AP Literary Terms Flashcards
Alliteration
a musical device in which words are linked together by having the same initial consonant
Assonance
a musical device in which words are linked together by having similar vowel sounds
Blank verse
unrhymed iambic pentameter–it’s the form used in all of Shakespeare’s plays and John Milton’s Paradise Lost; it is reputedly “the most like actual human speech”.
Carpe Diem poetry
Carpe diem is a Latin phrase meaning “seize the day”. In many poems, the speaker’s purpose is to persuade a young woman to yield to love before her beauty fades. It is an attitude expressed in the form of a rhetorical argument, such as a thesis for a debate using unusual examples, like Donne’s “The Flea”, which represents the marriage bed.
Consonance
a musical device in which words are linked together by having similar ending consonants or sounds; often used in near rhyme
Caesura
a pause, metrical or rhetorical, occurring somewhere in a line of poetry; the pause may or may not be typographically indicated
Couplet
a rhymed pair of lines, which are usually of the same length; if they are iambic pentameters, they are heroic couplets
End-stopped
a line that has a natural pause at the end (period, comma, etc)
Enjambment
the running over of a sentence or thought into the next couplet or line without a pause at the end of the line; a run-on line.
Foot
the basic unit of meter consisting of a group of two or three syllables. Each line of a poem contains a certain number of iambs, trochees, spondees, dactyls, or anapests; the number of syllables in a line varies according to the number of meters
Meter (rhythm)
the rhythmic pattern produced when words are arranged so that their stressed and unstressed syllables fall into a more or less regular sequence, resulting in repeated patterns of accent (called feet)
Free Verse
when a poet does not use a regularly alternating stress pattern for his or her lines
Epic
a long narrative poem about the adventures of a hero
Sonnet
a 14-line poem with a varied rhyme scheme written in iambic pentameter; means a little song; the three main types of sonnets are Petrarchan (Italian), Shakespearean (Elizabethan or English), and the Spenserian.
Villanelle
a 19-line poem with two lines repeating at regular intervals
Ballad
a 4-line stanza poem with a tight rhyme scheme that tells a story
Sestina
a 39-line poem with 6-line stanzas and 6-repeating end words
Epigram
a witty two-line (usually rhyming) saying or quip
Limerick
a five-line poem (usually humorous) with an AABBA rhyme scheme
Haiku
a three-line form of poetry, usually about nature
Terza Rima
an Italian form used by Dante Alighieri, consisting of three lines in iambic pentameter with interlocking rhyme scheme (ABA, BCB, CDC)
Lyric poem
a verse being sung in accompaniment with a musical instrument
Ode
a form of poetry that is lyrical in nature, usually in praise of people, natural scenes, and abstract ideas
Rhyme royal
a rhyming stanza form introduced by Geoffrey Chaucer, consisting of a stanza with seven 10-syllable lines that rhyme and written in iambic pentameter ABABBC
Heroic couplet
two lines of rhyming iambic pentameter. This form was made popular by Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and became the dominant poetic form in the latter part of the seventeenth century.
Iambic pentameter
an unrhymed line of five feet in which the dominant accent usually falls on the second syllable of each foot, a pattern known as an iamb
That TIME | of YEAR | thou MAYST | in ME | beHOLD
Metaphysical conceit
elaborate, extended metaphors that compare dissimilar things; created by early 17th century English poets like John Donne and George Herbert
Pastoral poetry
presenting an idealized image of rural life and nature
Rhyme
when words end with the same sounds
Full rhyme
words with perfectly alike ending sounds
Eye rhyme
words that look like they should rhyme according to spelling, but actually don’t when spoken aloud
Internal rhyme
occur when poets put several rhyming words inside a poem
Slant/half rhyme
when words almost rhyme, but not quite; usually these words have consonance in common; used more commonly in modern poetry
Feminine rhyme
a rhyme in which the repeated accented vowel is in either the first or second-to-last syllable in a line of poetry; emphasizes gender of the speaker and/or poem’s content
Masculine rhyme
a rhyme in which the repeated accented vowel is in the final syllable of the words involved
Rhyme scheme
refers to the regular pattern of rhyming a poet uses, usually assigning random letters to different rhyming sounds for the length of the poem
Repetition and refrain
can be used in any genre for a variety of rhetorical effects, in that it can be haunting, irritating, outraged, jubilant–it all depends on the context and can occur when poets repeat the same phrase or line several times, creating a certain effect
Stanza
the “paragraphs” of a poem, usually marked by empty lines between sections
Tercet
three lines of poetry, usually linked together by a rhyme scheme
Quatrain
four lines of poetry, usually linked together by a rhyme scheme
Refrain
a line or phrase repeated throughout a poem for effect
The Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet
divided into the octave (first eight lines) and the sestet (last six lines). The octave presents a problem or situation which is then resolved or commented on in the sestet. The most common rhyme scheme is
ABBA / CDE / CDE, though there is flexibility in the sestet, such as CDC / DCD
The Shakespearean (English/Elizabethan) sonnet
contains three quatrains and a couplet, with more rhymes (because of the greater difficulty finding rhymes in English). The most common rhyme scheme is ABAB / CDCD / EFEF / GG. In Shakespeare, the couplet often undercuts the thought created in the rest of the poem.
