literary terms - ap lang tom

Allegory

A narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities, often conveying a deeper meaning.

Pun

A form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect.

Litote

A figure of speech that employs understatement by using double negatives or a positive statement expressed by negating its opposite.

Paradox

A statement that appears contradictory or self-refuting but may reveal a deeper truth upon closer examination.

Personification

A literary device in which human qualities are attributed to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract concepts.

Apostrophe

A figure of speech in which a speaker addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing as if it were present.

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, event, or piece of literature that is not elaborated on but relies on the audience's familiarity.

Asyndeton

A rhetorical device that omits conjunctions between parts of a sentence, creating a concise and impactful statement.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences for emphasis.

Juxtaposition

The placement of two or more ideas, characters, or settings side by side for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts.

Ethos

An appeal to ethics, establishing credibility or trustworthiness of the speaker or writer.

Pathos

An appeal to emotion, aiming to persuade an audience by eliciting feelings.

Logos

An appeal to logic and reason, using facts and evidence to support an argument.

Mood

The emotional atmosphere or feeling that a literary work evokes in the reader.

Diction

The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing, which can affect tone and meaning.

Theme

The central idea or underlying message of a literary work, often reflecting on human experiences.

Understatement

A figure of speech in which a writer or speaker deliberately makes a situation seem less important or serious than it is.

Overstatement

A figure of speech that exaggerates or overemphasizes a statement or claim.

Connotation

The implied or associative meaning of a word, beyond its literal definition.

Genre

A category of literature characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.

Verbal irony

A figure of speech in which what is said is different from or the opposite of what is meant.

Dramatic irony

A situation in a narrative where the audience knows more about the events than the characters do.

Situational irony

A situation in which the outcome is significantly different from what was expected.

Exigence

The issue, problem, or situation that prompts someone to write or speak.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject or audience, conveyed through word choice and style.

Author's purpose

The reason an author decides to write about a specific topic, often categorized as to inform, entertain, or persuade.

Analogy

A comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification.

Polysyndeton

A literary device that uses several conjunctions in close succession, often slowing the rhythm of the prose.

Persona

The voice or character that an author adopts in a literary work, distinct from their personal identity.