AP Lang Literary Devices and Elevated Words - Lit Devices Flashcards
Allegory
a form of extended metaphor, in which objects, persons, and actions are often personifications of abstract ideas as charity, greed, or envy. Thus an allegory is a story with two meanings, a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning.
Allusion
casual literary, historical or biblical reference within a larger work
Ambiguity
the multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.
Anaphora
the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines
Anecdote
a story or brief episode told by the writer or a character to illustrate to a point.
Antagonist
the character who works against the protagonist in the story
Antihero
A protagonist who is markedly unheroic: morally weak, cowardly, dishonest, or any number of other unsavory qualities.
Antithesis
the juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas to give a feeling of balance
Antithetical
sharply contrasted in character or purpose, directly opposing
Aphorism
a concise statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance
Asyndeton
a construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions
Chiasmus
a statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed
Cliche
a worn-out idea or overused expression
Colloquialism
a word or phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing (y’all, ain’t)
Conceit
a fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects. A conceit displays intellectual cleverness due to the unusual comparison being made.
Connotation
the implied or associative meaning of a word
Diction
a writer’s or speaker’s choice of words
Didactic
having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing
Epithet
any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality
Figurative Language
Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.
Flashback
a transition (in literary or theatrical works or films) to an earlier event or scene that interrupts the normal chronological development of the story
Foreshadowing
the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot
Hyperbole
extreme exaggeration
Imagery
The use of language to evoke a picture or a concrete sensation of a person, thing, place, or experience
Irony
incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs
Juxtaposition
placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast
Metaphor
a comparison of two unlike things without using the word like or as.
Metonymy
substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it
Onomatopoeia
a word that imitates the sound it represents
Oxymoron
A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.
Paradox
a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
Parody
humorous or satirical mimicry
Personification
a type of figurative language in which a nonhuman subject is given human characteristics
Pun
a humorous play on words
Rhetorical Question
a statement that is formulated as a question but that is not supposed to be answered
Satire
form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed to attack human vice and folly
Stereotype
a generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people
Understatement
lack of emphasis in a statement or point; restraint in language often used for ironic effect
Warrant
a general principle or assumption that establishes a connection between the support and the claim
