AP Lang: Lesson 1, 2, & 3 Vocab & Allusions - Myones

Apathy

a lack of feeling, emotion, or interest (noun)

Ambiguous

having more than one meaning; vague (adj)

Fervent

passionate (adj)

Vagrant

a wandering homeless person; a tramp (noun)

Undermine

to weaken; to wear the foundation of (verb)

Oblivious

unaware; unconscious (adj)

Indifferent

not caring one way or the other; lacking a preference; neutral (adj)

Obscure

unclear; clouded; partially hidden; hard to understand (because of complexity) (adj)

Objective

without bias (as opposed to subjective) (adj)

Revere

to worship (verb)

Discriminate

to differentiate; to make a clear distinction; to see the difference (verb) --> negative connotation

Embellish

to add details; to exaggerate (verb)

Denounce

to speak out against; to condemn (verb)

Innovate

to be creative; to introduce something new (verb)

Stagnant

not moving; not flowing; motionless (adj)

Candid

honest; frank (adj)

Impartial

unbiased; neutral (adj)

Discern

to distinguish one thing from another (verb)

Ostentatious

showing off (adj)

Contentious

quarrelsome, inclined to argue --> very tense (adj)

Prometheus

- Story: A Titan who stole fire from the gods to give to humanity, defying Zeus and suffering eternal punishment.

- Message: Symbolizes sacrifice, rebellion, and the human quest for knowledge.

Pandora's Box

- Story: Pandora opened a forbidden box, releasing all the world’s evils but trapping Hope inside.

- Message: Explains the origin of suffering and reminds us that hope endures even in hardship.

Icarus

- Story: Icarus flew too close to the sun despite warnings, causing his wax wings to melt and leading to his death.

- Message: A cautionary tale about hubris, recklessness, and the importance of moderation.

reprove

to scold; to find fault with (verb)

pessimism

gloominess; a belief that the bad guys always win (noun)

cursory

hasty, not thorough (adj)

profligate

extremely wasteful; wildly extravagant

miser

someone who hoards money (noun)

jocular

joking (adj)

fracas

uproar; brawl (noun)

caricature

a satiric portrait or representation (noun)

corroborate

to confirm (verb)

precarious

dangerously unstable (adj)

expositary

explanatory (adj)

bolster

to support; to prop up (verb)

daunt

to intimidate; to discourage (verb)

inclined

tending toward one direction (adj)

uniform

constant; without variety (adj)

perceptive

having a keen understanding; discerning (adj)

superficial

shallow; on the surface only (adj)

lucid

clear; easy to understand (elucidate) (adj)

immune

safe from harm; protected (adj)

aesthetic

concerned with art of beauty (adj/noun)

Narcissus

Story:

- Narcissus was a beautiful young man who rejected everyone who loved him.

- He saw his own reflection in a pool and became obsessed with it.

- Not realizing it was himself, he fell in love with the image.

- He stayed by the water, unable to leave, and eventually died there.

- A narcissus flower grew where he died.

Message:

- The story warns against excessive self-love.

- It cautions against vanity and pride.

- It shows the danger of becoming obsessed with one’s own image.

- Narcissus demonstrates how self-obsession leads to isolation and self-destruction.

Midas

Story:

-King Midas is granted a wish by Dionysus.

-He wishes that everything he touches turns to gold.

-At first, he loves the gift as objects and surroundings turn to gold.

- The gift becomes a curse when his food and drink turn to gold.

- In some versions, he accidentally turns his daughter to gold.

- Realizing his mistake, he begs Dionysus to take the power away.

- Dionysus tells him to wash in the river Pactolus, which removes the golden touch.

Message:

- Greed can lead to harmful and unintended consequences.

- Wealth and material desire are not worth sacrificing basic human needs or relationships.

- Be careful what you wish for — not all “gifts” are blessings.

- True happiness doesn’t come from excessive riches.

Achilles Heel

Story:

- Achilles was the greatest Greek warrior in the Trojan War.

- He was the son of Peleus (a mortal king) and Thetis (a sea nymph).

- As a baby, Thetis dipped him into the River Styx to make him invincible.

- His whole body became invulnerable except for the heel she held—his only weak spot.

- Achilles fought as the most important and powerful soldier in the Greek army.

- Stories vary:

--> Some say he was destined to die in the Trojan War.

--> Some say Apollo guided Paris’s arrow to Achilles’ heel, killing him.

--> Some say Patroclus wore Achilles’ armor and died in his place.

- Despite variations, the myth consistently portrays Achilles as essential to the Greek victory.

Message:

- Everyone has a weakness, no matter how strong they seem.

- Even small vulnerabilities can lead to major consequences.

- Overconfidence and pride can blind someone to their own flaws.

