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AP English Language > Literary Terms > Flashcards

Literary Terms Flashcards

(90 cards)

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1
Q

abstract

A

word or phrase has as a referent an idea rather than a concrete object or thing (i.e. liberty, prejudice, love…)

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2
Q

action

A

what happens in a story: events or conflicts

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3
Q

allegory

A

story in which the characters and the action represent an idea or generalization about life: often have a strong moral lesson

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4
Q

allusion

A

reference in lit to a familiar person, place, or thing, or event

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5
Q

analogy

A

comparing of two or more similar objects so as to suggest that if they are alike in certain respects, they will probably be alike in other ways as well

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6
Q

anecdote

A

a short summary of a funny or humorous event

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7
Q

antagonist

A

person or thing opposing the protagonist or hero of the work

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8
Q

autobiography

A

author’s account or story of their own life

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9
Q

ballad

A

poem that tells a story and usually rhymes every other line

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10
Q

biography

A

story of a person’s life written by another

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11
Q

caricature

A

rep or imitation of a person’s features so exaggerated or inferior as to be comic or absurd

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12
Q

character

A

person in a story or poem

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13
Q

characterization

A

method an author uses to reveal his characters and their various personalities

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14
Q

cliche

A

word or phrase which is so overused that it is no longer effective in most writing situations (i.e. “busy as a bee”)

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15
Q

climax

A

high pt. or turning pt. in a work, usually the most intense part

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16
Q

comedy

A

lit. that is concerned with man’s inability to deal with reality. human errors or problems appear funny

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17
Q

concrete

A

word has as a referent a material object that can be heard, seen, felt, tasted, or smelled

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18
Q

conflict

A

colliding or clashing of thoughts, feelings, actions, or persons; the problems or complications in a story (i.e. man v. man…)

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19
Q

connotation

A

the emotions or feelings a word can arouse (i.e. negative associations w/ pig)

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20
Q

denotation

A

literal or dictionary meaning of a word

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21
Q

context

A

environment of the word; the words that surround a particular word and help to determine or deepen its meaning

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22
Q

denouement

A

resolution or outcome of a play or story

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23
Q

description

A

type of writing which sets forth the characteristics or qualities of the thing it is being written about

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24
Q

dialogue

A

conversation carried on by the characters in a lit. work

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25
diction
author's choice of words based on their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness
26
archaic
words that are old fashioned and no longer sound natural when used
27
colloquialism
expression that is usually accepted in informal writing or speaking but not in a formal situation
28
profanity
language used to degrade someone or something that is regarded as holy or sacred
29
slang
language used by a particular group of people among themselves; also lang. which is used conversationally or informally to lend color and feeling
30
trite
expressions that have been overused to the point of losing their effectiveness
31
vulgarity
type of language that is generally considered common, earthy, crude, gross, and at times offensive
32
didactic
literary work that teaches something; oftentimes is a moral or religious statement
33
drama
form of lit. known as plays; also refers to type of serious play that is often concerned with the leading character's relationship to society rather that with some tragic flaw within his personality
34
dramatic monologue
poem in which the character speaks either to himself or to another character in a way which reveals much about the character
35
elegy
formal poem mourning the death of a certain indiv.
36
empathy
when you put yourself in someone else's shoes and imagine how they must feel
37
epic
long narrative poem that tells of the deeds and adventures of a hero
38
epigram
brief, witty poem or saying often dealing with its subject in a satirical manner
39
epitaph
short poem or verse in memory of someone
40
epithet
word or phrase used in place of a person's name
41
essay
piece of prose which expresses an indiv.'s point of view
42
exaggeration
overstating or stretching the truth for literary effect
43
exposition
writing which is intended to make clear or explain something which might otherwise be difficult to understand
44
falling action
action of a play or story which works out the decision arrived at during the climax
45
farce
lit. which has one purpose: to make the audience laugh
46
figurative lang.
lang. which cannot be taken literally since it was written to create a special effect or feeling
47
figure of speech
lit. device used to create a special meaning through emotional and connotative use of words
48
alliteration
repetition of initial consonant sounds
49
assonance
repetition of vowel sounds
50
blank verse
an unrhymed form of poetry that consists of ten syllables in which every other syllable is stressed; unrhymed iambic pentameter
51
canto
division of a long poem
52
caesura
pause or sudden break in a line of poetry
53
consonance
repetition of consonant sounds
54
end rhyme
rhyming of words that appear at the ends of two or more lines of poetry
55
foot
unit of meter that contains the combination of stressed and unstressed syllables
56
antithesis
opposing or contrasting of ideas
57
apostrophe
poetic device in which the poet talks to an absent person, place, or thing
58
hyperbole
exaggeration or overstatement
59
litotes
form of understatement in which something is expressed by negation of the contrary
60
metaphor
comparing of two unlike things w/o using like or as
61
metonymy
substituting of one word for another that is closely related to it
62
personification
lit. device in which the author elevates an animal, object or idea to the level of a human
63
simile
comparison between two unlike things using like or as
64
synecdoche
using part of something to represent the whole
65
flashback
returning to an earlier time in a story to make something in the present clearer
66
foreshadowing
suggestion of what is to come later in the work by giving hints and clues
67
form
the way a work is organized or designed
68
genre
refers to the various types of lit.
69
imagery
used to describe the words or phrases which bring forth a certain picture or image in the mind of the reader
70
impressionism
recording of events or situations as they have been impressed upon the mind
71
irony
using a word or phrase to mean the exact opposite of its literal or normal meaning. three types: dramatic, verbal, and situational
72
limerick
light, humorous verse of five lines with an AABBA rhyme scheme
73
local color
use of details which are common in a certain region or section of the country
74
malapropism
ludicrous misuse of words
75
melodrama
exaggerated sensational form of drama which is intended to appeal to the emotions of the audience, as with many of the television soap operas
76
mood
feeling a piece of lit. arouses in the reader
77
moral
particular value or lesson the author is trying to get across to the reader
78
motif
term for an often repeated character, incident, or idea in lit.
79
myth
traditional story that attempts to explain or justify a certain belief
80
narrator
person who is telling the story
81
naturalism
extreme form of realism in which the author tries to show the relation of man to his environment
82
parable
short, descriptive story whose purpose is to illustrate a particular belief or moral
83
paradox
statement that is seemingly contrary to common sense yet is, in fact, true; a self-contradictory statement
84
parallelism
repeating of phrases or sentences that are similar in meaning and structure
85
parody
literary form that is intended to mock a particular literary work or its style; a burlesque or comic effect is created
86
pathos
greek root meaning suffering or passion; usually applied to the part in a play or story that is intended to bring out pity or sorrow from the audience
87
plagiarism
using someone else's writing or ideas and trying to pass them off as your own
88
plot
action in a story
89
poetic justice
term which describes a character "getting what he deserves" in the end, especially if what he deserves is punishment
90
narration
type of writing that relates an event or series of events; a story

AP English Language (1 decks)

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