AP LIT. Midterm review Flashcards
Alliteration
the repetition of similar sounds, usually consonants ar the beginning of words
Analogy
a comparison made to show a relationship or similarity between two unlike things. Similes and metaphors are two ways to make an analogy
Asyndeton
the intentional omission of conjunctions between phrases that still maintain grammatical accuracy
ex: He crossed the road without looking, without listening, without caution.
Atmosphere/Mood
the feeling or emotion that an author creates in a narrative through descriptive language
Conceit
an elaborate extended metaphor in which the parallel between two seemingly dis-similar objects or ideas is extreme
Diction
word choice, types of words, and level of language. the choice of diction conveys a certain tone.
Epithet
an adjective or phrase that describes a prominent feature of a person or thing. “Richard the lionhearted”. “Gretta the good”
Foil
a character who illuminates the qualities of another (usually main) character by means of contrast. draco malfoy is a foil to harry potter
Hyperbole
an intentionally exaggerated statement that is not meant to be taken literally; used for effect “Ive told you 1000 times”
Figurative language
a type of communication that does not use a word’s strict or realistic meaning.
ex: simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole
Theme
the central idea or unifying generalization of a literary work
Imagery
the visual, auditory, or tactile images revoked by the words of a literary work or the imagery that figurative language evokes.
juxtaposition
the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effects.
ex: alls fair in love and war
paradox
a statement that seems to be self-contradicting but in fact is true
ex: Save money by spending it.
personification
figurative language used to create imagery that gives human characteristics to non-human things
perspective
how the characters view and process what’s happening within the story
point of view
the position from which a narrator or speaker relates the events of a story or the position of a narrative (story) takes toward the event it describes
polysyndeton
the use of coordinating conjunctions like “and’ “or” “but” and “nor” which are used for effect where they might have been committed (in birthday party)
ex: he ran and jumped and laughed…
rhetorical question
a question asked to make an impact or call attention to something not to elicit a response
simile
a comparison using like or as
irony
a contrast between what is said and what is meant or between what happens and what is expected to happen
narrator
the voice telling the story. may or may not be a character in the story
symbol
an object, image, character, figure, action, event, or color which is used to represent an abstract idea or concept
syntax
the structure of a sentence, the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences
tone/attitude
in writing, the manner in which a narrator expresses his or her attitude; the intonation of the voice that expresses meaning (sympathetic, critical, ironic, etc)
verisimilitude
the appearance of being true- believability as it applies to fictional literature
dialogue
the conversation in a literary work, typically (but not always) enclosed in quotation marks
foreshadowing
hints of what is to come in the action of a play or story
assonance/consonance
the repetition of similar vowel sounds in a sequence of nearby words. often creates rhyme(rose, toes, go)/the repetition at close intervals of the final consonant sounds (last, past, most, best)
cacophony
clashing, discordant, or harsh sounds
couplet & heroic couplet
two successive rhymed lines that are equal in length
stream of consciousness
a type of internal monologue in which prose follows the logic and flow of a character’s (or multiple characters) thought processes
pun
a play on words wherein a word is used to convey two meanings at the same time.
ex: the duck said to the bartender “put it in my bill”
free verse
non-metrical poetry, where patterns develop organically from the individual poem instead of from established poetic forms
onomatopoeia
the use of words that mimic their meaning in their sound (meow, buzz)
rhyme
correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words, especially when these are used at the ends of lines of poetry
sonnet
a poem containing 14 lines written in iambic pentameter. 1st 8 lines octave= question, last 6 lines sestet= solution
tone shift
a shift in a story’s overall feeling from where it started.
bildungsroman
a coming-of-age novel, that deals with the development of a young person, usually from adolescence to adulthood
gothic
a genre in which magic, mystery, horrors and chivalry abound
metaphor
a direct comparison between two seemingly alike things
foreshadowing
hints of whats to come in the action of a play or story
epistolary novel
form of fiction written in letters
fable
a story written to make a moral point, using animals as characters
fairy tale
a fictional tale, marked by fantasy and magic after appealing to the imagination
frame narrative
a story within a story, sometimes within another story (Frankenstein)
genre
a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter. ( fantasy, horror, mystery…)
romanticism
a literary and artistic movement of the 19th century, emotion, nature, imagination, etc.
iambic pentameter
a rhythmic pattern that consists of ten syllables per line, with alternating stressed and unstressed syllables.
allusion
a reference to a work of literature to something outside the work, especially to a well-known historical or literary event, person, or work.
grotesque
a type of writing that focuses on physically or mentally (warped, deluded, delayed) impaired characters
