AP Vocabulary 81-100 Flashcards
Hubris
Extreme pride and arrogance show by a character that ultimately brings about his downfall. In AP LANG hubris can be found in the authors attitude toward the reader. And Literature, portrayal of hubristic characters serves to achieve a moralistic end.
Antihero
A literary device use the writers for a prominent character in a play or book that has characteristics opposite to that of a conventional hero. The protagonist is generally admired for his bravery, strength, charm, ingenuity etc. while an anti-hero is typically clumsy, unsolicited, and unskilled, it has both good and bad qualities. Post-modern period: There are thousands of shows, books, and movies that portray such characters, who are widely admired by audiences.
Band-wagon
A persuasive technique and a type of propaganda through which a writer persuades his readers, so that the majority could agree with the argument of the weiter, suggesting that since the majority agrees, the reader should do, such as “everyone is voting for David so he is definitely the best candidate”. The phrase bandwagon means “jump on the bandwagon” or to follow what others are confirming or doing. This type of reasoning is also considered a type of fallacy.
Bandwagon-Function
The purpose of this technique is to make the audience thing and act in a way that majority follows.This tendency of following the beliefs and actions occurs when an audience sees others are also conforming. We see its usage in Literature, politics, and advertisements. Bandwagon is a good approach for persuasive writing that successfully works on human minds and psychology. Conversely, writers often use it as a pressure tactic by creating a sense of fear among the readers if they do not agree with their beliefs.
Propaganda
We can easily find the use of propaganda technique in mass media advertising, politics, and Literature. It is a very popular technique in academic commentary and is taken as an interchangeable form of communication. The primary function of propaganda is to persuade the readers and mold their perceptions about a particular cause. The term has been subdivided into a number of techniques which you will become familiar with.
Propaganda-Transfer
Appeals to a person’s imagination of something we like or trust. Trump: “Make American great again”
Propaganda- Glittering Generalities: Virtue words or Glittering Generality
These words are used to dupe us into excepting and approving things without examining the evidence carefully. Examples: “natural””democratic””organic””scientific” “ecological””sustainable”
Propaganda-Testimonial
This represents another type of propaganda that fits into a particular category of its own. When some respected celebrity (or someone generally hated ) claims that an idea or product is good (or bad) this technique is used to convince us without examining the facts more carefully.
Propaganda- Plain Folks
Used by a speaker to convince an audience that an idea is good because there are some of the vast majority of people like themselves. Very similar to “bandwagon” but with the exception that the speaker or writer is convincing the audience that they (the speaker) is just “plain folks” like them.
Propaganda: Distortion of Data or out of context or card stocking or Cherry picking
This technique is used to convince the audience by using selected information and not presenting the complete story. “Raising the speed limit to 65 mph resulted in fewer traffic fatalities” such statements need to be checked with how many people were driving before and after the speed change. Fewer people may be driving after the speed limit changed, even though the fatality rates may be higher, leading to overall result of fewer fatalities.
Propaganda- Scapegoat
Often used with guilt-by-association to deflect away from issues. It transfers blame to one person or a group of people without investigating the complexities of the issues. example: “George W Bush goes into Iraq”
Propaganda- artificial dichotomy
Someone tries to claim there are only two sides to an issue and both must have equal presentation in order to be evaluated. It is used to dupe us into thinking there is only one way to look at an issue, when there are many. Like most propaganda techniques, it simplifies reality and distorts it, often to speakers advantage.
Propaganda- deification
When an idea is made to appear holy, sacred, or very special and therefore above all law. Any alternative or opposite points of view are thereby given the appearance of treason or blasphemy. Example: “God – given right to”, “Mother Earth”
Conceit
Develops a comparison which is exceedingly unlikely but is also intellectually imaginative. A comparison turns into a conceit when the writer tries to make us admit A similarity between two things of whose “dissimilarities” we are strongly conscious, and for this reason conceits are often surprising.
Claim of Value
Attempt to persuade you to approve or disapprove of something.
