AP english lit terms to know

Soliloquy

A long speech by a character alone on stage, revealing inner thoughts

Monologue

 A long speech by one character, possibly in the presence of others.

Prologue

 An introduction to a story, often setting the scene or background.

Foil

 A character who contrasts with another to highlight particular qualities

Allegory

 A narrative where characters and events represent broader ideas or moral qualities.

Allusion

 A reference to another text, event, or figure to enrich meaning.

Motif

 A recurring image, idea, or symbol that helps develop a theme.

Apostrophe

 A figure of speech where the speaker addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing.

Enjambment

In poetry, the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line.

Caesura

 A pause in a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation.

Irony

• Saying one thing and meaning another.

• When the opposite of what is expected happens.

• When the audience knows more than the characters.

Diction

 Word choice. Helps convey tone, mood, and character.

Refrain

A line or group of lines repeated at intervals in a poem or song, typically at the end of a stanza.

Summons

A call to action or an authoritative command. In literature, it can refer metaphorically to a call to a character or the reader.

Epilogue

A concluding section of a literary work that brings closure or offers commentary.

Aside

A brief remark by a character, directed to the audience, unheard by other characters on stage.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds “Pitter-patter”

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds