AP Lit Semester 1 Final

Alliteration

the repitition of accented consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are close to each other, usually to create an effect, rhythym, or emphasis

Allusion

a reference in literature or in art to previous literature, history, mythology, pop culture/current events, or the Bible

Anachronism

an element in a story that is out of its time frame; sometimes used to create a humorous or jarring effect

Analogy

clarifies or explains an unfamiliar concept or object, or one that cannot be put into words, by comparing it with one which is familiar

Antagonist

a character who functions as a resisting force to the goals of the protagonist

Aphorism

a terse statement that expresses a general truth or moral principle; sometimes considered a folk proverb

Archetype

a character, situation, or symbol that is familiar to people from all cultures because it occurs frequently in literature, myth, religion, or folklore

Aside

a short speech or remark made by an actor to the audience rather than to the other characters, who did not hear him or her

Carp diem

expresses the idea that you only go around once

Catharsis

an emotional cleansing or feeling of relief.

Conceit

a far-fetched comparison between two seemingly unlike things; an extended metaphor that gains appeal from its unusual or extrodinary comparison

Connotation

association a word calls to mind

Conventional characters

a character with traits that are expected or traditional

Denotation

the dictionary or literal meaning of a word or phrase

Denounment

the outcome or clarification at the end of a story or play; the winding down from climax to ending

Diction

the deliberate choice of a style of language for a desired effect or tone

Didactic

a story, speech, essay, or play is one which the author's primary purpose is to instruct, teach, or moralize

Epigraph

a brief quotation found at the beginning of a literary work, reflective of theme

Epiphany

a sudden flash of insight, a startling discovery and/or appearance; a dramatic realization

Essay

a short composition on a signle topic, expressing the view or interpretation of the writer on that topic

Farce

a kind of comedy that depends on exaggerated or improbable situations, physical disasters, and sexual inuendo to amuse the audience

Foil

a character whose contrasting personal characteristics, draw attention to, enhance, or contrast with those of the main character

Genre

the category into which a piece of writting can be classified

Hubris

insolance, arrogance, or pride

Hyperbole

an extreme exaggeration for literary effect that is not meant to be interpreted literally

Imagery

anything that affects or appeals to the reader's senses

Interior monologue

a literary technique used in poetry and prose that reveals a character's unspoken thoughts and feelings

Inversion

a switch in the normal word order, often used for emphasis or for rhyme scheme

Litotes

affirmation of an idea by using a negative understatement

Metaphor

a figure of speech which compares two dissimilar things, asserting that one thing is another thing, not just that one is like another

Myth

a story, usually with supernatural significance, that explains the origins of gods, heroes, or natural phenomena

Parable

a short sotry illustrating a moral or religious lesson

Paradox

a statement or situation that at first seems impossible or oxymoronic, but which solves itself and reveals meaning

Parody

a comical imitiation of a serious piece with the intent of ridiculing the author or his work

Pathos

the quality of a literary work or passage which appeals to the reader's or viewer's emotions- especially pity, compassion, and sympathy

Point of view

perspective of the speaker or narrator in a literary work

Protagonist

the main or principal character in a work; often considered the hero or heroine

Rhetorical question

a question with an obvious answer; so no response is expected; used to make a point

Satire

the use of humor to ridicule and expose the shortcomings and failings of society, individuals, and institutions, often in the hope that change and reform are possible

Simile

a comparison of unlike things using the word, like, as, or so

Stock character

a stereotypical character, a type

Stream of consciousness

a dorm of writing which replicates the way the human mind works

Structure

the particular way in which parts of a written work are combined

Style

the way a writer uses language

Symbol

a concrete object, scene, or action which has deeper significance because it is associated with something else, often an important idea or theme in the work

Syntax

the way in which words, phrases, and sentences are ordered and connected

Theme

the central idea of a literary work

Tone

refers ti the author's attitude toward the subject, and often sets the mude of the piece

Tongue in cheek

expressing a thought in a way that appears to be sincere, but is actually joking

Transition/segue

the means to get from one portion of a poem or story to another; for instance, to another setting, to another character's viewpoint, to a later or earlier time period

Achilles

refers to the vulnerable part of a person's character

Armageddon

refers to an apocalyptic climax, or to a time of judgment

Atlas

refers to someone being condemend and having to hold the world on his shoulders, endurance, heavy burden, rebellion

Blind leading the blind

wisdom can not be obtained through the teachings of the unenlightened

Burning bush

represents physical proof of divinity

Cain and Abel

refference to innocent blood, and the archetypal brother-versus-brother conflict

Cast the first stone

warning against hypocrisy

Daedalus and Icarus

symbolic of the danger involved in daring to enter the realm of the gods

David and Goliath

The battle and vicotor become symbolic of the just defeating the unjust, despite the latter's supirior strength.

Eye for an eye

recommends the practice of exacting specific and equal punshment for a transgression or injury

Four horsemen of the apocalypse

in literature, the four hoursemen remain sumbolic of powerful destructive forces

Good samaritan

the term has come to mean anything who stops to help a stranger in need

Grail or holy grail

ancient origin as a fertility symbol, health and sustenance to those who hold it and may be foundonly by the pure of heart

House has many mansions

in other words, there is room in heavan for all those who believe

Jezeble

in literature the term usally refers to a seductive woman who leads the hero astray

Judas Iscariot

Regarded as the prototype of the ultamate betrayer

Lamb to the slaughter

The christian belief is that he atomed for the sins of all men by taking them upon himself and sacrafising his life in fulfillment of isaiah's very specific prophecy

Loaves and fishes

miltiplied five loaves of bread and two fishes into a sufficiant amound to fill 5,000 people not counting woman and children

Mammon

personifies the evils of greed and wealth

Massacre of the innocents

refers to extreme tyranny, state-sponsored violence against the vulnerable, and profound maternal grief

Moses

typically signifies a leader, liberator, law giver, or a figure leading people to a promised land/freedom

Nirvana

union with the Buddh, an ideal condition of harmony

Pandora's (box)

refers to a gift that turns out to be a curse, as well as the unanticipated consequences of one's actions

Philistines

the term connotates an ignorant, crude, and rude person lacking in culture and artistic appreciation and characterized by materialistic values

Phoenix

frequently symbolizes death and resurrection, or eternal life

Pontius Pilate

represents moral compromise, unjust authority, and washed-away responsibility

Prodigal son

reckless living, wasted potential, repentance

Ruth

her loving loyal behavior became the model for good women to follow, her intertribal marriage represents openess to the world

Scylla and Charybdis

represents a choice between two equally perilous alternatives

Sermon on the mount

usually interpreted as the fullfillment of the law of the Old Testament, promise of religious happiness

Sisyphus

serves as a constant metaphor for the never-ending struggle to complete one's task, only to be thwarted by still more hurdles

Sodom and Gomorrah

they stand as symbols of debauchery

Swords into ploughshares

often used by speakers advocating for peace

Thirty pieces of silver

reffers to betrayal and treachery

Tower of Babel

cautionary tale warning that humankind should not aspire to the heights of gods

Tower

Babel

Trojan horse

beware of Greeks bearing gifts, represents dramatic irony and foreshadowed betrayal

Utopia

uses the concept of an ideal, perfect world, to showcase either a flawless world or to be used as a tool for social critique often through irony

Waterloo

signifies ultimate, decisive, crushing defeat and sometimes foreshadows defeat/failure

Dramtic irony

the discrepancy is between what the speaker says and what the audience knows to be true

Verbal irony

the intended meaning of a work or statement is often the opposite of what the work or statement literally "says"

Situational Irony

there is an occurence that is contrary to what is inteded or expected, a reversal of events