AP Lit Terms - Test 1

Question 1

Story or poem in which characters, settings, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities.

Answer 1

Allegory

Question 2

Repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in words that are close together.

Answer 2

Alliteration

Question 3

Reference to someone or something that is known from history, literature, religion, politics, sports, science, or another branch of culture. An indirect reference to something (usually from literature, etc.).

Answer 3

Allusion

Question 4

Deliberately suggesting two or more different, and sometimes conflicting, meanings in a work. An event or situation that may be interpreted in more than one way – this is done on purpose by the author, when it is not on purpose, it is vagueness, and detracts from the work.

Answer 4

Ambiguity

Question 5

Comparison made between two things to show how they are alike

Answer 5

Analogy

Question 6

Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row. This is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer’s point more coherent.

Answer 6

Anaphora

Question 7

Inversion of the usual, normal, or logical order of the parts of a sentence. Purpose is rhythm or emphasis or euphony. It is a fancy word for inversion.

Answer 7

Anastrophe

Question 8

Brief story, told to illustrate a point or serve as an example of something, often shows character of an individual.

Answer 8

Anecdote

Question 9

Opponent who struggles against or blocks the hero, or protagonist, in a story.

Answer 9

Antagonist

Question 10

Repetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order. For example, “One should eat to live, not eat to live.” In poetry, this is called chiasmus.

Answer 10

Antimetabole

Question 11

Balancing words, phrases, or ideas that are strongly contrasted, often by means of grammatical structure.

Answer 11

Antithesis

Question 12

Central character who lacks all the qualities traditionally associated with heroes. May lack courage, grace, intelligence, or moral scruples.

Answer 12

Antihero

Question 13

Attributing human characteristics to an animal or inane object. (Personification)

Answer 13

Anthropomorphism

Question 14

Brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation of life, or of a principle or accepted general truth. Also known as maxim or epigram.

Answer 14

Aphorism

Question 15

Calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person, or to a place or thing, or a personified abstract idea. If the character is asking a god or goddess for inspiration, it is called an invocation.

Answer 15

Apostrophe

Question 16

Placing an immediately succeeding order of two or more coordinate elements, the latter of which is an explanation, qualification, or modification of the first (often set off by a colon).

Answer 16

Apposition

Question 17

The repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds especially in words that are together.

Answer 17

Assonance

Question 18

Commas used without conjunction to separate a series of words, thus emphasizing the parts equally: instead of X, Y, and Z…the writer uses X, Y,Z… see polysyndeton.

Answer 18

Asyndeton

Question 19

Constructing a sentence so that both halves are about the same length and importance. Sentences can be unbalanced to serve a special effect as well.

Answer 19

Balance

Question 20

The Process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character.

Answer 20

Characterization

Question 21

The author reveals to the reader what the character is like by describing how the character looks and dresses, by letting the reader hear what the character says, by revealing the character’s private thoughts and feelings, by revealing the characters effects on other people (showing how other characters feel or behave toward the character), or by showing the character in action. Common in modern literature.

Answer 21

Indirect Characterization

Question 22

The author tells us directly what the character is like: sneaky, generous, mean to pets, and so on. Romantic style literature relied more heavily on this form.

Answer 22

Direct Characterization

Question 23

A character who does not change much in the course of a story.

Answer 23

Static Character

Question 24

A character who changes in some important way as a result of the story’s action.

Answer 24

Dynamic Character

Question 25

Character with only one or two personality traits. They are one dimensional, like a piece of cardboard. They can be summed up in one phrase.

Answer 25

Flat Character

Question 26

Character with more dimensions to their personalities—they are complex, just as real people are.

Answer 26

Round Character