AP Lit literary terms quiz 4

Fable

Usually short narrative making an edifying or cautionary point and often employing animal characters that speak and act like humans

Foil

Character that, by contrast, underscores or enhances the distinctive characteristics of another

Folklore

Traditional beliefs, myths, tales, and practices of a people, transmitted orally

Foreshadowing

Clues in the text about incidents that will occur later in the plot, creating anticipation

Genre

Category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content

Gothic

Fictional genre characterized by mystery and supernatural horror, often set in a dark castle or other medieval setting

Hubris

Excessive pride that usually leads to the hero’s downfall, often used in Greek tragedies

Hyperbole

Figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or comedic/dramatic effect

In media res

Story that begins in the middle of the events

Inversion

In poetry, an intentional digression from ordinary word order to maintain regular meter