings of **1 character**
- third-person omniscient: **narrator** knows the thoughts and feelings of **all characters**
69
narrator
the **voice** that tells a story, the perspective from which the events unfold, and can be either a **character** within the story (1st-person) or an external observer (3rd-person)
70
Naturalism
- a literary movement that emerged from **Realism**, emphasizing scientific observation of life, often with elements of determinism and portraying **characters** as products of their environment, heredity, and instinct, rather than having free will (how one's surroundings affect one's development)
- psychic landscape: when one's surroundings symbolize what's going on around them (ex. storm at the end of King Lear act ii)
71
novel
long, **fictional, prose narrative** that explores human experiences through **characters**, **plot**, and **setting**, often delving into complex **themes** and offering insights into the human condition
72
novella
a work of **narrative fiction** that falls in length and complexity between a **short story** and a **novel**, typically ranging from 20k to 50k words
73
objective correlative
a literary device, popularized by T.S. Eliot, where a writer uses objects, situations, or events to evoke a specific emotion or psychological state in the reader, instead of directly stating the emotion
74
onomatopoeia
a literary device where words mimic or imitate the sounds they describe, like "boom," "hiss," or "buzz"
75
oxymoron
a figure of speech that combines contradictory or opposing words to create a new, often thought-provoking, meaning or effect (ex. organized chaos)
76
parable
a short, simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, often associated with religious teachings, and derived from the Greek word "parabolē" meaning "comparison"
77
paradox
a seemingly self-contradictory statement or situation that, upon closer examination, reveals a deeper truth or insight (ex. less is more)
78
parody
- an imitation of the **style** and manner of a particular writer or school of writers
- typically negative in intent: it calls attention to a writer's perceived weaknesses or a school's overused conventions and seeks to ridicule them
79
pastoral
a literary **genre** that idealizes rural life and the countryside, often contrasting its simplicity and tranquility with the complexities of urban existence, and featuring **themes** of nature, love, and the human experience
80
pathetic fallacy
a literary device where a writer attributes human emotions or traits to inanimate objects, nature, or animals, often to reflect or enhance a character's emotional state or create a specific **atmosphere**
81
pathos
refers to the use of emotional appeals to persuade an audience, aiming to evoke feelings of sympathy, pity, or other emotions to sway their opinion or action
82
persona
- refers to the **voice** or **character** through which an author tells a story or poem, distinct from the author's own identity
- it's the chosen speaker or **narrator**, often with specific characteristics and perspectives, used for a a particular artistic purpose
83
personification
a literary device where human qualities, such as emotions, thoughts, or actions, are attributed to inanimate objects, animals, or abstract ideas, often to make them seem more relatable or vivid
84
plot
refers to the sequence of interconnected events and actions that make up a story, including the rising action, **climax**, falling action, and **resolution (dénouement)**, and how these events reveal cause-and-effect relationships
85
point of view (POV)
refers to the perspective from which a story is told, encompassing the **narrator's** relationship to the events and **characters**, and influencing the reader's understanding of the **narrative**
86
Postmodernism
late 20th-century literary movement characterized by metafiction, intertextuality, **unreliable narration**, and a questioning of established structures and **narratives**, often exploring **themes** of fragmentation, **irony**, and the nature of reality
87
prose
refers to any writing that isn't poetry, characterized by its grammatical structure, sentence and paragraph arrangement, and natural flow of speech, as opposed to **verse** with its metrical and rhythmic structure
88
protagonist
the main **character in a story**, whose actions and fate are central to the **plot** and often the emotional core of the **narrative**
89
pun
a form of wordplay that exploits the multiple meanings of a word or the fact that similar-sounding words have different meanings, often used for humorous effect (ex. scientists can't trust atoms because they make everything up)
90
Realism
a literary movement characterized by the faithful representation of everyday life, focusing on ordinary people, events, and **settings**, with a rejection of **Romanticism's** idealization and fantastical elements
91
repetition
refers to the deliberate and purposeful recurrence of sounds, words, phrases, or ideas within a literary work to create emphasis, rhythm, or a specific effect on the reader
92
rhetoric
refers to the art of using language effectively and persuasively, encompassing the strategies, techniques, and devices writers employ to achieve a specific purpose or effect on their audience
93
romance
refers to a literary **genre**, often characterized by chivalry, courtly love, and idealized **narratives**, focusing on heroic deeds, quests, and love stories, frequently with a fantastical or historical **setting**
94
Romanticism
