AP Lit Literary Devices/Elements

anecdote

short personal story (brief + revealing)

adage

short and/or memorable that offers advice

allegory

a narrative where characters, events and settings serve as a symbol of abstract ideas of moral truth

assonance

repetition of short vowels

aliteration

repetition of same constant sound a the beginning of closely connected words

analogy

comparison between two things that are often dissimilar

anaphora

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of clauses, phrases or sentences

anti-hero

protagonist who lacks conventional heroic qualities

bildungsroman

coming of age from youth to adulthood

blank verse

poetry written in unrhymed pentameter

characterization

process in which an author reveals the personality of a character

colloquialism

word/phrase/or pronunciation that is informal and specific to a particular region or group of people

conceit

an extended metaphor that compares to dissimilar things

connotation

emotional and cultural associations surrounding a word, implied or suggested meanings

consonance

repetition of the same constant sounds within closely related words in a phrase or sentence

dramatic irony

when the audience knows something one or more characters don’t

diction

refers to the choice and use of words and phrases in a speech or writing

double entendre

phrase or figure of speech that has two interpretations, one being straightforward and the other being suggested

elegy

a poem of serious reflection, typically exploring themes of loss, sorrow and the speakers relationship with the deceased or lost object

enjambment

occurs when a phrase, clause, or sentence in a poem doesn’t finish at the end of a line (“bleeds” into the next line)

end rhyme

a rhyme that occurs at the end of lines in poetry

end-stopped line

a line of poetry that features a natural pause or sense of completion at the end

epitaph

a short text honoring a deceased person, typically inscribed on a tombstone or plaque

eye rhyme

when words look like they should rhyme based on their spelling, but don’t actually rhyme when pronounced

euphemism

a mild, indirect or vague term substituted for a harsh, or offensive, its a gentler way of saying something that might cause discomfort

figurative language

uses of words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation

foil

a character that contrasts with another character

foreshadowing

hints of events that will happen later in the story

free verse

poetry that doesn’t rhyme or have a regular meter

homage

when another author or artist shows respect to another artist

hyperbole

figure of speech that involves an exaggeration for the sake of emphasis or effect

hyperphora

a writer or speaker asks a question and immediately answers it

idiom

a phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the literal meaning from its individual words

imagery

appeals to one of the five senses to create mental images and sensory experiences

innuendo

a statement being made indirectly, implying a different meaning than what’s actually being said

internal rhyme

a word within a line in poetry rhymes with another word within the same line

irony

words are used in a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning

jargon

specialized or technical language used by a particular group, profession or field of study

juxtaposition

two or more contrasting elements

line break

the end of a line in a poem

malapropism

mistaken use of a word in place of a similar sounding one with an unintentional amusing effect

metaphor

directly comparing two unlike things without using like or as

monologue

a lengthy speech delivered by a character

motif

recurring element - image, idea, color, sound or specific type of event that as symbolic significance in a story

non sequitur

a statement that doesn’t logically follow from the previous statement

ode

a lyrical poem, formal in structure and style, often celebrating a particular structure

oxymoron

combines two contradictory terms

parable

short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach a moral lesson or spiritual principle

parallelism

use of similar grammatical structures to express related ideas

parody

a work that imitates the stye of another work, artist or genre

personification

human characteristics are attributed to objects, animals, ideas or forces of nature

red herring

a deliberate distraction intended to mislead the audience, readers or opponent away from the relevant topic or issue

refrain

a line or group of lines repeated at intervals throughout a poem, song or other piece of writing

rhetorical question

question asked for effect, not for an answer

rhyme scheme

the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or song

satire

use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize peoples stupidity or vices

simile

comparison between two different things using “like” or “as”

situational irony

when there’s a discrepancy between what is expected to happen and what actually happens

sonnet

type of poem

stanza

a group of lines forming a unit within a poem

symbolism

use of objects, people, or ideas to represent something else

theme

central idea or message of a story

verbal irony

when a speaker says something that contradicts what they actually mean or believe

volta

significant shift in thought, emotion, or argument within a poem