AP English Lit & Comp Semester one Lit Terms + Tone words

MHS AP Lit Terms

Poem

A combination of SPEECH and SONG

Stanza

a group of lines, the organization of poems

Speaker

The voice that expresses the meaning of the words SPEAKER DOES NOT EQUAL POET

Tone

The poet’s attitude toward their subjects

Tonal Shift

Volta. Place where a poet’s tone changes

Image

Concrete representation of an idea, or feeling expressed in poem

Imagery

Visually descriptive language that engages the senses

Diction

The author’s word choice

Formal Diction

elegant and sophisticated words that are polysyllabic

Neutral Diction

Ordinary everyday language you might use to communicate to your English teacher. Includes some contractions

Informal Diction

colloquial brainrot. Appropriate for DIALOGUES

Specific Diction

Using words that point directly to the things you describe.”Daschund vs Dog”

General Diction

Using words that are universal compared to specific “Dogs vs Golden Retreiver”

Concrete Diction

Definite adjectives “creamy, sweet”

Abstract Diction

interpretive adjectives “yummy, smelly”

Symbolism

object that represents something beyond itself “Wedding Ring”

Allegory

A story with two meanings, an extended metaphor

Figurative Language

Words convey ideas other than their literal meaning

Hyperbole

extreme exaggeration

Metaphor

comparison saying “one thing is another”

Simile

A comparison using “like” or “as”

Personification

Giving a nonliving thing living qualities

Oxymoron

Figure of speech in which opposites combine in a brief phase “bittersweet”

Paradox

A statement that appears to be false, but reveals a “higher T “T”ruth” “fair is foul and foul is fair”

Synechdoche

Use a part to represent the whole

“A new set of wheels”

Metonymy

Substitute an attribute to something itself “The PEN is mightier than the SWORD”

Apostrophe

Speaker calls out to an imaginary, dead, or absent character.

Invocation

Calling out to God “Jesus take the wheel”

understatement

Deliberately downplaying something. “Just a scratch”

Alliteration

repitition of consonant sounds

Assonance

Repitition of VOWEL sounds “I took a look at the book”

Consonance

The repitition of consonant sounds at the end of words “a stroKE of luCK”

Rhyme/Rime

the repetition of accented vowel and succeeding soundsMa

Masculine Rhyme

single syllable rhyme

Feminine Rhyme

polysyllabic rhyme

End Rhyme

Rhyming at the end of lines

Internal Rhyme

Rhyming within the the line

Approximate rhyme

words that nearly rhyme

Euphonious

Mellifluous, pleasant sounds.

SOFT SOUNDS

Cacaphonous

CACA. Harsh sounding

Hard sounds

Plosive Sounds

BUBBLE. could represent gunfire

Sibilant Sounds

SSSSSSSSS. could be used to be soft and sweet or evil and sinister

accent

adding and stressing a syllable

Rhythm

natural rise and fall of language. the flow of an actual sound

Meter

The BEAT. pattern of the sounds

Free Verse

No rules on rhyme or meter

Stress

Emphasis on particular syllables

Unstressed

a syllable that is dropped or quiet

end stopped lines

when the end of a line is where a natural pause occurs

enjambment

when the end of a line is not where natural pauses occur and its run-on

Foot

basic unit of meter

Iambic

_/  “toDAY”

Trochaic

/_ “DAily”

Anapestic

_ _ / “InterVENE”

Dactylic

/ _ _ “MULtiple”

Spondaic

// “true blue”

monometer

one foot

dimeter

two feet

trimeter

three feet

tetrameter

four feet

pentameter

five feet

hexameter

six feet

heptameter

seven feet

octameter

eight feetsc

scansion

Identifying meter

Refrain

a word, phrase, line, stanza that is repeated for effect

syntax

the arrangement of words in a sentence, clause, or phrase

poets play with syntax to emphasize words

closed form

strict set of rhyme scheme/meter

Shakespearean Sonnet

14 line 3 quatrains and couplet ABAB CDCD EFEF GG

Italian sonnet

octet with quatrain ABBAABBA, CDE’s

open form

poetry that doesn’t follow a pattern

Jovial

A positive word characterized by good-humored cheerfulness.

Condescending

A negative word showing or characterizing by a superior attitude towards others.

irreverant

Humorous word capturing a lack of respect or seriousness in a joking way.

Somber

Worry word of a serious grave error and without life.

Forthright

Neutral word meaning free from ambiguity and notably simple.

Amiable

Positive word meaning friendly, sociable, and generally agreeable.

Surly

Negative word given to or displaying a resentful silence.

Contemptuous

Negative word feeling or showing dislike for something beneath you

Morose

Worry word causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer, gloomy is a great synonym

Didactic

Neutral word marked by preaching moral values.

exuberant

Positive word meaning joyful, enthusiastic and unrestrained

Indignant

Negative word meaning feeling or showing anger because of something unjust or unworthy

Benevolent

Positive word marked by or disposed to doing good and having concern

Cynical

Humor word meaning contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives reflecting self-interest

Obsequious

neutral word meaning marked by or exhibiting a self-serving attentiveness

Resigned

sorrow word meaning feeling/showing acceptance that something unwanted will happen

Facetious

funny word meaning joking or jesting often inappropriately

Authoritative

positive word meaning possesing recognized or evident authority clearly accurate

Droll

Humor word meaning whimsical with an odd quality. Not super funny but quirky

Dejected

sorrow word meaning low in spirits and downcast.

Inquisitive

Neutral word meaning curious and earnestly and sincerely interested

Incredulous

neutral word meaning inclined to doubt something, I.e. skeptical

Fable

A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral

Plot

The unified structure of a literary work. ____ is important for what it reveals

conflict

A struggle between opposing forces. IF YOU DON’T HAVE ______, YOU DON’T HAVE A STORY

Exposition

Introduction for characters and settings

Rising Action

Conflict introduced, intensification of conflict

Climax

THE TURNING POINT

Falling Action

The results of the climax