an 18th-19th century literary, artistic, and intellectual movement that emphasized emotion, individualism, imagination, and nature in response to the Age of Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, often featuring a rejection of rationalism and a celebration of the past and the common person
95
sarcasm
- recognized as the use of **irony** to mock or convey contempt
- often used for comedic purposes, although it often carries a negative **tone**, which can upset those on the other end of sarcasm
- people typically use it to convey the opposite of what's true to make the subject of the sarcasm look or feel foolish
96
satire
- a technique employed by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or society, by using humor, **irony**, exaggeration, or ridicule
- intends to improve humanity by criticizing its follies and foibles
- ex. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
97
scene
refers to a subdivision of a stage show or **narrative**, representing a continuous action in a specific place and time, often marked by a change in **setting** or **characters**
98
setting
refers to the time, place, and social, cultural, and historical context in which a story unfolds, shaping the environment and context for **characters** and events, and influencing **mood**, actions, and **themes**
99
simile
a figure of speech that compares 2 unlike things using "like" or "as" to create a vivid image or highlight a shared quality (ex. light as a feather)
100
soliloquy
a dramatic **monologue** where a **character**, alone on stage, speaks their inner thoughts and feelings aloud, revealing their true **character** and motivations to the audience
101
stream of consciousness
refers to a **narrative** technique that attempts to capture the continuous flow of thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they occur in a **character's** mind, often in a seemingly unstructured and associative way
102
style
refers to an author's unique and characteristic way of using language, encompasing elements like **diction, syntax, tone, and figurative language** to covey meaning and create a specific effect
103
symbol(ism)
a literary device where an object, person, place, or action represents something else, often an abstract idea or concept, beyond its literal meaning
104
synecdoche
- a figure of speech where a part represents a whole (or vice versa)
- ex. all hands on deck meaning workers
105
syntax
the arrangement of words and phrases in sentences, and how that arrangement affects the meaning, **tone**, and emphasis of the writing
106
theme
a central, unifying idea or message explored in a literary work, often reflecting broader truths about human experience or society
107
tone
refers to the author's or **narrator's** attitude or feelings towards the subject matter, conveyed through word choice, sentence structure, and other stylistic choices, ultimately shaping the reader's emotional response to the text
108
tragedy
- a serious **drama** that typically depicts a noble or significant **character's** downfall, often due to a **tragic flaw (hamartia)** or fate, leading to suffering and evoking pity and fear in the audience, aiming for catharsis
- order happens in the middle and chaos happens in the end (ex. Romeo and Juliet marry at the end of Act II)
- ex. Doctor Faustus, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear
- chaos winning against order
109
tragic hero
a **character**, often of noble stature, who experience a downfall due to a **tragic flaw (hamartia)**, like **hubris**) and faces a reversal of fortune, ultimately evoking catharsis (emotional purgation) in the audience
110
tragic irony
a literary device where the audience or reader knows something that a **character** or **characters** do not, leading to a tragic outcome that is often emphasized by the contrast between what is expected and what actually happens
111
trope
- refers to a figure of speech or a recurring **theme**/**plot** device that is used in a non-literal or figurative way to create a specific effect or convey a deeper meaning (ex. each canto in Dante's Inferno starts with the **narrator** waking up and ends with him going back to sleep, sight vs. blindness to depict knowledge vs. ignorance, light/dark, using food to gain agency )
- each canto in Dante's Inferno starts with the **narrator** waking up and ends with him going back to sleep
- sight vs. blindness to depict knowledge vs. ignorance
- light/dark
- using food to gain agency
- water
- twins
112
unreliable (fallible) narrator
a **narrator** whose credibility is questionable, meaning the reader should not accept their account of events as entirely truthful or objective (ex. Katniss in The Hunger Games)
113
voice
refers to the unique **style** and personality an author or **narrator* conveys through their writing, encompassing elements like **tone**, word choice, and sentence structure
114
drama
refers to a form of literature intended for performance, characterized by **dialogue** and stage directions, and often exploring **conflict** and emotional **narratives**
115
fiction
refers to literature created from imagination, not presented as fact, though it may be based on a true story or situation, and includes **genres** like **novels** and **short stories**
116
essay
refers to a free-response question (FRQ) requiring students to analyze and interpret literary texts, responding to prompts that may involve literary analysis of a poem, **prose** passage, or a specific confept within a work of their choice
117
lyric poetry
