Honors English Final Exam Review Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for Honors English Final Exam Review, covering key literary works and rhetorical devices.

Protagonist

The main character in a story, often facing a central conflict.

Conspirator

A person involved in a secret plan to do something harmful or illegal.

Demagoguery

Political activity that seeks support by appealing to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people.

Ethos

An appeal to credibility, used to convince an audience of the speaker's reliability.

Pathos

An appeal to emotions, used to persuade an audience by evoking feelings.

Logos

An appeal to logic, used to persuade an audience through reason and evidence.

Irony

Expressing the opposite of the literal meaning, often for humorous or emphatic effect.

Metaphor

A comparison without using 'like' or 'as,' suggesting a resemblance between two different things.

Simile

A comparison using 'like' or 'as,' highlighting a similarity between two things.

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

Allusion

An indirect reference to another work, event, or idea.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect, not requiring an answer.

Paradox

A seemingly contradictory statement that has some truth to it.

Fallacy

A mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument.

Kairos

The right or critical moment; the opportune time for action.

Obsequious

Excessively eager to please or obey; fawning.

Narcisistic

Having an excessive interest in oneself, particularly regarding one's appearance and achievements.

Pensive

Engaged in deep or serious thought; reflective.

Pragmatic

Dealing with things sensibly and realistically; practical.

Reverent

Feeling or showing deep and solemn respect or admiration.

Satirical

Using humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or mock ideas, people, or institutions.

Sardonic

Characterized by bitter or scornful derision; mocking in a humorous way.

Sanguine

Optimistic or positive, especially in difficult situations.

accusatory

Containing or expressing accusation; blaming or suggesting guilt.

dismissive

showing indifference or rejection; treating someone or something as unworthy of consideration.

objective

Not influenced by personal feelings or opinions; based on observable phenomena.

paradox

A statement that contradicts itself but may reveal an underlying truth.

personification

A literary device where human qualities are attributed to non-human objects or abstract concepts.

rhetoric

The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, often using figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

fallacy

kairos

A rhetorical concept that refers to the opportune moment for persuasion or action.

realism

A literary movement that aims to represent everyday life and society as it truly is, often focusing on ordinary characters and events.

diminution

The reduction or lessening of something, often used in the context of literary themes or character development.

ad hominem

A fallacy in argumentation that attacks a person's character or motive rather than addressing the argument itself.

appeal to tradition

A logical fallacy that asserts a proposition is true or better simply because it has been traditionally believed or practiced.

straw man'

A form of argument in which an opponent's position is misrepresented or exaggerated to make it easier to attack. This often involves creating a distorted version of the argument that can be easily refuted.

verbal irony

A figure of speech in which the intended meaning is opposite to the literal meaning of the words used, often used for humorous or emphatic effect.

understatment

A rhetorical device that intentionally presents something as being smaller or less important than it is, often for ironic or humorous effect.

dramatic irony

A situation in which the audience knows something that the characters do not, creating tension or humor. It often highlights the contrast between characters' understanding and the reality of the situation.