- The phrase “Achilles’ heel” symbolizes a person’s critical weakness.

prodigal

extravagant; wasteful (adj)

assess

to estimate the value of; to measure (v)

deter

to prevent, especially by threatening (v)

complacent

smug; self-satisfied; overly confident (adj)

contempt

disdain; hatred (n)

eloquent

speaking well; articulate (a)

virtue

moral excellence (n)

vital

essential; necessary (adi)

guile

cunning; deceitfulness (n)

--> deceptive = trickery

biased

prejudiced; not neutral (adj)

censor

to delete objectionable material (not the same as censure) (v)

vulnerable

capable of being harmed (adj)

hypocritical

insincere (adj)

eccentric

odd; unusual; quirky (adj)

disdain

contempt; intense dislike (n)

abstract

theoretical; lacking substance (the opposite of concrete) (adj)

valid

founded on fact or evidence (adj)

subtle

not obvious; hard to spot (adj)

enigma

mystery (n)

inevitable

unavoidable; bound to happen (adj)

Sisyphus

• Story: A clever king who angered the gods by cheating death and was punished in the underworld by endlessly pushing a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down every time he neared the top.

• Message: Represents endless struggle, futility, and the human experience of persevering despite repeated failure.

The Sirens

• Story: Enchanting creatures whose beautiful singing lured sailors to their deaths; Odysseus survived by tying himself to the mast while his crew plugged their ears with beeswax.

• Message: Symbolizes temptation, dangerous attraction, and the need for self-control to resist destructive desires.

The Trojan Horse

• Story: A giant wooden horse used by the Greeks to secretly enter Troy after pretending to surrender, leading to the city's destruction.

• Message: Represents deception, hidden threats, and the consequences of misplaced trust.

inferred

derived by reasoning; implied, as a

conclusion

diverse

varied

articulate

speaking well

apprehensive

fearful; worried

benevolent

good; kind-hearted; generous

virulent

very harmful (like a virus)

pious (piety)

deadly religious

skeptical

doubting

provincial

narrow-minded; unsophisticated

resignation

acceptance of a situation (secondary

meaning)

illuminate

to light up; make clear

resolution (resolve)

determination (also: the solution of a problem)

servile

overly submissive; cringing; like a

servant

diligent

hard-working

refute

to disprove

anarchy

lack of government; chaos

miser

one who saves greedily

discord

disagreement

monotonous

without variety; tiresome

trivial

unimportant; insignificant

The Phoenix:

The phoenix is a mythical bird associated with fire and renewal. When it reaches the end of its life, the phoenix builds a nest and sets itself ablaze, burning completely to ashes. From those ashes, a new phoenix is born, beginning the cycle again. Rather than representing simple destruction, the phoenix symbolizes rebirth, renewal, and transformation after suffering or loss. The myth is often used to suggest that something stronger or wiser can emerge from devastation.

Dante’s Inferno:

the poet Dante finds himself lost in a dark forest and begins a journey through Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil. As they descend, Dante learns that Hell is organized by moral logic, with punishments that reflect the sins committed in life. Early on, he encounters Limbo, where virtuous pagans like Homer and Virgil himself dwell in sorrowful longing without physical torment. In the circle of Lust, souls are swept endlessly in violent winds, symbolizing how passion once carried them beyond reason. Deeper in Hell, the gluttonous lie in freezing, filthy rain, guarded by the monstrous Cerberus, while the greedy are condemned to push heavy weights in endless, meaningless circles. In the River Styx, the wrathful tear at one another in the mud as the sullen gurgle beneath the surface, trapped in their own suppressed rage. Far below, those guilty of fraud suffer intricate and deceptive punishments, including thieves who are bitten by snakes and constantly change form. At the very bottom of Hell, traitors are frozen in ice, the ultimate symbol of moral coldness, as Satan himself stands trapped at the center, eternally chewing on history’s greatest betrayers. Through this descent, Dante’s journey becomes a meditation on justice, responsibility, and the consequences of human choice. (Note: You do not need to remember the specific layers and punishments. Just have an understanding of the story.)

Frankenstein:

Victor Frankenstein is a brilliant but obsessive scientist who becomes consumed with discovering the secret of life. Through his experiments, he succeeds in creating a living being from assembled body parts, but the moment the creature comes to life, Victor is horrified by its appearance and abandons it. Alone and rejected, the creature wanders the world, initially gentle and eager for connection, but repeated cruelty and isolation harden him. He confronts Victor and demands a companion so he will no longer be alone; when Victor refuses, the creature seeks revenge by destroying those Victor loves. The novel ends with tragedy and pursuit, as creator and creation are locked in a cycle of guilt, responsibility, and destruction. Shelley’s story explores the dangers of unchecked ambition, the consequences of playing God, and the moral responsibility humans have for what they create. An important note: Many people often assume that Frankenstein is the monster, but he is actually the (human) doctor/scientist.