APLit Terms Flashcards
Allusion
An indirect or passing reference to some event, person, place, or artistic work; the natureandrelevanceofwhichisnotexplainedbythewriter,butreliesonthe reader’sfamiliaritywithwhatisthusmentioned.
Anaphora
Repetitionofawordorphraseatthebeginningofsuccessivephrases,clauses,or
sentences. Ex:“Weshallnotflagorfail.Weshallgoontotheend.WeshallfightinFrance.”
Antagonist
Thecharacter,force,orcollectionofforcesinfictionordramathatopposesthe protagonistandgivesrisetotheconflictofthestory
Characterization
Theprocessbywhichawritermakesacharacterseemrealtothereader.
Colloquialism
Spokenorwrittencommunicationthatseekstoimitateformalspeech.
Denouement
AFrenchtermmeaning“unraveling”or“unknotting,”usedtodescribethe resolutionoftheplotfollowingtheclimax.
Dialogue
Theverbalexchangesbetweencharacters.
Diction
Anauthor’schoiceofwords.Sincewordshavespecificmeaningsandsinceone’s choiceofwordscanaffectfeelings,awriter’schoiceofwordscanhavegreatimpact inaliterarywork.
Epiphany
Infiction,whenacharactersuddenlyexperiencesadeeprealizationabout
himself/herself
Flashback
Anarratedscenethatmarksabreakinthenarrativeinordertoinformthereaderor
audiencememberabouteventsthattookplacebeforetheopeningsceneofawork
Foil
Acharacterinaworkwhosebehaviorandvaluescontrastwiththoseofanother
characterinordertohighlightthedistinctivetemperamentofthatcharacter.
Foreshadowing
Theintroductionearlyinastoryofverbalanddramatichintsthatsuggestwhatisto
comelater