AP Lit Vocab Quiz 3

Metaphysical conceit

A startling or unusual metaphor reserved for metaphysical poems

Metonym

A word that is used to stand for something else that has attributes of or associated with. For example, a herd of 50 cows could be called 50 head of cattle

Nemesis

The protagonist's arch enemy, or a supreme and persistent difficulty

Neologism

A new word, usually one invented on the spot.

Objectivity

treatment of subject matter that is an impersonal or outside view of events

Omniscient Narrator

A third person narrator that can see into each character's thoughts and understands all the action. When limited, it only tells the reader the thoughts and actions of ONE character

Onomatopoeia

Words that sound like what they mean. Ex. Boom, splat, bam

Opposition

A pair of elements that contrast sharply. A pairing of images where each becomes more striking and informative because of it being placed in contrast to the other.

Oxymoron

A phrase composed of opposites

Parable

An instructional story, like a fable or allegory

Paradox

A situation or statement that seems to contradict itself, but on closer inspection, it does not

Parallelism

Repeated syntactical similarities used for effect

Paraphrase

To restate phrases or statements in your own words

Parenthetical Phrase

A phrase set off by commas the interrupts the flow of a sentence with some commentary or detail. Ex. Jack's three dogs, including that miserable little spaniel, were with him that day.

Parody

when a specific work is exaggerated to ridiculousness.

Pastoral

A poem set in a tranquil nature or a poem about shepherds.

Pathos

When the writing tries to evoke feelings of dignified pity and sympathy

Periodic sentence

A sentence that is not grammatically correct until it has reached the end

Persona

Narrator in a non-first person novel

Personification

When an inanimate object takes on human shape

Plaint

A poem or speech expressing sorrow

Point of View

The perspective from which the action of a novel or narrative is presented. You have omniscient, limited omniscient, first person, camera-eye, and stream of consciousness

Prelude

An introductory poem to a longer work of verse

Protagonist

The main character of a work of literature

Pun

The usually humorous use of a word in such a way to suggest two or more meanings

Refrain

A line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem

Requiem

Song of prayer for the dead

Rhapsody

An intensely passionate verse or section of verse, usually of love or praise

Rhetorical Question

A question that suggests an answer, causes the listener to feel they have come up with the answer themselves

Satire

attempts to improve things by humorously pointing out mistakes

Simile

A softened metaphor, often using like or as

Soliloquy

A speech spoken by a character alone on stage. It's meant to give the impression that the audience is listening to the character's thoughts. Unlike an aside, this is not meant to imply that the actor acknowledges the audience's presence.

Stanza

A group of lines roughly analogous in function in verse to the paragraph's function in prose

Stock characters

Standard or clichéd character types: Jock, nerd, valley girl, etc.

Stream of consciousness

reader is placed inside the main character's head, privy to all of the character's thoughts as they scroll their head.

Subjective

An emotional treatment of subject matter that uses an interior or personal view of events.

Subjunctive mood

The set up to a hypothetical situation. Ex. If I were you, if she were rich, if he was smart.

Suggest

To imply, infer, or indicate.

Summary

A simple re-telling of what you have read. It's mechanical, superficial, and a step above paraphrase.

Suspension of Disbelief

The demand for an audience to accept the limitations of a literary work and apply your imagination. The acceptance on an audience's part of the plot in a story.

Symbolism

A device in literature where an object represents an idea

Syntax

The ordering and structuring of an author's words

Technique

The tools and methods of an author.

Theme

The main idea of the overall work; the central idea. It is the topic of discourse or discussion.

Thesis

The main position of an argument. The central contention that will be supported.

Tragic flaw

In a tragedy, this is the weakness of a character in a usually good individual that leads to their demise.

Travesty

A grotesque parody

Truism

A way-too-obvious truth

Unreliable Narrator

A pov from a untrustworthy character. Usually are not in the right headspace, very young, or biased.

Utopia

An idealized place. Imaginary communities where people are able to live in happiness, prosperity, and peace.

Zeugma

The use of a word to modify two or more words, but used for different meanings. Ex. He closed the door and his heart on his lost love.