AP Literature and Composition: Literary Terms

cacophony

harsh and discordant sounds in a line or passage in a literary work

sonnet

a poem of fourteen lines using any of a number of formal rhyme schemes, in English typically having ten syllables per line.

Iambic

a poetic meter that is made up of stressed syllables followed by an unstressed syllable

couplet

pair of rhyming lines

geographical location

physical location where a story takes place

antihero

protagonist that lacks traditional heroic qualities

apostrophe

figure of speech in which a speaker addresses a person, thing, or abstract entity as if it were present

complication

a problem or obstacles that the protagonist must overcome

exposition

the introduction of characters, setting, and background information in a story

octave

group of eight lines of poetry, often used in sonnets

aside

a remark made by a character in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but not by the other characters

ode

a poem that praises or celebrates a person, place, or thing

dactylic

a poetic meter with one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables ("mer-ci-ful")

villanelle

a nineteen line poem with a specific repeating line and rhyme scheme

trochaic

a poetic meter with one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable ("hap-py")

climax

the highest point of tension or excitement in a story

alliteration

the repetition of initial consonant sounds in words that are close together

arapestic

poetic meter with three unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable ("com-pre-hend")

conflict

a struggle or clash between opposing forces

sestina

a six line poem with specific repeating word pattern

blank verse

unrhymed iambic parameter, common form of english poetry

cinquain

five line poem with specific syllable count in each line

lyric verse

poetry that expresses personal emotions or feelings

elegy

poem that mourns the death of someone

Onomatopoeia

the use of words that imitate the sounds they represent

epic poem

a long narrative poem, often about a hero's journey

foil character

a character who contrasts with the protagonist to highlight their qualities

ballad

a narrative poem, often with a strong rhythmic pattern and a refrain

denouement

the resolution of a conflict in a story

assonance

the repetition of vowel sounds within words that are close together

spondee

a poetic meter with two stressed syllables (heart-beat)

euphony

pleasant harmonious sound, often created by the use of soft-sounding consonants and vowels

meter

the rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem

Foot/Metrical Foot

unit of measurement in poetry, consisting of a combination of stressed and unstressed syllables

dramatic monologue

poem or speech in which a character reveals their thoughts and feelings

third person narrator

a narrator who uses the pronouns "he", "she", or "it"

limited narrator

narrator that only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character

syntax

arrangement of words in a sentence

persona

mask or role adopted by a speaker in a poem or story

epithet

descriptive phrase used to characterize a person or thing

symbol

something that represents something else

oxymoron

figure of speech that combines contradictory terms

stereotype

generalized image of a group of people

omnipotent narrator

narrator that knows the thoughts and feelings of all the characters

versimilitude

the appearance of being real or true

Stock Character

a character based on a common stereotype

connotation

emotional associations of a word

parody

work that imitates and mocks another work

rising action

series of events that lead up to the climax of a story

naive narrator

narrator who is innocent or inexperienced, often leading to unreliable narration

historical setting

time period in which a story takes place

synecdoche

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

denotation

literal meaning of a word

personification

figure of speech in which a non-human object is given human qualities

monologue

speech by one person

metaphor

figure of speech comparing two unlike things without using like or as

irony

literary device in which there is a discrepancy between what is said or expected and what happens

simile

figure of speech that compares two unlike things using like or as

subtext

underlying meaning or message in a story

conceit

extended metaphor comparing two unlike things in a surprising and original way

speaker

person or voice that is telling a story or poem

soliloquy

speech by a character that is alone on stage, revealing their thoughts and feelings

metonymy

figure of speech in which a thing is represented by something associated with it

Setting

time and place in which a story takes place