APL literary terms Flashcards
Act
A major unit of action in a drama or play. Each act can be further divided into smaller sections called scenes.
Allegory
A story in which people, things, and actions represent an idea about life; allegories often have a strong moral or lesson
Alliteration
Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words (tounge twisters).
Allusion
A reference in literary work to a person, place, or thing in history or another work of literature. Allusions are often indirect or brief references to well-known characters or events.
Analogy
A comparison of 2 or more like objects that suggests if they are alike in certain respects, they will probably be alike in other ways as well.
Anecdote
Account of interesting incidents or events that is intended to entertain or make a point.
Antagonist
Charactor who deceives, fustrates, or works against the main character. Doesnt have to be a person, it could be death, the devil, an illness or any challenge.
Aside
An actor’s speech, directed to the audience, that is not supposed to be heard by other actors on stage. It is used to let the audience know what a character is about to do or what he or she is thinking.
Assonance
Repetition of vowel sounds within a line of poetry.
Audience
Particular group of readers or viewers that the writer is addressing. A writer considers his or her audience when deciding on a subject, a purpose for writing and the tone style to write.
Author
The writer of a book, article or other text.
Author’s Purpose
His or her reason for creating a particular work. The purpose can be to entertain, explain or inform, express an opinion, or to pursuade.
Autobiography
A form of nonfiction in which a person tells the story of his or her life.
Ballad
A poem that tells a story and is meant to be sung or recited.
Biography
The story of a person’s life that is written by someone else.
Blank Verse
Unrhymed iambic pentameter.
Caesura
A pause or a sudden break in a line of poetry.
Cause and Effect
2 events related as cause and effect when 1 event brings about or causes the other. The event that happens 1st is the cause; the one that follows is the effect.
Character
Person who is responsible for the thoughts and actions within a story, poem or other literature. Are extremely important b/c they are the medium through whic a reader interacts of lit. they all have his or her own personality.
Caricature
a picture or imitation of a person’s habits, physical appearance or mannerisms exaggerated in a comic or absurd way.
Foil
A character who serves as a contrast or a conflict to another character.
Hero/Heroine
A character whose actions are inspiring or noble; often the main character in a story.
Chonological Order
The order in which events happen in time.
Clarifying
The reader’s process of of pausing occasionally while reading to quickly review what he or she understands. Good readers are able to draw conclusions about what is suggested but not stated directly.
Cliche
A type of figurative language containing an overused expressioin or a saying that is no longer considered original.
Comedy
A dramatic work that is light and often humorous in tone and usually ends happily with a peaceful resolution of the main conflict.
Comparison
The process of identifying similarities.
Concrete Poetry
A type of poetry that uses its physical or visual form to present its message.
Main Character
Central to plot of story; are usually dynamic and round.
Minor Characters
Less important who interacts with the main characters, helping to move the plot and providing background for the story, usually static and flat.
Character Trait
Character’s personalitiy; trait is not a physical description of a character.
Direct Characterization
Author directly states a character’s traits about a character’s nature.