The Spenserian sonnet
contains three quatrains with interlocking rhyme scheme and a couplet; most common rhyme scheme is ABAB / BCBC / CDCD / EE
Plot
the action of the narrative, often broken into exposition, conflict, climax, and denouement
Exposition
the beginning of the story where the characters and setting are introduced
Conflict
when things start to go wrong in the story
Climax
the highest point of tension or suspense in the story, the tipping point where everything changes
Denouement
the ending of the story where all the plot points are resolved
The six ways to learn what a character is like
- by how the narrator describes the character
- by how the other characters describe the character
- by how the character describes him/herself
- by how the character dresses
- by the manner in which the character speaks
- by the choices the character makes in the narrative
Flat character
does not change during the course of the story; often merge into a stereotype
Dynamic character
changes during the story and reveals many, often contradictory, personality qualities
Protagonist
the main character of the story, often the hero or heroine
Antagonist
the primary character or force that opposes the protagonist in one way or another
Anti-hero
the main character who is a villain
Point of view
perspective from with the text is written; 1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person omniscient
1st person point of view
when a character is telling the story, marked by the use of “I”
2nd person
extremely rare and almost never used; marked by the use of “you”
3rd person omniscient
when the narrator is outside of the story and can enter into any character’s thoughts or swoop around to describe any action occurring in the novel as if the narrator were an all-knowing god; marked by the use of “he” or “she”
3rd person limited
when the narrator is outside the story but chooses to limit what is revealed to the reader by focusing entirely on one character’s actions and thoughts without revealing other parts of the story in which the character is not present
Setting
the time and place where the narrative takes place
Foreshadowing
occurs when the narrator places deliberate hints or omens of things to come early in the narrative
Dialogue
occurs when characters speak to one another or to their audience
Conflict/tension/suspense
occurs when the author sets up events that make the reader nervous or anxious until the climax or resolution; crucial to the success of any story
Diction
word choice, along with its different effects
Denotation
the textbook definition of a word
Connotation
emotional suggestions hidden within a word; in analysis, words have positive or negative connotations
Imagery
a collection of words used together to evoke a certain image; can be olfactory, gustatory, auditory, tactile, or visual, though visual is most common
Simile
an explicit comparison of two different objects using like or as
Metaphor
an implicit comparison of two different objects NOT using like or as
Personification
a type of metaphor in which a non-human inanimate object/force is described with human attributes
Hyperbole
an exxageration used to create an effect
Understatement
the opposite of a hyperbole, also known as a litote; deliberately saying less than what’s appropriate for the situation, usually for comedic, sarcastic, or ironic purposes
Paradox
a self-contradictory statement that is somehow nevertheless true
Oxymoron
a tiny compressed paradox
Symbol
an image, object, or idea used to represent something else, which can easily shade into metaphor
Allegory
an elaborate set of symbols in which everything in the poem or book is symbolic of some other level of interpretation
Apostrophe
involves addressing something (or someone) dead or inanimate as if he/she/it were able to answer
Allusion
a reference to another text, story, or symbol
Syntax
word order–the writer can choose to place a certain word last to give it more emphasis
Irony
appears to mean one thing when actually something else is meant
Verbal irony
saying the opposite of what is meant
Dramatic irony
when the audience knows something the characters do not
Situational irony
when the situation ends up in a surprising or inappropriate ending
Juxtaposition
combining structural terms with irony; when two (usually unlike) things, ideas, or characters are jammed up against one another in a way that is unusual
Metonymy
a figure of speech in which a word represents something else which it suggests (a herd of fifty cows equals fifty head of cattle)
Synecdoche
understanding one thing with another; the use of a part for the whole, or the whole for the part
Soliloquy
when a character speaks his thoughts directly to the audience as if he were talking to himself
Monologue
when a character makes a lengthy speech, which can be delivered to another character, thus distinguishing it from a soliloquy
Aside
