AP Lit Terms

conflict

the result of competing desires or the presence of obstacles that need to be overcome. Conflict is necessary to propel a narrative forward; the absence of conflict amounts to the absence of story. There are three main types of conflict identified in literature: man versus man, man versus nature, and man versus self.

connotation

the emotional or cultural association with that word; not the explicit meaning of the word, but rather the meaning that the word implies.

denotation

literal, dictionary definition of a word

figurative language

any figure of speech which depends on a non-literal meaning of some or all of the words used. There are many types of figurative language, including literary devices such as simile, metaphor, personification, and many pun examples, to name just a few. The definition of figurative language is opposite to that of literal

flashback

an occurrence in which a character remembers an earlier event that happened before the current point of the story

foreshadowing

a literary device in which the author gives clues about events that will happen later in the story. Often these clues are fairly subtle so that they can only be noticed or fully understood upon a second reading.

imagery

descriptive language that can function as a way for the reader to better imagine the world of the piece of literature and also add symbolism to the work. Imagery draws on the five senses, namely the details of taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound

personification

giving a non-human object human emotion

plot

The main events of a play, novel, film, or similar work, devised and presented by the writer as an interrelated sequence

pun

a play on words that produces a humorous effect by using a word that suggests two or more meanings, or by exploiting similar sounding words that have different meanings.

satire

genre of literature that uses wit for the purpose of social criticism. Satire ridicules problems in society, government, businesses, and individuals in order to bring attention to certain follies, vices, and abuses, as well as to lead to improvements. Irony and sarcasm are often an important aspect of satire

setting

time and place in which the story takes place. The definition of setting can also include social statuses, weather, historical period, and details about immediate surroundings

simile

comparison of two unlike things using like or as

symbolism

to imbue objects with a certain meaning that is different from their original meaning or function

motif

a narrative element with symbolic meaning that repeats throughout a work of literature. Motifs may come in the form of reoccurring imagery, language, structure, or contrasts

theme

the central topic or idea explored in a text that reveals a truth about the human condition

tone

author's attitude to the speaker, subject, or audience

tragedy

form of drama in which there is a display of human suffering and often catharsis for the audience. Tragedy, as we know it in Western culture, has its foundation in ancient Greece about 2,500 years ago

allegory

story or poem in which characters, setting, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities.

allusion

refers to someone or something well known

analogy

comparison made between two things to show how they are alike

anecdote

a very brief story told to illustrate a point or serve as an example of something

antagonist

opponent to protagonist (central character who drives the action)

archetype

character, action, or situation that is a pattern of human life generally; a situation that occurs over and over again in literature, such as a quest, an initiation, or an attempt to overcome evil. (Example: myths)

antithesis

rhetorical device of opposition in which one idea or word is established, and then the opposite idea or word is expressed as in "I love and hate."

assonance

repetition of the same vowel sounds in poetry

catharsis

release of one's emotions regarding plot or characters

characterization

direct—writer tells us directly what the character is like; indirect—writer shows us what the character is like

crisis (climax)

turning point; decision made by the protagonist to resolve the conflict

diction

word choice, type of words, and the level of language

dramatic monologue

speaker of a poem addresses an internal listener or the reader; sometimes includes listener's unrecorded responses

epic hero

person who goes on a quest to achieve something of great value to themselves or their society

epiphany

moment of sudden insight or revelation that someone experiences

epistles

literature that is told by reading someone's letters

fable

brief story illustrating a moral truth (Aesop's fables)

foil character

usually a minor character who is used to highlight qualities of a major character

overstatement (hyperbole)

exaggeration

paradox

a statement that appears to be contradictory but upon close inspection is really the truthful- example from Macbeth "fair is foul, foul is fair"

oxymoron

combines opposites in a brief phrase—living death

parody

work that makes fun of another work by imitating some aspect of the writer's style

syntax

word order and sentence structure

tragic flaw

tragic hero brings about his downfall because his error in judgment or because of a personality failure (tragic flaw)

dynamic character

a literary or dramatic character who undergoes an important inner change, as a change in personality or attitude

static character

a literary or dramatic character who undergoes little or no inner change; a character who does not grow or develop.

situational irony

An outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected

dramatic irony

irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of literature and is understood by the audience but not grasped by all or some of the characters

verbal irony

irony in which a person says or writes one thing and means another, or uses words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning.

first person point of view

Told from the viewpoint of one of the characters using the pronouns "I" and We"

3rd person limited point of view

the narrator is not a part of the story, more of an outside observer; can only see one character's thoughts and emotions

3rd person omniscient point of view

A method of storytelling in which the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters in the story.