APLit Final Vocab

sadness and depression all in one

Climax/Second culmination

the highest or most intense point in the development or resolution of something

Colloquial

Characteristic of ordinary conversation rather than formal speech or writing

Dramatic premise

A play's underlying idea of the story; the foundation that supports the plot

Dramatic situation

who is speaking to whom and under what circumstances?

First culmination

When the hero mistakenly believes he has accomplished his goal

Hyperbole

extreme exaggeration

Inciting Incident

event that introduces the central conflict

Kenning

A metaphoric compound word or phrase used as a synonym for a common noun

Obstacles

Something that blocks or stands in the way

Oral tradition

Literature that passes by word of mouth from one generation to the next.

Secondary character

Characters which support the leading characters

Synecdoche

a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa

Contumacious

disobedient, rebellious

Despondent

in low spirits from loss of hope or courage

Detached

Impartial, disinterested; unconcerned, distant, aloof

Disbelieving

feeling or expressing disbelief

Flippant

(adj.) lacking in seriousness; disrespectful, saucy

Forthright

(adj.) frank, direct, straightforward

Frivolous

(adj.) of little importance, not worthy of serious attention; not meant seriously

Heinous

(adj.) very wicked, offensive, hateful

Hollow

empty inside

Quarrelsome

always ready to argue

Reverent

feeling or showing deep and solemn respect

Surly

bad-tempered and unfriendly

allegory

a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.

catharsis

a release of emotional tension

dialect

A regional variety of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation.

direct characterization

Author directly describes character

dramatis personae

characters in a play

epiphany

A moment of sudden revelation or insight

fourth wall

the imaginary wall through which the audience views the play

indirect characterization

Author subtly reveals the character through actions and interactions.

in medias res

in the middle of things

Soliloquy

A long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage

omniscient narrator

a narrator who is able to know, see, and tell all, including the inner thoughts and feelings of the characters

contentious

quarrelsome, inclined to argue

disgruntled

angry or dissatisfied

fervent

eager; earnest

intransigent

refusing to compromise, irreconcilable

inquisitive

curious or inquiring

zealous

eager, earnest, devoted

assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds

caesura

A natural pause or break in a line of poetry, usually near the middle of the line.

connotation

an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.

denotation

The dictionary definition of a word

enjambment

the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.

extended metaphor

A metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.

inverted syntax

reversing the normal word order of a sentence

oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.

parallel structure

the repetition of words or phrases that have similar grammatical structures

callous

emotionally hardened, unfeeling

iconoclastic

attacking cherished traditions

perspicacious

wise; insightful; acutely intelligent

poignant

(adj.) deeply affecting, touching; keen or sharp in taste or smell

anaphora

the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

archetypes

emotionally charged images and thought forms that have universal meaning

bildungsroman

A coming of age story

denouement

an outcome; result

dramatic irony

when a reader is aware of something that a character isn't

epistolary

concerned with letters; through correspondence

unreliable narrator

a narrator whose account of events appears to be faulty, misleadingly biased, or otherwise distorted

narrative frame

a story within a story

verbal irony

A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant

audacious

(adj.) bold, adventurous, recklessly daring

contemptuous

Feeling hatred; scornful

effusive

emotionally excessive; overly demonstrative

enigmatic

mysterious

hubristic

excessively proud or self-confident

carpe diem

seize the day

epigraph

a quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work suggestive of the theme.

foil

A character who acts as a contrast to another character

hubris

excessive pride

Juxtaposition

Placement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts

metonymy

A figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it

derisive

expressing contempt or ridicule

exuberant

(adj.) high-spirited, enthusiastic, unrestrained; excessive, abundant

lugubrious

looking or sounding sad and dismal

precocious

talented beyond one's age