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Literary Terms Flashcards

Memorize all the literary terms by October 15. (73 cards)

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1
Q

Allegory

A

Symbolic device in which characters or events in a story symbolize ideas or concepts

Ex. Aslan –> Jesus (comes back to life after getting executed)

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2
Q

Alliteration

A

Repetition of an initial consonant sound. Often used in poetry

Ex. Blown away –> every Brick –> every Board –> Blown away

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3
Q

Anagram

A

Writers jumble up parts of words in order to create a new word

Ex. “O Draconian devil O lame saint” = “Leonardo Da Vinci The Mona Lisa

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4
Q

Analogy

A

Comparison between two things for explanation or clarification

Ex. Barrack Obama comparing the economy to a car being in a ditch

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5
Q

Antagonist

A

Character or group of characters that oppose the protagonist

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6
Q

Anthropomorphism

A

Human quality, emotion, or ambition is given to a non-human object/being

Ex. Alice in Wonderland - animals, card, inanimate objects

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7
Q

Antithesis

A

Writer puts two sentences of contrasting meanings close to one another

Ex. “You’re hot then you’re cold, you’re yes then you’re no”

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8
Q

Apostrophe

A

Speaker addresses an object, concept, or person that is unable to respond

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9
Q

Archetype

A

Concept, person, or object that serves as a universally accepted/understood prototype of its kind

Ex. Hero, wise old wizard, creepy neighbor, jocks and cheerleaders, etc.

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10
Q

Atmosphere

A

Created when setting/scene triggers emotion

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11
Q

Catharsis

A

Releasing strong or repressed emotion for the audience

Ex. Providing comic relief during something very sad

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12
Q

Caricature

A

Simple image exaggerating features of a person (subject)

Ex. Ugly caricature drawing with big headed people or something like that

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13
Q

Cliche

A

Expression that has been so overused that it becomes annoying

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14
Q

Cliffhanger

A

Protagonist is confronted with a dilemma at the end of a chapter or episode so audience returns to see the resolution

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15
Q

Character (round/dynamic)

A

Character that changes/grows throughout the story

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16
Q

Character (flat/static)

A

Character that remains the same throughout the story, not changing

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17
Q

Climax

A

Most intense or exciting part of a story

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18
Q

Conflict

A

Struggle between opposing forces

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19
Q

Dark Comedy

A

Making light of a dark situation (solemn subject matter)

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20
Q

Denotation

A

Dictionary definition of a word

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21
Q

Dystopia

A

Imagined setting where everything is bad

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22
Q

Epithet

A

Descriptive device used to add to a person/place’s regular name to give it specialty

Ex. Alexander “The Great”

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23
Q

Euphemism

A

Milder form of negative descriptions (sex, violence, death)

Ex. Died –> Passed away

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24
Q

Flashback

A

Earlier event inserted into normal chronology of a story

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25
Flash Forward
Future events are hinted to show what may happen later in a story
26
Foil
Character who's primary purpose to contrast another character
27
Foreshadowing
Words/phrases that give hints about what may happen in the future
28
Genre
Category of artistic composition characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter
29
Hubris
Another way of saying someone is over arrogant, usually leading to their downfall
30
Hyperbole
Extreme exaggeration used for effect
31
Idiom
Expression that cannot be understood from individual meanings, but understood by most people
32
Imagery
Provide the reader w/ mental images using the five senses
33
Internal Rhyme
Practice of forming a rhyme in only one line of a verse. Constructed within the middle of a line and rhymes with something at the end of the line. Ex. "There's vomit on his sweater already"
34
Verbal Irony
When a writer makes a statement that has a different meaning than what the words suggest. Ex. "Awesome job!" - after crashing a car
35
Situational Irony
Reader is led to believe one thing will occur, but the opposite occurs
36
Dramatic Irony
Audience knows something that characters do not
37
Kenning
New compound-phrase for common person, place, thing, or idea Ex. bone-house = body, sea-wood = ship
38
Malapropism
Substituting words with similar sounds that have 0 connected meanings Ex. We'll burn that bridge when we come to it!
39
Metaphor
Implied comparison between two unlike things that have something important in common
40
Metonymy
The practice of not using the formal word for an object/subject by referring to another word somehow linked to the formal name/word Ex. "The pen is mightier than the sword" --> pen = written language | sword = physical force
41
Mood
Author's mental/emotional disposition towards subject of literary works. Audience feels this emotion as a result REMEMBER: TONE IS HOW MOOD IS EXPRESSED, IT INVOKES MOOD
42
Motif
Specific theme that dominates a literary work, defining the nature of a story Ex. Lord of the Rings --> temptation of the ring (all the characters just pursue the ring)
43
Nemesis
A bitter enemy, especially one that seem unbeatable
44
Onomatopoeia
Words that imitate or replicate a sound.
45
Oxymoron
Occur when opposite words are placed together Ex. "Sober Mexicans is an oxymoron" -asiansoyboy
46
Paradox
Seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement, but when investigated may turn out true. "This statement is false"
47
Parody
Imitation of the style of someone with a deliberate exaggeration for comedic effect
48
Pathos
Appealing to emotion
49
Pathetic Fallacy
Treatment of inanimate objects as though they have human feelings, thoughts, or sensations (only used for weather in literature) Ex. "So bright the sun is ASHAMED to rise"
50
Personification
Attaching human characteristics to inanimate objects
51
Plot
Sequence of events that make up a story. Usually a pattern, intended or unintended Ex. exposition-->rising action-->climax-->falling action-->resolution
52
Point of View (1st person)
Narrator POV (uses "I" or "me")
53
Point of View (2nd person)
Reader POV ("you")
54
Point of View (3rd person)
Narrator does not participate in the events of a story (he, she, they)
55
Prologue
Introduction to a story, usually setting the tone and providing background to the story
56
Protagonist
Leading character or major character in a story
57
Pun
Play on words
58
Rhyme Scheme
Rhyming words placed at the ends of lines in poetry Ex. ABAB AABB
59
Satire
A piece of writing is making fun of a weakness or character flaw. Usually meant to give feelings of contempt even though may be humorous
60
Setting
Time and place of events of a story
61
Simile
Comparison by two unrelated and dissimilar things using like or as (and sometimes than)
62
Spoonerism
Interchanging first letter of words to create a new and/or nonsensical words Ex. "No wuckin forries"
63
Stanza
Singular related chunks of lines in poetry. Particular section of a poem
64
Suspense
Intense feeling an audience goes through while waiting for the outcome of certain events
65
Symbol
An object that represents something else, usually something meaningful
66
Synechdoche
Device that uses part of something to refer to a whole Ex. "Lend me your ears" = pay attention (pay attention with your whole body)
67
Theme
Underlying message that acts as a foundation for the entire literary piece (why did the author write the story?)
68
Tone
Perspective or attitude the author has towards a topic
69
Tragedy
Series of unfortunate events for a character which finally culminates into a disaster of epic proportions (usually death)
70
Tragic Flaw
A character flaw of a tragic hero that leads to the character's downfall
71
Understatement
Draws attention to a fact that is already obvious and noticeable in an ironic way to play down a situation to make it seem less serious than it actually is
72
Utopia
Ideal or perfect community
73
Wit
Intelligent humor to write something that is clever and usually funny

AP Literature (2 decks)

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