AP Notes 66-74 Flashcards
BILDUNGSROMAN
During the journey, the protagonist gains maturity gradually and with difficulty. Usually, the plot depicts a conflict between the protagonist and the values of society. Finally, he or she accepts those values and they are accepted by the society, ending the dissatisfaction. Such a type of novel is also known as a coming-of-age novel.
ILLUSION
(not to be confused with ALLUSION) An illusion is a false illustration of something, a deceptive impression, or a false belief. Literally speaking, an illusion is something that is false and not factual. It tricks the human brain into thinking an unreal into a real. In other words, it is meant to mislead the perception of readers, and deceive their senses. Writers deceive readers’ sense of sight, touch, taste, and sounds, making them imagine what is happening, by illustrating certain details
FREE VERSE
Free verse is a literary device that can be defined as poetry that is free from limitations of regular meter or rhythm and does not rhyme with fixed forms. Such poems are without rhythms and rhyme schemes; do not follow regular rhyme scheme rules and still provide artistic expression. In this way, the poet can give his own shape to a poem how he/she desires.
UTOPIA
The literary term utopia denotes an illusionary place that projects the notion of a
perfect society to the reader. Here, the “perfect society” refers to ideal conditions
achieved within the material world as opposed to the expected idealism of afterlife in
Christianity or other religions. Further, the citizens presiding in such utopias are bearers
of a perfect moral code, or at the least, every violator of the moral code is harshly
punished. A utopian society is one where all social evils have been cured.
SONNET
The word sonnet is derived from the Italian word “sonetto”. It means a small or
little song or lyric. In poetry, a sonnet has 14 fourteen lines and is written in
iambic pentameter. Each line has 10 syllables. It has a specific rhyme scheme and a
“volta” or a specific turn.
. ROUND CHARACTER
A round character in a novel, play or story is a complex personality. Like
real people, he/she has depth in his feelings and passions. For instance, in the movie
“Shrek,” the main character says “‘Ogres are like onions” which means that what appears
to them is not the only truth they see; rather, there is something more inside them.
Similarly, a round character has many layers like onions. Writers define a round character
fully, both physically and mentally. It is the character with whom the audience can
sympathize, associate or relate to, as he seems a character they might have seen in their
real lives. Here are some classic characteristics…
BILDUNGSROMAN
A Bildungsroman is a story of the growing up of a sensitive person who
looks for answers to his questions through different experiences. Generally, such a novel
starts with a loss or a tragedy that disturbs the main character emotionally. He or she
leaves on a journey to fill that vacuum.