a type of poetry that expresses personal emotions or thoughts, often in a musical or rhythmic form, focusing on feelings and moments rather than telling a story, and utilizing vivid **imagery** and **figurative language**
118
nonfiction
refers to literary works based on factual events, real people, and true experiences, but that can also incorporate storytelling techniques and literary devices, such as memoirs, **essays**, and biographies (ex. Night by Elie Wiesel, Born a Crime by Trevor Noah)
119
short story
a **prose fiction narrative**, typically shorter than a **novella**, that can be read in one sitting and features a fully developed **theme**, **plot**, **characters**, and **setting**, often with a denser **style** than a **novel**
120
ballad
a type of poem that tells a story, often in a **narrative** or song-like format, and traditionally features a specific **rhyme scheme** and rhythm
121
blank verse
refers to poetry written with a regular **meter**, most commonly **iambic pentameter**, but without rhyme
122
caesura
a pause or break within a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation or a grammatical boundary, that interrupts the flow of the line and can create a specific rhythm or effect
123
Petrarchan conceit
- a type of conceit (a figure of speech that forms a parallel between seemingly dissimilar objects or situations) popularized by the Italian poet Petrarch, often involving exaggerated or idealized comparisons of a beloved's attributes
- cliché similes and metaphors (ex. eyes like stars, love like a rose, lovers like doves/swans)
124
metaphysical conceit
- an **extended metaphor** that compares an abstract or spiritual concept to a physical, often mundane, object, characteristic of metaphysical poetry (ex. John Dunne compares his affair to a compass, where she stays in the middle while he wanders, but he always comes back to her)
- unusual, intricate, complicated metaphors
125
couplet
a pair of consecutive lines that often rhyme and have the same **meter**, forming a complete thought or idea
126
enjambment
the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next, without a pause or punctuation mark at the end of the line
127
foot
refers to the basic rhythmic unit in poetry, consisting of a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, which are combined to form the poem's **meter**
128
free verse
poetry that lacks a fixed **meter**, **rhyme scheme,** or other traditional poetic structures, allowing for flexibility in rhythm and form
129
heroic couplet
(in **verse**) a pair of rhyming **iambic pentameters**, much used by Geoffrey Chaucer and the poets of the 17th and 18th centuries such as Alexander Pope.
130
iambic (iamb)
a metrical **foot** consisting of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable, like "de-*light*" or "a-*muse*"
131
meter
- refers to the rhythmic structure of a **verse** or lines in **verse**, defined by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables
- these patterns are organized into repeating units called "feet"
132
octave
- refers to the first eight lines of an **Italian/Petrarchan sonnet**, often forming a distinct **stanza** or section before the **sestet** (the final six lines)
- brings up a problem
133
ode
a **lyrical poem** expressing praise, glorification, or tribute, often exploring a subject from both emotional and intellectual perspectives, and typically featuring a structured format like Pindaric or Horatian forms
134
pentameter
a literary device that can be defined as a line in **verse** or poetry that has five strong metrical feet (or stressed syllables) or beats
135
quatrain
a **stanza** consisting of 4 lines, often with a specific **rhyme scheme** or **meter**
136
rhyme scheme
a poet's deliberate pattern of lines that rhyme with other lines in a poem or a **stanza**
137
scanscion
the process of analyzing a poem's **meter** by marking stressed and unstressed syllables to reveal the rhythmic structure and patterns
138
sestet
- six-line **stanza** or the final six lines of a **Petrarchan/Italian sonnet**
- usually meant to be an answer
139
Elizabethan/English/Shakespearean sonnet
- 14-line poem written in **iambic pentameter** with a specific **rhyme scheme** (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG) and structure (3 **quatrains** and a concluding **couplet**)
- usually about love, time, or death
140
Petrarchan/Italian sonnet
a 14-line poem with a specific structure and **rhyme scheme**, consisting of an **octave** (8 lines) and a **sestet** (6 lines), typically using **iambic pentameter** and a **rhyme scheme** of ABBAABBA for the **octave** and CDECDE or CDCDCD for the **sestet**
- usually about love, time, or death
141
stanza
a grouping of lines that forms a unit, similar to a paragraph in **prose**, and is often characterized by a specific number of lines, **meter**, and **rhyme scheme**
142
verse
refers to a single line of poetry or a group of lines (a **stanza**), but can also encompass the entire poem or even poetry in general, distinguishing it from **prose**
143
villanelle
- 19-line poem with a specific structure and **rhyme scheme**, consisting of 5 tercets (3-line **stanzas**) and a final **quatrain** (4-line **stanza**), featuring 2 repeating refrains (lines) throughout the poem
- generally used to reflect/portray some sort of obsesssion
144
volta
- a **rhetorical** shift or turn in thought, emotion, or argument within a poem, often marking a change in direction or perspective
- usually begins the first sestet
145
didactic
a story that teaches a moral lesson
146
tercet
- 3 line stanza seen in **villanelles**
- often poets use tercets as an **allusion** to dante alighieri
