AP Literary Terms III

Question 1

Use of exaggeration or distortion to make a figure appear comic or ridiculous

Answer 1

Caricature

Question 2

Moment of illumination, usually occurring at or near the end of a work

Answer 2

Epiphany

Question 3

Temporary departure from the main subject of a work

Answer 3

Digression

Question 4

Short addition at the end of a literary work

Answer 4

Epilogue

Question 5

Type of comedy based on a ridiculous situation often with stereotyped characters

Answer 5

Farce

Question 6

Cliche

Answer 6

Overused expression that is trite and banal

Question 7

Abstraction

Answer 7

General statement about a class of things or persons

Question 8

Hubris

Answer 8

Excessive pride in oneself and one’s abilities

Question 9

Didactic

Answer 9

Work designed to instruct or teach

Question 10

Criticism

Answer 10

Exposition, analysis, comparisons and evaluation of a work

Question 11

Pedantic

Answer 11

An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish

Question 12

Refutation

Answer 12

Act of proving something false or erroneous by argument or evidence

Question 13

Euphemism

Answer 13

Use of a word considered less offensive or harsh

Question 14

Loose sentence

Answer 14

Sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses

Question 15

Antithesis

Answer 15

Balancing of two contrasting ideas, words or sentences

Question 16

Explicit

Answer 16

Language free from vagueness or ambiguity

Question 17

Anachronistic

Answer 17

Something out of its proper time period

Question 18

Gothic

Answer 18

Characterized by horror, gloom, and mystery

Question 19

Archetype

Answer 19

Original pattern or model from which all other things of the same kind are made

Question 20

Anecdote

Answer 20

Short, entertaining story