AP Lit Unit 4 Lit Terms

Alliteration

the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words

allusion

a reference to something

Antithesis

a literary device that contrasts opposing ideas through parallel grammatical structures. “Give me liberty or give me death!”

aphorism

short, witty statements that reveal a philosophical or moral truth regarding the human experience

Caesura

a pause that occurs within a line of poetry

Catharsis

the use of strong feelings in literature to engage the reader in a type of emotional purification

Chiasmus

a figure of speech where different words are used in the second half of a sentence to convey (or contrast) the same message in the first half in reverse, “Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live.”

Cliché

a phrase that, due to overuse, is seen as lacking in substance or originality.

Dramatic Monologue

a type of poetry written in the form of a speech of an individual character

Ellipsis

the omission of words, phrases, or entire sentences within a text

Enjambment

the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next

Hyperbole

intentional exaggeration to emphasize a point or create a stronger effect

Juxtaposition

occurs when an author places two things side by side as a way of highlighting their differences

Litotes

a positive statement is made by using a double negative or by negating the opposite

Metaphor

a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things, often by stating that one thing is another

Metonymy

figure of speech in which the name of an object or concept is replaced with a word closely related to or suggested by the original, as “crown” to mean “king”

Non-sequitur

an abrupt, illogical, or unexpected turn in plot or dialogue by including a relatively inappropriate change in manner

Oxymoron

a rhetorical term that describes words or phrases that, when placed together, create paradoxes or contradictions “Parting is such sweet sorrow”

paradox

a seemingly contradictory statement or situation that, upon closer examination, reveals a hidden truth or insight

Sarcasm

the use of irony in order to mock or convey contempt

Satire

the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone

Shakespearean Sonnet

14-line poem structured into three quatrains and a couplet, following the rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, iambic pentameter

Italian Sonnet

an eight-line stanza (octave) rhyming ABBAABBA, and a six-line stanza (sestet) rhyming CDCDCD or CDECDE

Symbolism

a literary device where objects, people, or events represent abstract ideas or concepts

understatement

a particular quality of a person, object, emotion, or situation is downplayed or presented as being less than what is true to the situation