occurs when an actor says something “to the side” of the action onstage where the audience can hear it but it is understood that no one else onstage can
Set
the scenery and locations used in a play
Props
short for properties, the items used by different characters throughout a play
Lighting
the way light is used on stage to emphasize certain characters or effects in a drama
Sound
sound effects
Foil
when one character’s qualities directly contrast another character’s qualities and the two set each other off by the clash of their personalities
The unities of drama
The unities of time, space, and action
A play that obeys the unity of time…
occurs in “real time”
A play that obeys the unity of space…
occurs in one location
A play that obeys the unity of action…
has one tone, or “feel” throughout
Genre
the classification for a work of fiction; in drama there is tragedy, comedy, tragicomedy, realism, satire, burlesque, farce, comedy of manners, slapstick, romantic comedy, and closet drama; genre can also describe a piece of fiction by naming it a play, short story, novel, or poem
Rhetorical devices
techniques of using language that increase the persuasiveness of writing
Ethos
appeal to authority
Logos
appeal to logic
Pathos
appeal to emotion (advertisements)
Asyndeton
deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related clauses; speeds up the pace of the sentence
Ellipsis
deliberate omission of words in a direct quote or implied in content; can replace a comma with a dot dot dot; creates an elegant or daring community of words
Polysyndeton
the deliberate use of many conjunctions to highlight the quantity of detail or to create a flowing, continuous sentence pattern
Anaphora
the repetition of the same word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases; helps to establish a strong rhythm and produces a powerful emotional effect
Anadiplosis
the repetition of the final word in one phrase/clause and then again at the beginning of the next phrase/clause; it ties the sentence to its surroundings
Epanalepsis
the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning and then at the end of a sentence; it tends to make the sentence/clause in which it occurs stand apart from its surroudings
Epistrophe
the repetition of the last word in successive phrases/clauses; sets up pronounced rhythm and gains a special emphasis both by repeating the word and by putting the word in the final position
Antimetabole
a sentence strategy in which the arrangement of ideas in the first phrase/clause is the reversal of the second phrase/clause; adds power though its inverse repetition
Inverted order (the Yoda)
the predicate comes before the subject in this sentence construction
Parallelism
presents ideas in grammatically equivalent form
Balanced sentence
a special form of parallelism that balances two grammatically equivalent ideas on opposite sides of a pivot point, such as a word or punctuation mark; phrases/clauses that equal each other by virtue of their likeness in structure; works well for pitting contrasting ideas against each other
Loose sentence (cumulative)
the main clause comes first, followed by successive words or phrases at the end of the sentence
Periodic sentence
successive words/phrases at the beginning of the sentence followed by the main clause (subject/verb); does not make sense until the end is reached
Compound, complex sentence
made up of two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses
Rhetorical question
a question that requires no answer
Rhetorical fragment
an incomplete thought used deliberately to create a desired effect
Infinitive phrase
to + verb
Appositive phrase
the renaming of a noun
Participial phrase
the verb acting as an adjective
Gerund phrase
an “-ing” verb form acting as a noun
Absolute phrase
a participial phrase + noun
Phrase
group of words that do not contain both a subject and a verb
Prepositional phrase
a preposition + its object and modifiers
Prepositions
to, around, under, over, like, as, behind, with, outside, etc
Adjective prepositional phrase
tell which one, what kind, how many, and how much, or give other information about a noun, pronoun, a noun phrase, or a noun clause
Adverb prepositional phrase
tell how, when, where, why, to what extent, under what condition about a verb, an adjective, an adverb, an adverb phrase, or an adverb clause
Independent clause
has a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a sentence
Dependent (subordinate) clause
has a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought; often begins with a subordinating conjunction
Critical theory: introduction
- a literary work cannot be separated from the social context in which it was created
- reflects society and derives its essential significance from the social situations to which it responds
- theorists speculate about why a particular work might have been written and explore the ways in which it reacts to a specific situation
Critical theory: feminism
