ap eng. lit terms test ms. bolves
About this set
Created by:
MDorroh on April 14, 2011
Subjects:
ap english literature and composition
Log in to favorite or report as inappropriate.
Order by
221 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 rhetorical figures | (Schemes) Changes in standard word order or patterns |
| figures of speech | The literary devices used to connote meaning beyond the dictionary definition |
| hero (heroine) | The protagonist, or main character, of a literary text |
| antagonist | The character who is opposition to the main character |
| protagonist | The main character |
| hubris | The name given the tragic flaw of excessive pride, which generally leads to the characters downfall |
| epiphany | A sudden insight or understanding |
| antihero | A protagonist who does not exhibit the traditional, heroic qualities usually associated with the main character |
| tragic flaw | The protagonists shortcoming that brings about his or her downfall |
| stock character | A type of flat character that embodies stereotypical qualities and becomes a type rather than a real person |
| static character | A character that stays the same during the course of a literary text |
| round character | A fully developed, multifaceted character that exhibits the complexity of a real person |
| foil | A character who serves as a contrast to another character |
| flat character | One that is not fully developed, one that is defined by singular qualities |
| dynamic character | One who goes through a change during the course of the text |
| methods of a characterization | The techniques a writer uses to develop a character |
| tone | Refers to attitude and is revealed by word choice |
| syntax | The manner in which a writer constructs a sentence and how it affects a readers understanding |
| sarcasm | The lowest form of verbal irony, usually with intent to harm |
| poetic license | The liberty a writer sometimes takes with the typical rules of grammar, punctuation, and/or syntax in order to fulfill his or creative process |
| persona | The speaker |
| passive voice | When the subject of a sentence is acted upon instead of committing an action |
| literal language | Refers to the denotative meaning of words |
| jargon | Refers to the specialized and often technical language and vocabulary of a particular group |
| Literal imagery | Descriptive, appealing to the senses and relating to concrete information |
| Figurative imagery | The use of figures of speech to describe abstract ideas, attempting to make the abstract more concrete |
| general diction | Refers to the speech of educated native speakers |
| concrete diction | Refers to the language that is marked by extensive details, creating clear images |
| colloquial diction | The word choice of everyday usage |
| explication | A detailed explanation of a literary text |
| analogy | The use of something more familiar to explain something new and/or complex |
| active voice | When the subject of the sentence is doing something, as opposed to being acted upon |
| abstract diction | The use of language in general terms |
| levels of diction | The formality of word choice (formal, general, colloquial, vulgate) |
| vulgate | The lowest level of diction |
| voice | A rather vague, metaphorical term used to refer to the distinctive features of a particular writer or text |
| style | The way in which a text is written (The message, material, and the medium are included) |
| denotation | The dictionary definition of a word |
| connotation | The association people have with words beyond the dictionary definition |
| diction | Word choice (Abstract or concrete and formal or informal) |
| polysyndeton | The deliberate use of a series of conjunctions, usually for emphasis |
| parallelism | The repetition of similar grammatical terms or syntactical patterns |
| juxtaposition | The positioning point of things close together or site by side |
| inverted sentence | Digress from the normal English pattern of subject, verb, object |
| epigram | A short poem with a brief, witty ending |
| aphorism | A concise, pointed statement that reveals a truth or principal |
| rhetorical question | A question asked for effect rather than to elicit an answer |
| antithesis | The placement of a sentence or one of its parts against another to which it is opposed |
| complex sentence | A sentence that contains one main clause and at least one dependent clause |
| compound sentence | A sentence that contains two or more main clauses |
| versification | Both the art of composing verse as well as the form of verse used in a particular poem |
| trochee | A form of poetical meter consisting first of one stressed syllable, followed by one unstressed (-~) |
| stanzaic form | Poems are divided into regular stanzas, or sections of lines of verse |
| spondee | A form of poetical meter consisting of two stressed syllables ( - - ) |
