ALL AP LANG LIT TERMS, UNIT 1

allegory

a narrative in which characters, events, and settings symbolically represent broader ideas or moral concepts

foil

a character who contrasts with another to highlight specific traits, usually of the protagonist

frame story

a narrative structure where a main story encloses one or more smaller stories

litote

an understatement formed by negating the opposite to emphasize a point

archetype

a recurring, universal character type, symbol, or pattern across literature

mood

the emotional atmosphere created for the reader

tone

the author’s attitude toward the subject, audience, or characters

abstract

language refers to ideas or concepts

alliteration

repetition of initial consonant sounds in closely placed words

author’s purpose

the author’s intended goal, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, or reflect

persona

the voice or role an author or speaker adopts in a text

point of view

the perspective from which a story is told

dramatic irony

when the audience knows something the characters do not

situational irony

when an outcome contradicts expectations

verbal irony

when what is said contrasts with what is meant

motif

a recurring idea, image, or element that reinforces a theme

humor

the use of wit, irony, or absurdity to amuse or engage the audience

concrete language

tangible, sensory details

personification

attributing human qualities to nonhuman entities

style + repetition

deliberate reuse of words or structures as a stylistic technique for emphasis

em-dash

punctuation used to indicate interruption, emphasis, or added explanation’

understatement

presenting something as less significant than it actually is

anaphora

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

line of reasoning

the logical progression of ideas used to support a claim

anecdote

a brief personal or illustrative story used to support a point

hyperbole

deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or effect

epiphora

repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses

implied claim

an unstated argument inferred from evidence or reasoning

parallel structure

use of similar grammatical forms to create balance and clarity

juxtaposition

placing contrasting ideas or elements side by side for effect

tonal shift

a noticeable change in tone within a text

analogy + alliteration

comparison used to clarify an idea combined with repeated initial sounds for emphasis