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AP Junior English > Literary Terms > Flashcards

Literary Terms Flashcards

0
Q

alliteration

A

Repetition of sounds at the beginnings of words

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1
Q

allegory

A

Writing that has a deeper meaning hidden beneath the obvious one

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2
Q

allusion

A

Reference, without explanation, to a work of literature, a character, a principle, and so on, assuming the reader is familiar with its implications

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3
Q

analogy

A

Comparison of two dissimilar things that are alike in some way, often using simile or metaphor

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4
Q

antagonist

A

Person who opposes or competes with the main character, hero, or heroine; often the villain

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5
Q

antihero

A

Character, usually the protagonist, who faces a series of problems and events in a story, but often is going against traditional societal standards

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6
Q

aphorism

A

Wise saying, usually brief, reflecting a general truth

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7
Q

bildungsroman

A

Fiction depicting the moral and intellectual growth of a protagonist, often intended for the education and guidance of others

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8
Q

bowdlerize

A

To excise material deemed objectionable from a piece of writing

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9
Q

burlesque

A

Literary form which ridicules or mocks

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10
Q

catharsis

A

Therapeutic release of emotion upon identifying with and being moved by a piece of literature

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11
Q

catastrophe

A

Final event of a dramatic work, usually ruin or death

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12
Q

characterization

A

The process of developing a character in a narrative or drama, often through the conflict of the plot

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13
Q

circumlocution

A

Writing or speaking that goes around the subject instead of getting directly to the point

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14
Q

classicism

A

Literary (and other artistic) movements of Ancient Greece and Rome, using strict forms, accenting reason, and characterized by restraint. Opposite of romanticism.

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15
Q

cliché

A

Trite, overused idea or statement

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16
Q

climax

A

High point in the plot where the reader is most intrigued and does not yet know the outcome

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17
Q

coherence

A

Clarity in connecting ideas

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18
Q

comedy

A

Fictional writing that has a happy end for its main characters and contains humor

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19
Q

conciseness

A

“Tight” writing; use of only the necessary words to express thoughts

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20
Q

concision

A

Same as conciseness:”Tight” writing; use of only the necessary words to express thoughts

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21
Q

concrete

A

opposite of abstract; refers to specific people and things that can be perceived with the five senses