| rhythm | The varying rate, intensity, pitch, and volume of speech |
| rhyme | Repetition of identical vowel sounds |
| meter | The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry |
| internal rhyme | Rhyme that occurs within a line of verse |
| iambic pentameter | Ten syllables of alternating stressed-unstressed |
| hexameter | Line of verse with six metrical feet |
| dissonance | Harsh, discordant sounds |
| consonance | Repetition of consonant sounds, following different vowel sounds |
| cacophony | Harsh Sounds |
| assonance | Repetition of identical or similar sounds followed by different consonant sounds |
| alliteration | Repetition of the initial sounds |
| stanza | A group of lines in a poem |
| metrical foot | The rhythmic unit in which a lie of verse in divided |
| heroic couplet | A pair of rhymic lines written in iambic pentameter |
| foot | The subdivision of a line of metrical verse |
| caesura | A break or a pause in a line of poetry |
| iamb | A form of poetical meter consisting of one unstressed and stressed syllable |
| euphony | Pleasing, harmonic sounds |
| dactyl | A form of accentual poetical meter, beginning stressed then two unstressed |
| anapest | Three syllables: Two unstressed then one stressed |
| narrator | The speaker that an author uses to present a story |
| third-person point of view | A story told by someone other than the character |
| rising action | Part of the narrative in which the plot becomes complicated |
| resolution | The final outcome of the plot |
| omiscient point of view | All knowing, third person |
| framing technique | The main story is in another story |
| falling action | The plot after the crisis |
| exposition | The part of the narrative in which you find out background information |
| conflict | The source of tension |
| climax | The point of the plot that achieves the greatest emotional intensity |
| stream of consciousness | A narrative technique in which an author attempts to capture the flow of thoughts and sensory impressions of characters as the pass though his or her mind. |
| satire | A form of writing that has a moral purpose |
| prolepsis | Anticipation |
| point of view | Refers to the angle from which a story is told |
| pathos | The effect of feeling pity or sorrow, based on a passage or text as a whole |
| foreshadowing | A technique of inserting material into a narrative that provides the reader with clues of future events |
| first-person point of view | A narrative being told from the perspective of a character who uses the word "I" |
| dialogue | The conversation between two or more characters in a literary text |
| catharsis | The emotional release an audience feels at the end of a tragedy |
| atmosphere | (Mood) the general feeling created by a text |
| epistolary novel | A novel in which the plot is developed solely though letters, diaries, journals, and blogs |
| epilogue | The final section of a text that occurs after the conclusion of the main plot |
| epigraph | The writing at the beginning of a narrative that tends to establish either tone or theme |
| anti-climax | A reversal of expectations, a kind of disappointment |
| picaresque novel | A realistic novel that resounds the adventures of a rogue |
| parable | A short, realistic story that teaches a moral lesson |
| limited narrator | One whose point of view is not all-knowing |
| flashback | A scene that interrupts the present action of the narrative in order to depict an earlier event |
| flash-forward | A scene that interrupts the present action of a narrative in order to preview future events |
| dystopia | The opposite of a utopia |
| digression | A temporary departure from one topic to another related topic |
| circular narrative | A narrative technique where an author gradually reveals information as the narrative is repeated |
| bildungsroman | A coming-of-age novel; A narrative that traces the physical, emotional, and/or spiritual development of the protagonist |
| theme | The main idea of a literary text |
| setting | The time and place in which a narrative takes place |
| reliability | Refers to the trustworthiness of a narrator |
| in media res | Means "in the middle of the action" |
| symbolism | Refers to the use of objects that have meaning in and of themselves to stand for, or represent, something else |
| onomatopoeia | The creation and use of words that sounds like what they mean |
| intertextuality | Refers to the interconnectedness of various literary texts |
| epithet | An adjective or phrase used to emphasize certain characteristics |
| anachronism | Something that exists out of place and time |
| allusion | An indirect reference to something |
| ambiguity | A sense of uncertainty that leaves the text open of interpretation |
| motif | A recurring element of a literary text that serves as a unifying element |
