AP LIT terms 1-25

allegory

a literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions

alliteration

the repetition of initial sounds in successive or neighboring words

allusion

a reference to something literary mythological or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize

ambiguity

occurs when a word phrase situation or event can be interpreted in more than one way both interpretations must be supportable from the text

analogy

a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way

anecdote

a brief narrative that focuses on a partiucar incident or event

antagonist

a main character of a plot who is in opposition or conflict with the protagonist. This person usually complicates the conflict and plot

archetype

a detail, image or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth and is thought to appeal in a universal way to the unconscious and to evoke a response

aside

when a character is on stage with other characters mkaing side lien comments that those on stage do not appear to hear or react to

assonance

repetition of vowel sounds in the middle of words

autobiography

nonfiction story written by an author about themselves

character (tragic) flaw

a habit that caues a character provlems in his/her life again and again and again

characterization

the introduction and developmet of the personalities of the individual in a piece of literature

cliche

an expression that has been overused to the extent that is freshness has worn off

climax

the point of highest interest in a literary work

conflict

a problem issue or challenge that must be solved

connotation

the implied or associative meaning of a word

couplet

two consecutive lines with words at the end that rhyme

denotation

the literal meaning of aword

dialect

a variety of speech characterized by its own particular grammar or pronunciation

dialogue

conversation between two or more people

diction

the word choice made by a writer

didactic

having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing

direct characterization

when the narrator or a character in the sotry tells us what we need to know about a chracter

drama

the formal name for a play