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22
Q

conflict

A

Opposing elements of characters in a plot

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23
Q

connotation

A

Feelings and associations added to specific word meaning

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24
consonance
Repetition of similar consonant sounds, with changes in intervening vowel sounds
25
convention
Accepted literary form of the past
26
copyright
Legal rights to published works to stop anyone else from using the work without permission
27
critic
Person who evaluates literature and other arts
28
criticism
Essays and critiques evaluating a writer or his work, based on set standards, according to the philosophy of the critic
29
denotation
Dictionary meaning of a word
30
denouement
Outcome, resolution, solution of a plot
31
dialogue/dialog
Speaking and conversation between characters in stories, plays, and in person
32
didactic
Describes literary works meant to teach a moral or lesson
33
doppelgänger
Personification of a character's darker side; ghost
34
double entendre
Double meaning of word, phrase, or sentence; often raucous or sexual in implication
35
editorial
Newspaper or magazine article expressing opinion of an editor or publisher
36
ellipsis
3 dots (...) to show words have been left out of a quotation or to indicate the passage of time
37
envoy/envoi
Brief postscript to a book, essay, or poem; often the concluding stanza to a ballade, summarizing the quote
38
epigram
Witty, often paradoxical, saying or brief poem
39
epitaph
Inscription on tombstone or marker for the dead
40
eponym
Person whose name is the source of a new word
41
essay
Short prose work expressing author's views on a subject
42
euphemism
More palatable word for a less pleasant subject
43
fable
Story with a moral or lesson about life, often with animal characters possessing human characteristics
44
popular fiction
Fiction aimed at the mainstream population
45
science fiction
Fiction concerning advanced technology, usually imagined, not actual scientific advancements
46
first-person narration
Story told from the first person point of view, usually using "I"
47
flashback
Jumping backwards in the chronology of a narrative, often through a dream or musing sequence
48
foil
Character opposite or different from the protagonist, used to highlight the protagonist's traits; incidents or settings may also be used as foils
49
folklore/folktales
Stories and legends transmitted by word of mouth, rather than in writing
50
foreshadow
Hints during the narrative about what will happen later; can be literal or symbolic hints
51
literary genre
Kind or type of literature; literary classification
52
hero
Character, usually the protagonist, who rises above and conquers a series of problems and events in the story
53
homonyms
Words that sound alike, are spelled alike, but have different meanings
54
homophones
Words that sound alike (also includes homonyms and words that are spelled differently)
55
hyperbole
Use of extreme exaggeration for effect
56
i.e.
That is (followed usually by explanatory manner)
57
ibid
Used in footnotes and bibliographies to refer to the source mentioned directly above
58
idiom
Phrase in common use that does not literally mean what it says
59
imagery
Creation of a mental picture by pertinent word choice and heightened description
60
in medias res
Starting in the middle of events
61
irony
Phrases or words with meanings quite different from what is actually stated
62
malapropism
Confusion with similar-sounding which often ends up sounding humorous
63
metaphor
Comparison of unlike things without using the words like or as
64
moral
A lesson the literature is teaching; fables usually teach a lesson about life
65
literary motif
Recurrent words or phrases
66
mythology
Traditional tales about goddesses, gods, heroes, and other characters, often telling about the creation of the universe, talking about death, or otherwise philosophically explaining human existence
67
narration
Telling a story
68
narrator
Person telling the story
69
n. b.
Note well (followed by important point to remember)
70
nom de plume
Pen name or pseudonym used by author
71
novel
Long, fictional prose story
72
novella
Short novel with fewer characters
73
gothic novel
Novel with medieval setting suggesting mystery and/or horror
74
historical novel
Full-length fiction book using historical facts as its basis for the plot or setting, but including imaginary characters and dialogue
75
picaresque novel
Novel characterized by young hero of lower-class, unrespectable background, who leaves home and is faced with a harsh, cruel world, and eventually conforms to its realities
76
nuance
Slight shade in meaning or detail
77
op cit.
Used in footnotes/bibliographies to refer to work previously cited or quoted
78
oxymoron
Use of paradoxical or opposite words for effect
79
paradox
Contradictory statement that makes sense
80
paraphrase
Restatement of writing, keeping the basic meaning, but telling it in one's own words
81
literary parody
Satire imitating an author or work with the aim of mockery
82
purple passage
Writing that contains flowery, ornate language, often in the midst of otherwise dull passages
83
personification
Literary device where writer attributes human qualities to objects or ideas
84
plagiarism
Using other people's work as one's own without crediting the true author (This is illegal and punishable in court of law)
85
plot
Structure of the literature; the way it is put together; the unfolding or sequence of events
86
poetry
Poem collection; genre characterized by rhythm, rhyme (sometimes), and stanzas, as opposed to prose
87
point-of-view
Perspective from which a story is written; may be omniscient (all-knowing), first person ("I"), switching between characters, or other
88
prose
Literature written in sentences and paragraphs, as opposed to poetry or verse
89
protagonist
Main character, hero, or heroine, in a written work
90
proverb
Saying, adage, or maxim, usually short and generally believed to be true
91
pseudonym
Name author uses instead of his/her own name; nom de plume
92
pun
Play on words; words put together in such a way as to be humorous
93
rhetorical question
Question asked without expecting an answer; used for effect
94
literary realism
Literature reflecting real life rather than imaginary or idealistic life
95
redundancy
Repetition that is unnecessary and awkward, as contrasted with intentional repetition for a particular effect
96
resolution
Clarification, solution, or outcome of the conflict of a story
97
rhetoric
Persuasive writing
98
roman à clef
Literature based on actual people and places, but written as fiction instead of fact
99
romance
Story about heroic deeds, mysterious settings, or love
100
romanticism
Literary moment characterized by emotion, imagination, and the goodness of people; little emphasis on reason. Opposite of classicism
101
sarcasm
Form of irony which seems to praise, but really criticizes
102
satire
Literature that makes fun of social conditions or convention, often done for the purpose of creating change
103
sequel
A subsequent work similar to the original, often with the same characters
104
setting
Time and place of a story
105
simile
Comparison of one thing to another using like or as
106
short story
Fiction story shorter than a novel; often has a surprise ending
107
style
The way am author characteristically expresses him/herself
108
symbol
Word or object that stands for something else
109
synonym
Words meaning the same thing
110
fairy tales
Fanciful, imaginative story about a hero or heroine overcoming a problem, often involving mystical powers, supernatural power, or magic; often a type of folk tale
111
theme/thesis
Main idea in a piece of literature; topic or subject
112
thriller
Story or movie filled with suspense
113
tone
Mood brought forth by story or poem
114
tragedy
Literature, often drama, ending in catastrophe for it protagonists after dealing with a series of problems
115
understatement
Form of irony where an author intentionally understates the facts
116
verse
Writing with rhyme and meter, as opposed to prose; often verse refers to poetry of a less serious nature

AP Junior English (9 decks)

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