AP Lit term 3 Flashcards
What is Denouement?
The final resolution or clarification of a dramatic or narrative plot.
In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare, the denouement occurs when the families reconcile after the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
What is Deus ex Machina?
A plot device where an unexpected power or event saves a seemingly hopeless situation.
In ‘The Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding, the naval officer’s arrival at the end of the novel serves as a deus ex machina, rescuing the boys from their descent into savagery.
What is Distortion?
The act of twisting or altering something out of its true, natural, or original state.
In ‘1984’ by George Orwell, the Party distorts reality through propaganda and altering historical records.
What is Enjambment?
The continuation of a sentence or clause over a line-break in poetry.
In ‘The Waste Land’ by T.S. Eliot, enjambment is used in the lines: ‘April is the cruellest month, breeding / Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing / Memory and desire, stirring / Dull roots with spring rain.’
What is an Epigram?
A pithy, often witty, statement or poem.
In ‘An Essay on Criticism’ by Alexander Pope, the epigram ‘To err is human, to forgive divine’ is well-known.
What is an Epigraph?
A quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work suggestive of the theme.
In ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the epigraph is a poem by Thomas Parke D’Invilliers: ‘Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her; / If you can bounce high, bounce for her too, / Till she cry ‘Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, / I must have you!’
What is an Epiphany?
A moment of sudden revelation or insight.
In ‘A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man’ by James Joyce, Stephen Dedalus has an epiphany on the beach, realizing his calling as an artist.
What is an Epistolary Novel?
A novel written as a series of documents, such as letters or diary entries.
‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker is an epistolary novel, told through letters, diary entries, and newspaper clippings.
What is an Essay?
A short piece of writing on a particular subject.
‘Self-Reliance’ by Ralph Waldo Emerson is a famous essay advocating individualism and self-trust.
What is a Euphemism?
A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered too harsh or blunt.
In ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck, the term ‘put down’ is used as a euphemism for killing Candy’s old dog.
What is Euphony?
The quality of being pleasing to the ear, especially through a harmonious combination of words.
In ‘To Autumn’ by John Keats, the line ‘Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ is an example of euphony.
What is a Farce?
A comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay, typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations.
‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ by Oscar Wilde is a farce, filled with witty dialogue, mistaken identities, and absurd situations.
