AP Literary Terms

Ambiguity

deliberately suggesting two or more different, and sometimes conflicting, meanings in work. an event or situation that may be interpreted in more than one way- this is done on purpose by the author, when it is not done on purpose, it is vagueness and detracts from the work

Anachronism

a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned.

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

Connotation

the wide array of positive and negative associations that most words naturally carry with them

Denotation

the precise, literal definition of a word that might be found in a dictionary

Details

pieces of information that support or tell more about the main idea

Epigraph

the use of a quotation or phrase at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme

Flashback

a scene that interrupts the normal chronological sequence of events in a story to depict something that happened at an earlier time

Foreshadowing

a narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader.

Imagery

the use of language to evoke a picture or a concrete sensation of a person , a thing, a place, or an experience

In media res

in or into the middle of a sequence of events as in a literary narrative

Mood

Feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader

Moral

A brief and often simplistic lesson that a reader may infer from a work of literature.

Motif

(n.) a principal idea, feature, theme, or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design; helps develop other narrative aspects such as theme or mood.

Parable

A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.

Theme

Central idea of a work of literature. a central topic, subject, or message within a narrative.

Tone

A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.

Allegory

a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. an allegory is a narrative in which a character, place, or event is used to deliver a broader message about real-world issues and occurrences.

Apostrophe

A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art

Euphenism

the substitution of a relatively inoffensive term for one that is considered too harsh, unpleasant, or blunt (died to passed away)

Hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

Dramatic irony

Irony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play.

Verbal irony

irony in which a person says or writes one thing and means another, or uses words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning.

Situational irony

irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected.

Romantic irony

The procedure by which apparently significant gestures or assertions or decisions are made only immediately to collapse

Metaphor

a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unalike without the words "as, like, than, resembles"

Metonymy

substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase. (deafening silence)

Paradox

A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.

Personification

A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes

Pun

a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings.

Simile

A comparison using "like" or "as"

Epic simile

A simile developed over several lines of verse/length

Symbol

A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.

Synaesthesia

when one sort of sensation (such as hearing a sound) produces another (such as seeing color)

Understatement

the presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is. Opposite of exaggeration

Synecdoche

a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa

Alliteration

the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.
EX: "John arrived late because traffic held him up."
John is antecedent of him

Conceit

A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects. In Poetry

Contrast

The state of being noticeably different from something else when put or considered together.

metaphysical conceit

A type of simile which establishes a striking parallel between startlingly dissimilar things that have no connection with each other. In poetry

Meter

the basic rhythmic structure of a line within a work of poetry.

Referent

a person or thing to which a name - a linguistic expression or other symbol - refers.

Rhyme

Repetition of sounds at the end of words.

Shift

occurs when speakers or writers alter their style or tone in a piece. It is often accompanied by a shift in focus.

Stanza

a group of lines forming the basic recurring metrical unit in a poem; a verse.

Structure

the arrangement or framework of a sentence, paragraph, or entire work

Bildungsroman

A novel or story whose theme is the moral or psychological growth of the main character.

Climax

the most intense, exciting, or important point of the story; a culmination or apex.

Conflict

A struggle between opposing forces

denouement

the final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.

Epiphany

A moment of sudden revelation or insight

Epistolary

a novel written as a series of documents. The usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings and other documents work too.

Exposition

A narrative device, often used at the beginning of a work that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances.

Falling action

Events after the climax, leading to the resolution

Gothic Romance

a romance that deals with desolate and mysterious and grotesque events

Inciting incident

Interrupts the peace and balance of the situation and one or more of the characters comes into conflict with an outside force, himself, or another character. Initiates the conflict

Metafiction

fiction that concerns the nature of fiction itself, either by reinterpreting a previous fictional work or by drawing attention to its own fictional status.

Motivation

the reason compelling a person's actions and behaviors. In literature, it's what drives a character's goals and inclination to do something.

Narrative Pace

how fast or slow the story is moving for the reader. This is determined by the length of a scene and the speed at which you, the writer, distribute information.

Plot

the sequence of events where each affects the next one through the principle of cause-and-effect.

Resolution

the end of the story. It occurs after the CLIMAX. It is when you learn what happens to the characters after the CONFLICT is resolved. Solves conflict

Rising Action

A series of events that builds towards the conflict. It begins with the inciting force and ends with the climax.

Setting

The context in time and place in which the action of a story occurs.

stream of consciousness

a style of writing that portrays the inner (often chaotic) workings of a character's mind.

Quixotic

exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical

Antagonist

A character or force in conflict with the main character

Agency

the capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own free choices

Catharsis

the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

Characterization

A method an author uses to let readers know more about the characters and their personal traits.

Dynamic character

A character who grows, learns, or changes as a result of the story's action

Foil character

A character who is used as a contrast to another character; the contrast emphasizes the differences between the two characters, bringing out the distinctive qualities in each.

Hamartia (tragic flaw)

A character flaw that causes the downfall or death of a person of high rank/status

Hubris

excessive pride or arrogance that results in the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy

Perspective

a point of view or general standpoint from which different things are viewed, physically or mentally; the appearance to the eye of various objects at a given time, place, or distance

Protagonist

the main character in a literary work

First Person Primary

Told from the viewpoint of one of the characters (MAIN CHARACTER) using the pronouns "I" and We. Character is telling the story himself

First Person Secondary

Told from the viewpoint of the FRIEND/ENEMY of the main character using the pronouns "I" and We.

Second Person Point of View

The narrator tells the story using the pronouns "You", "Your," and "Yours" to address a reader or listener directly

Third Person Limited

the narrator relates the inner thoughts and feelings of only one character, and everything is viewed from this character's perspective

Third Person Omniscient

a narrator tells the story using "he" or "she" and shares more than one character's thoughts and feelings. Relates to the inner thoughts and feelings of MANY characters

Third Person Objective

the narrator simply describes what is happening to the characters in the story and does not show us anyone's thoughts or feelings

Auditory imagery

imagery that refers to sounds, noises, music, and sense of hearing

Olfactory imagery

refers to odors, aromas, scents and the sense of smell

Gustatory imagery

refers to flavors and sense of taste

Tactile imagery

refers to physical textures and sense of touch

Imagery (the 5 types)

tactile, gustatory, visual, olfactory, auditory

Irony

a discrepancy between appearances and reality

Direct Metaphor

regular metaphor, where the comparison is where one thing is said to be another

Indirect Metaphor

metaphor that compares two unalike things without mentioning one of them

Extended Metaphor

an author's exploitation of a single metaphor or analogy at length through multiple linked tenors, vehicles, and grounds throughout a poem or story

Masculine Rhyme

a rhyme of final stressed syllables (e.g., blow / flow, confess / redress)

Feminine Rhyme

a rhyme between stressed syllables followed by one or more unstressed syllables (e.g., stocking / shocking, glamorous / amorous)

Internal Conflict

when a character struggles with their own opposing desires or beliefs. It happens within them, and it drives their development as a character.

External Conflict

sets a character against something or someone beyond their control.

Indirect Characterization

describes a character through their thoughts, actions, speech, and dialogue

Direct Characterization

describes the character through their physical description, line of work, or passions and pursuits.