lit terms 1

AP literature

allegory

a Literary work in which the characters represent abstract ideas

antecedent

the word phrase or clause that a pronoun refers to

aphorism

a brief clever worded statement that makes a wise observation about life

archaism

the use of deliberately old-fashion language

connotation

the implied or associative meaning of a word

couplet

two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme

diction

the choice of words

dramatic irony

theater irony that occurs when the meaning of a situation is understood by the audience but not the characters

euphony

agreeable sounds

foreshadowing

hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot

gothic novel

a novel in which supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terrors pervades the action

inversion

the reversal of a normal order of words

masculine rhyme

final syllable of first word rhymes with final syllable of second word

melodrama

a form of cheesy theater in which the hero is very good and the villain is very bad and the heroine is so pure

rhetorical question

statement worded as a question but is not supposed to be answered

theme

main idea of the story

utopia

an imaginary place considered to be perfect or ideal