AP LIT Lit Terms

Terms in this set (66)

two terms that are put together that are ordinarily contradictory.

use of words whose sound echoes the sense

the use of exaggerated terms for the purpose of emphasis or heightened effect

an apparently contradictory statement that nevertheless contains a measure of truth

a figure of speech in which a part stands for the whole

substitution of some attributive or suggestive word for what is actually meant

repetition of the same word or groups of words at the beginning of successive clauses

recurrent narratives, patterns of action, character types, themes, and images which are identifiable in a wide variety of works of literature

deliberate omission of conjunctions between a series of related clauses

repetition of initial or medial consonants in two or more adjacent words

use of a word in such a way as to convey a meaning opposite to the literal meaning of the word

deliberate use of understatement by the assertion of an affirmative by negating its contrary

rhetorical question

asking a question, not for the purpose of eliciting an answer but for the purpose of asserting something or denying something obliquely

an explicit comparison between two things of unlike nature that yet have something in common and uses like, as, than

an implied comparison between two things of unlike nature that yet have something in common

the repetition of similar vowels sounds, preceded and followed by different consonants, in the stressed syllables of adjacent words

the repetition of similar consonants, preceded and followed by different vowels

the dictionary meaning of a word

the range of secondary or associated feelings which a word commonly suggests or implies

the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, often in parallel structure

a reference in a work of literature to something outside the work

the structure of a sentence

the manner in which an author expresses his or her attitude toward the subject

the mode of expression in language; the characteristic manner of expression of an author

a brief story usually with a point; it may relate to a point the author wishes to make about a piece of literature

a story or visual image with a second distinct meaning, partially hidden behind its literal or visible meaning

clear, precise word choice

character who is contrasted to another character

normal spoken or written language

harsh joint word sounds

substitutes for a particular attribute of a famous person who is recognized for that attribute

use of a work with two others with each of which it is understood differently

occurs when an action produces far smaller results that one has been led to believe

a protagonist who markedly unheroic: morally weak, cowardly, dishonest, or any number of other unsavory qualities

a short and usually witty saying

the use of deliberately old-fashioned language

the beat or rhythm of poetry in a general sense

(coinage) a new word, usually one invented on the spot

a startling or unusual metaphor extended over several lines.

this is a song for the dead. Its tone is typically slow, heavy, and melancholy

a type of poem that meditates on death or mortality in a serious, thoughtful manner

the continuation of a syntactic unit from one line or couplet of a poem to the next with no pause

lines that commemorate the dead at their burial place. It is usually a line or handful of lines, often serious or religious, but sometimes witty and even irreverent

masculine rhyme

lines rhymed by a single stressed syllable

feminine rhyme (double rhyme)

lines rhymes by their final two syllables

imperfect rhyme/ slant rhyme/ partial rhyme

vowels are only approximate or quite different

an inoffensive expression used in place of a blunt one that is felt to be disagreeable or embarrassing

poetry written without a regular rhyme scheme or metrical pattern

unrhymedverses rhymes iambic pentameter

interior monologue

writing that records the talking that goes on in a character's head and is coherent unlike stream of consciousness

loose and periodic sentence

complete before its end; not grammatically complete until it has reached its final phrase

repeated syntactical similarities used for effect

imitates the serious manner and characteristic features of a literary work

a poem set in tranquil nature or more specifically, shepherds

literary art of diminishing or dedicating a subject by making it ridiculous and evoking toward its attitudes of amusement, contempt, scorn, or indignation

Horatian satire

the speaker is an urbane, witty, and tolerant man of the world who uses a relaxed and informal language to evoke from readers a wry smile at human failings and absurdities

the use of a word to modify two or more words, but used for different meanings

a form of reasoning in which two statements are made and a conclusion is drawn from them

the omission of a word or several words necessary for a complete construction that is still understandable

the mood of a verb that gives an order

an adjective or adjective phrase that is used to describe the perceived nature of a noun by accentuating one of its dominant characteristics whether real or metaphorical

a sequence of two phrases or clauses which are parallel in syntax but reverse the order of the corresponding words

a three-line stanza rhymes aba, bcb, cdc

a seven-line stanza of iambic pentameter lines rhymed ababbcc

two end-stopped iambic pentameter lines rhymed aa, bb, cc with the thought usually completed in the two-line unit

controlling image

When the image dominates and shapes the entire work, it's called a controlling image . A metaphysical conceit is reserved for metaphysical poems only.

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