AP Lit Literary Devices 2 Flashcards
Denotation
The specific, exact meaning of a word
Denoument
The resolution of a plot after the climax
Dues es machina
An unexpected, improbable, or artificial character, device, or event introduced suddenly to resolve plot
Diction
The author’s choice of words
Dramatic irony
The reader knows something the character doesn’t
Dystopia
The opposite of a utopia, a controlled world where pain exists instead of pleasure
Elegy
Lyrical poem about death; a serious poem, usually meant to express grief or sorrow
Enjambment
A line of verse that carries over into next line without a pause of any kind
Epic
A long narrative, usually written in elevated language
Epiphany
An awakening, a sudden understanding or burst of insight
Epitaph
An engraving on a tombstone
Epithet
Nickname or appellation, i.e., “Helen of the white arms,”
Euphemism
Substitute words that sounds better than another (lingerie instead of underwear); the use of inoffensive or neutral words to describe a harsher, more serious concept
Existentialism
A term applied to a group of attitudes which emphasize existence rather than the essence, and sees the inadequacy of human reason to explain the enigma of the universe
Exposition
Introductory material that sets the stage for a story