- explores issues pertaining to women in different time periods, their subordination to men, or their rebellion against the patriarchal status quo
- looks at how female characters are impacted by patriarchy, or how they help readers understand women’s position
- looks for symbols, imagery, or other literary elements related to gender issues
Critical theory: formalism (new criticism)
- stresses the importance of literary form in determining the meaning of a work
- formalists read the text closely, paying attention to organization and structure, to verbal nuances, and to multiple meanings; try to reconcile tensions and oppositions inherent in the text in order to develop a unified reading
Critical theory: Marxism
- related to class conflict and the impact it has on the text and its meaning
- looks at the characters and how their life/fate is determined by their position in society
- looks at whether character’s interaction and conflict are determined by their class
- looks at how literary elements (figures of speech, imagery) help to understand the issue of social status
Critical theory: New Historicism
- looks at how background/cultural/historical aspects at the time the text was written are reflected in the text
- looks at what historic events from the time period are specifically mentioned, and the emotional impact of the events portrayed
- looks at what impact the text has on the audience of it its time and how that differs (or not) from its current impact
- looks at whether any of the literary elements relate to cultural context
Critical theory: Psychoanalysis
- examines isses like repression, social taboos, trauma and its effect on the speaker and characters, and signs of dysfunction
- looks for Oedipal interpretations/complexity on any characters
- looks for the dynamic between superego, ego, and id, or the unconcious
Unconcious
actively denied to awareness
Id
the unconscious mind that determines compulsions/sexual drives that urge individuals to unthinking gratification
Ego
the conscious mind that deals with the demands of the id in order to balance its needs with the messages from the superego
Superego
the unconscious mind that seeks to repress the demands of the id and to prevent gratification of basic physical appetites, like a censor representing the prohibitions of society, religions, and family beliefs
Oedipus complex
a repressed desire of a son to unite with his mother and kill his father
Projection
a defense mechanism in which people mistakenly see in others antisocial impulses they fail to recognize in themselves
Displacement
the substitution of a socially acceptable desire for a desire that is not acceptable that takes place in dreams or in literature
Reader response criticism
- focuses on the reader’s personal response to the text
- how does the text make the reader feel and why
- does the reader have prior knowledge relating to something in the text
- examines individual responses and ways in which students relate to the text
- examines how the class responds collectively to the text
- are there similarities/differences
- what accounts for these similarities/differences among the readers
Burlesque
comic; mocking through comic exxageration
Colloquial
using a conversational style; informal conversation
Condescending
having or showing a feeling of patronizing superiority
Contemptuous
expressing a lack of respect; hateful; scornful
Cynical
believing people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity
Despondent
showing exreme discouragement or depression
Didactic
in a tone intended to preach a sermon or teach a lesson about life
Disdainful
expressing contempt, dislike, or hate
Euphoric
feeling of elation or great joy
Facetious
treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant
Flippant
lacking proper respect
Frivolous
lacking seriousness
Hostile
extremely angry
Impartial
unbiased attitude
Incisive
impressively direct and decisive
Indignant
attitude of being angry because of an injustice or unworthiness
Irreverant
lacking proper respect or seriousness
Laudatory
pertaining to or expressing praise
Moralistic
characterized by a narrow and conventional righteous attitude; concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character
Nostalgic
a sentimental yearning for a return to the past
Patronizing
treat with an apparent kindness that betrays a feeling of superiority
Pedantic
unimaginative
Pretentious
attitude of extreme show to the point of being fake
Poignant
affecting the emotions strongly
Sarcastic
a tone used to ridicule, amuse, or taunt by sometimes saying the opposite of what the speaker means
Somber
conveying a gloomy, dismal, or depressing character or mood
Sympathetic
a senstitivity to others’ emotions
Suspenseful
a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision of outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety
Tranquil
free from disturbance or turmoil
Whimsical
erratic or unpredictable