| intentional fallacy | Refers to the practice of basing interpretations on either the expressed of implied intentions of a writer |
| structuralism | A form of literary criticism that analyzes texts from the perspective that all texts are the results of an elaborate system of signs |
| reader-response criticism | Focuses on the transaction that takes place between the reader and the text |
| psychological criticism | Analyzes literature in terms of mental processes |
| New Historicism criticism | Focuses on when a text was created as well as the situation in which the text is currently being read |
| New Criticism | The name given to the type of literary criticism that focuses on a close reading of a text |
| Marxism criticism | The type of literary criticism that focuses on the struggle for power and its effect on social class |
| feminism criticism | The type of literary criticism that focuses on the role of women |
| existentialism | A modern philosophy that maintains that existence precedes essence, and everyone is responsible for his or her own actions |
| authorial intention | Refers to the motivations a writer had in writing a text |
| Archetypal criticism | A form of criticism focusing on patterns that exist across cultures and time periods |
| verse | Refers to a line of poetry, to differentiate between poetry and other less serious forms of metrical writing, or it is used to refer to poetry in general and specific poems. |
| crisis | (The turning point) The part of the plot where the conflict has intensified to a point where the fortunes of the protagonist begin to change, for the better or worse. |
| realism | Refers to any text that attempts to accurately portray life, in direct opposition of sensationalism or melodrama |
| nostalgia | A desire for the past, usually a condition that cannot be duplicated |
| narrative poetry | Refers to typed of poems that tell a story |
| melodrama | A form of narration that emphasizes plot or action at the expense of developing character |
| light verse | Refers to poetry that has neither a serious purpose nor a solemn tone |
| free verse | Refers to poetry that does not conform to any regular meter and does not rhyme |
| enjambment | Occurs when a complete thought extends over two more lines of poetry |
| drama | A literary form intended for performances before an audience |
| comedy | Can be broadly defined as any amusing and entertaining literary text. Refers to a specific type of drama, which contrasts with tragedy |
| carpe diem | Latin for "seize the day". The idea of living for the moment is a popular literary theme. |
| blank verse | Unrhymed iambic pentameter and is the preferred English verse form |
| ode | An elaborate, formal lyrical poem |
| Italian Sonnet | (Petrarchan) A two-part sonnet that consists of an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines) |
| interior monologue | A stream-of-consciousness technique in which the subjective thoughts of a character are revealed to the reader |
| end-stopped line | Occurs when the physical end of the line verse corresponds with a grammatical pause |
| elegy | A reflective poem that laments the loss of someone |
| autobiography | The nonfictionalized account of a person's life, told by that person |
| aside | A dramatic convention where a character onstage addresses the audience |
| anecdote | A brief story |
| act | A major division of a play or drama |
| tragedy | A serious drama that typically ends in disaster |
| sonnet | A 14-line lyric poem that typically follows a conventional rhyme scheme |
| soliloquy | When a character in a drama is alone onstage, speaking his innermost thoughts |
| Shakespearean Sonnet | (English sonnet) Consists of three quatrains and a couplet (abab cdcd efef gg) |
| Scene | The subdivision of an act in a drama |
| quatrain | A stanza consisting of four lines |
| pastoral | Refers broadly to any text with a rural setting |
| parody | A humorous imitation of either the style of a particular genre or the imitation of the specific literary text |
| monologue | An extended narrative delivered by a single speaker, though it may be heard or witnessed by others |
| lyric poem | A short poem that expresses the thoughts of a singular speaker |
| genre | A type of literature, such as a novel, play, or poem |
| eulogy | A formal statement of praise |
| couplet | Refers to two successive lines of rhyming verse |
| closed couplet | Two successive lines of rhymed verse whose meaning is complete |
| biography | The nonfictionalized account of a person's life, told by another person |
| ballad | Any poem that tells a story |
| conclusion | (Denouncement) The part of the plot in which the conflict is resolved |
| verbal irony | The contrast between what is said and what is intended |
| understatement | The deliberate misrepresentation of something by stating something in a way that is less than it truly is |
| synesthesia | Expressing one sensory sensation in terms of another |
