AP English Literature Terms

Vocabulary flashcards generated from Mr. Chilton's AP English Literature terms dictionary.

Allegory

The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form.

Allusion

A reference to a canonical work of literature, usually the Bible, Shakespeare, or mythology.

Alliteration

The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of several words.

Ambiguity

When an author leaves out details/information or is unclear about an event so the reader will use his/her imagination to fill in the blanks.

Antagonist

The protagonist's adversary, typically 'the bad guy or the villain,' though not always.

Apostrophe

When a character speaks to a character or object that is not present or is unable to respond, often involving the exclamation 'O!'.

Assonance

The repetition of the same vowel sound in a phrase or line of poetry.

Bildungsroman

A novel of coming-of-age, formation, growth, or change that follows a young protagonist as they grow and develop.

Blank verse

Poetic lines of unrhymed iambic pentameter.

Caesura

A brief pause in a line of poetry caused by enjambment at the end of a line or punctuation anywhere in the line.

Catharsis

A Greek word translated as 'a cleansing,' referring to the emotional release of the audience by experiencing vicariously the suffering of the characters.

Climax

The turning point in the plot or the high point of action.

Connotation

An idea or meaning suggested by or associated with a word or thing, but not necessarily in the objective dictionary definition.

Convention

An understanding between a reader and a writer about certain details of a story that does not need to be explained.

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds in a phrase or line of poetry at the beginning, middle, or end of words.

Couplet

Two rhyming lines in poetry.

Diction

Specific word choice or the use of words in speech or writing, chosen to reflect and change the tone of the text.

Denouement

The final resolution or clarification of a dramatic or narrative plot.

Doppelganger

The alter ego of a character or the suppressed side of one's personality that is usually unaccepted by society.

Double Entendre

A word or phrase open to two interpretations, where one is usually risque, offensive, or sexual in nature.

Elegy

A poem or song composed especially as a lament for a deceased person.

Enjambment

The continuation of reading one line of a poem to the next with no pause, creating a run-on line.

Epic

An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero.

Epigraph

The introductory quote at the beginning of a novel or play, literally meaning 'the writing before'.

Epilogue

A short poem or speech spoken directly to the audience following the conclusion of a song or play, or a short explanation at the end of a novel indicating what happens after the plot ends.

Epiphany

Sudden enlightenment or realization, a profound new outlook or understanding about the world usually attained while doing everyday mundane activities.

Epistolary

Term used to describe a novel that tells its story through letters written from one character to another.

Euphemism

The act of substituting a harsh, blunt, or offensive comment for a more politically accepted or positive one.

Fable

A usually short narrative making an edifying or cautionary point, often employing animals or imaginary objects as characters that speak and act like humans.

Figurative language

Speech or writing that departs from literal meaning in order to achieve a special effect or meaning using figures of speech.

Flashback

When a character remembers a past event that is relevant to the current action of the story.

Flat character

A literary character whose personality can be defined by one or two traits and does not change over the course of the story (also called a static character).

Foil

A character that by contrast underscores or enhances the distinctive characteristics of another.

Foot

A way of describing the stressed syllables within a line of poetry, where the metrical length of a line is determined by the number of feet it contains.

Foreshadowing

Clues in the text about incidents that will occur later in the plot, creating anticipation in the novel.

Free verse

A type of verse that contains a variety of line lengths, is unrhymed, and lacks traditional meter.

Genre

A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content.

Gothic novel

A genre of fiction characterized by mystery and supernatural horror, often set in a dark castle or other medieval setting.

Hamartia

A Greek word describing the 'tragic flaws' of a character or an error in judgment, literally meaning 'to miss the mark'.

Heroine

A woman noted for courage and daring action or simply the female protagonist in a work.

Hubris

Excessive pride used in Greek tragedies that usually leads to a hero's downfall.

Hyperbole

A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or comic/dramatic effect.

Imagery

The use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas.

In medias res

Latin for 'in the midst of things,' describing a story that begins in the middle of things.

Irony

When one thing should occur, is apparent, or in logical sequence, but the opposite actually occurs.

Memoir

An account of the true personal experiences of an author concerning only a specific time period or a small range of events.

Meter

The measured arrangement of words in poetry by accented rhythm, number of syllables grouped by stressed syllables, or the total number of syllables in a line.

Metaphor

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another to make an implicit comparison without using 'like' or 'as'.