AP Lit Vocab 1

Abstract

A style (in writing) is typically complex, discusses intangible qualities like good and evil, and seldom uses examples to support its points.

Academic

As an adjective describing style, this word means dry and theoretical writing. When a piece of writing seems to be sucking all the life out of its subject with analysis, the writing is academic.

Accent

refers to the stressed portion of a word

Aesthetic

can be used as an adjective meaning "appealing to the senses." This judgment is a phrase synonymous with artistic judgment. As a noun, an it is a coherent sense of taste.

Allegory

a story in which each aspect of the story has a symbolic meaning outside the tale itself.

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds. In other words, consonant clusters coming closely cramped and compressed—no coincidence.

Allusion

A reference to another work or famous figure a reference to Greek and Roman mythology or literature. Can be topical or popular as well. A topical one refers to a current event. A popular one refers to something from popular culture, such as a reference to a television show or a hit movie.

Anachronism

Derived from Greek. It means "misplaced in time”.

Analogy

A comparison. Usually they involve two or more symbolic parts, and are employed to clarify an action or a relationship.

Anecdote

a short narrative.

Antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause that determines what a pronoun refers to.

Anthropomorphism

In literature, when inanimate objects are given human characteristics, it is at work. It is often confused with personification. But personification requires that the non-human quality or thing take on human shape.

Anticlimax

occurs when an action produces a despicable arrogance have long been led to expect. It is frequently comic.

Antihero

A protagonist (main character) who is markedly unheroic: morally weak, cowardly, dishonest, or any number of other unsavory qualities.

Aphorism

A short and usually witty saying

Apostrophe

A figure of speech wherein the speaker talks directly to something that is nonhuman.

Archaism

The use of deliberately old-fashioned language. Authors sometimes uses this to create a feeling of distant past.

Aside

A speech (usually just a short comment) made by an actor to the audience, as though momentarily stepping outside of the action on stage.

Aspect

A trait or characteristic

Assonance

The repeated use of vowel sounds

Atmosphere

The emotional tone or background that surrounds a scene.

Ballad

A long, narrative poem, usually in very regular meter and rhyme. It typically has a naive folksy quality, a characteristic that distinguishes it from epic poetry.

Pathos

When the writing of a scene evokes feelings of dignified pity and sympathy this, is at work.

Black humor

This is the use of disturbing themes in comedy.

Bombast

This is pretentious, exaggerated learned language. When one tries to be eloquent by using the largest, most uncommon words, one falls into this.

Burlesque

broad parody, one that takes a style or a form, such as tragic drama, and exaggerates it into ridiculousness. It usually takes on a specific work

Cacophony

In poetry, is using deliberately harsh, awkward sounds.

Cadence

The beat or rhythm of poetry in a general sense

Canto

The name for a section division in a long work of poetry. It divides a long poem into parts the way chapters divide a novel.

Caricature

A portrait (verbal or otherwise) that exaggerates a facet of personality.

Catharsis

This is a term drawn from Aristotle's writings on tragedy. refers to the "cleansing" of emotion an audience member experiences, having lived (vicariously) through the experiences presented on stage.

Chorus

In Greek drama, this is the group of citizens who stand outside the main action on stage and comment on it.

Classic

An accepted masterpiece, But, it refers to the arts of ancient Greece and Rome, and the qualities of those arts.

Coinage (neologism)

a new word, usually one invented on the spot

Colloquialism

A word or phrase used in everyday conversational English that isn't a part of accepted "school-book" English.

Complex / Dense

Suggesting that there is more than one possibility in the meaning of words

Conceit

Refers to a startling or unusual metaphor, or a metaphor developed and expanded upon over several lines.

Denotation

The literal meaning of a word

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds within words

Couplet

A pair of lines that end in rhyme

Bathos

When writing strains for grandeur it can't support and tries to jerk tears from every little hiccup.

Controlling image

When a metaphor dominates and shapes the entire work, it's called this

Connotations

Everything else the word suggests