| synecdoche | (A specific type of metaphor) The use of a part to represent the whole, or vise versa |
| personification | The giving of human characteristics to something nonhuman |
| metonymy | A specific type of metaphor, replacing the name of something with something closely related to it |
| meiosis | A form of understatement usually achieved by referring to something in terms of less importance that it usually deserves |
| irony | The contrast between appearance and reality |
| hyperbole | An over-exaggeration used to make a point |
| figurative language | The modification of literal language in order to achieve an intended effect |
| epistrophe | Repetition of final words, phrases, and/or clauses in successive lines or sentences |
| dramatic irony | The contrast between what a reader knows and what the character knows |
| cosmic irony | Irony of fate |
| chiasmus | Achieving contrast through reverse parallelism |
| asyndeton | The deliberate omission of conjunctions |
| simile | A figure of speech in which an explicit comparison is made between two things essentially unalike |
| apostrophe | The direct address to an inanimate, missing, or dead person or object |
| anthropomorphism | The giving of a human form to anything not human |
| anastrophe | (Hyperbaton) The name for the rhetorical figure of reversing word order to make a point |
| anaphora | The repetition of words, phrases, and/or clauses at the beginning of successive lines or sentences |
| oxymoron | The pairing of two opposites to create a compressed, emphatic paradox |
| extended metaphor | A comparison that is maintained and further developed throughout the text |
| Pun | A play on words that capitalizes on the similarity of spelling or pronunciation, usually for comic effect |
| Paradox | The statement that initially seems contradictory and nonsensical but upon further examination, makes sense |
| Metaphor | Comparing two objects by referring to one thing as if it were another |
| malapropism | The confused, usually comic, misuse of a word or words |
| euphemism | The substitution of a softer, gentler word or expression for something painful or unpleasant |
| conceit | An elaborate, extended metaphor or simile |
| trophes | Used to twist, or turn, the meaning of a word (Irony, metaphor, metonymy, personification, simile, and synecdoche) |
| myth | A story about the origin of a belief held by a particular culture |
| sisyphus | A king who offended Zeus and was forced to push a boulder to the top of a hill, only to have it roll back down again when he reached the top |
| phoenix | A bird that, at the end of its life, builds a nest and sets the next and itself on fire. It burns to death, and then rises from its own ashes. |
| job | An Old Testament man whose faith was severely tested by Satan |
| serpent | A symbol for the devil |
| Promised Land | The land of milk and honey, known as Canaan that God initially promises to Abraham and his descendents. |
| Apocalypse | Another name for the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible. Also, the end of time. |
| Genesis | The first book of the Bible and now refers to any beginning. |
| Exodus | The second book of the Bible. It recounts to journey of Moses and the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. |
| Covenant | An agreement, or contract, between God and his people. |
| Judgment Day | Occurs at the End of Time, during the Second coming, when Jesus will judge the living and the dead. |
| Armageddon | The name given to the final battle between God and the devil at the end of the world, as described in the book of Revelation. |
| disciples | followers |
| cherubim | Heavenly angels |
| thirty pieces of silver | Refers to the price paid to Judas Iscariot for betraying Jesus |
| wolf in sheep's clothing | Refers to false prophets |
| forbidden fruit | Refers to the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which Adam and Eve were instructed not to eat |
| alpha and omega | The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; Used in conjunction, they represent God, who is the beginning and the end |
| an eye for an eye | Refers to an Old Testament principle of justice, where punishment was equal to the crime committed |
| turn the other cheek | What Jesus commanded his disciples to do, rather than Old Testament justice, which was an eye for an eye |
| Am I my brother's keeper?" | Refers to the Bible story of Cain and Abel, Adams and Eves son. Upon learning that God and accepted Abel's sacrifice and not his own, Cain killed Abel. When God asked where his brother was, Cain replied, "Am I my brother's keeper?" |
| Garden of Eden | The site of Adam's and Eve's perfect existence, until their transgression and subsequent banishment. |
| Antichrist | The enemy of Jesus, who will appear on earth before the Second Coming of Christ. |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.