AP Literature Vocabulary Tri 1

plot

refers to the actions and events in a literary work

2. exposition

prose, information, ordinary language and writing. Factual, not poetic

3. setting

location and time an event occurs / where and when it happens

4. rising action

events of a dramatic or narrative plot preceding the climax

5. falling action

events of a dramatic or narrative plot following the climax and leading to the resolution

6 climax

The turning point or moment of greatest emotional tension in a plot or dramatic action

7. theme

the underlying meaning of a literary work, usually the author's point of view

8. conflict

struggle between two opposing forces. - External, involving a character pitted against an outside force - Man vs. nature, Man vs. society, physical obstacle, Man vs. man. Internal, occurring within the character - Man vs. self

9. characterization

methods by which writers create, reveal, or develop their characters. - External reality of their characters revealed by describing appearance, actions or manner of speech Inner reality of characters revealed by revealing thoughts and feelings

10. denouement

a French term meaning "unraveling or unknotting" / used to describe the resolution of the plot following the climax

1. protagonist

the main character in a drama or other literary work, usually perceived as a positive or champion character

2. antagonist

a character in a story or play who opposes the main character, usually one who is perceived as an adversary / enemy

3. foil

character who provides a striking contrast to another character, points out strengths and weaknesses of another character.

4. prologue

introduction of any literary work, especially in a play, that provides necessary exposition to the story

5. epilogue

conclusion of any literary work, providing necessary exposition to end the story. Sometimes progresses story farther than actual conclusion did

6. diction

the author's choice of words and phrases in a literary work

7. figurative language

language used in a non-literal way for the purpose of emphasis, clarification, or a special effect. Language which uses descriptive figures of speech

8. literal language

exact meaning of words, not using metaphors or exaggeration / non-figurative language

9. soliloquy

a speech on stage alone that allows the character to speak his or her thoughts aloud for audience to hear / soap opera style

10. aside

a device in which a character in a drama makes a short speech which is heard by the audience but not by other characters in the play

1. persona / speaker

narrator / usually the point of view of character. The person created by the author to tell the story and is the voice that talks to the reader

2. point of view

how we know what happens in a story / how the story is told

3. omniscient

the speaker knows everything including the actions, motives, and thoughts of all the characters / all-knowing

4. limited omniscient

what narrator knows or sees in limited to one central character, usually just their own actions and thoughts

5. objective

most drastic 3rd person point of view, for story is told by no one / narrator disappears and there is no way of entering minds of characters.

6. static character

does not change throughout the work and the reader's knowledge of that character does not grow / unchanging

7. dynamic character

undergoes some kind of change because of the action in the plot / changing

8. flat character

embodies 1 or 2 qualities, ideas or traits that are not developed. Sometimes recognized as stock characters; show stereotypes, like the "dumb blonde." / become types rather than individuals

9. round character

complex, multidimensional, and developed characters that often display the inconsistencies and internal conflicts found in most real people

10. apostrophe

The direct address of a person or personified thing, either present or absent. Most common purpose is to give vent to or display intense emotion, which can no longer be held back / often interrupts the discussion

1. analogy

a comparison made between two objects, situations, or ideas that are somewhat alike but unlike in most respects (formal & informal)

2. simile

direct comparison using the terms "like" and "as"

3. metaphor

a direct comparison

4. hyperbole

a figure of speech involving great exaggeration

5. understatement

a statement which lessens or minimizes the importance of what is meant

6. oxymoron

a figure of speech in which contradicting terms are combined

7. archetype

a symbol, story pattern, or character type that recurs frequently in literature and evokes a strong, or often unconscious, associations in the reader / usually consistent across cultures

8. motif

a situation / theme that recurs in various works or in various parts of the same work

9. onomatopoeia

a literary device in which the sound of the word echoes the sound it represents

10. personification

a figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes. Inanimate objects given human characteristics.

1. dialect

a form of speech characteristic of a particular region or class, differing from the standard language in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammatical form

2. colloquial

refers to a type of informal diction that reflects casual, conversational language and often includes slang expressions

3. dialogue

written conversation between 2 or more characters which is used to bring characters to life and give readers insight into their personality traits / qualities

4. alliteration

sound device that is the repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables

5. assonance

sound device that is the repetition of vowel sounds within words

6. consonance

sound device that is the repetition of consonant sounds within words

7. syntax

word order

8. style

way in which a piece of literature is written / refers not to what is said but to how it is said / produced by word choice, grammatical structures, use of literary devices, and all possible parts of language use

9. denotation

strict, literal meaning of a word / definition

10. connotation

emotional associations surrounding a word as opposed to the dictionary definition / suggested or implied meaning of a word (based on personal or universal experience)

1. tone

the author's attitude, either stated or implied, toward his or her subject matter and toward the audience

2. mood

state of mind or emotion of novel, author, character, situation, setting, context

3. voice

the distinctive style or manner of expression of an author or of a character in a story

4. irony

contrast between what is claimed to be and what really is / the use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning

5. allusion

a reference to a person, place, event, work of art, etc. in the current or historical past / assumes the reader to be knowledgeable about several topics

6. allegory

the representation of ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic or pictorial form

7. symbol

a person, place, object, or activity that stands for something beyond itself Cultural symbols are those whose meaning can be understood by people in same culture Literary symbols take on meaning within the context of the literary work

8. foreshadowing

a clue given to the reader or audience of what is to come

9. flashback

a device that allows the writer to present events that happened before the time of the current narration or the current events in the story. Techniques include memories, dreams, stories of the past told by characters, or even authorial sovereignty. (author might simply say: "But back in Tom's youth...)

10. epiphany

a moment of enlightenment in which the underlying truth, essential nature, or real meaning is suddenly made clear to the character or reader

1. anagram

a word, phrase or sentence formed from another by rearranging its letters

2. acronym

a word formed from the initials or other parts of several words

2. pseudonym

a false name or alias used by a writer desiring not to use his or her real name. Reasons include: political, different works for different names or not like their name.

4. metonymy

figure of speech in which a word represents something else it suggests

5. euphemism

a word or phrase used in place of a term that might be considered too direct, harsh, unpleasant, or offensive. Put something bad or embarrassing in a positive or at least neutral light.

6. paradox

a statement or situation that seems to be self-contradictory but still has valid meaning

7. pun

a play on words wherein the word is used to convey two meanings at the same time

8. aphorism

a brief saying that embodies a moral or expresses a general observation about life in a clever way

9. cliché

an idea or expression that has become tired and trite from overuse, its freshness and clarity having worn off

10. anecdote

a very short tale told by a character in a literary work

1. parody

a humorous imitation of serious writing

2. epigram

short witty poem or saying using satire or sarcasm or irony

3. fable

a brief tale in which the character's actions point out a moral truth

4. parable

a simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson

5. cultural hero

A larger-than-life figure who reflects the values of a people. Evolves from communal tales told orally or sung to music, passed down from generation to generation

6. epitaph

a brief statement commemorating a dead person, often inscribed on a tombstone

7. didactic

refers to literature or other types of art that are instructional or informative

8. cacophony

refers to language that is discordant and difficult to pronounce / "bad sound"

9. euphony

refers to language that is smooth and musically pleasant to the ear / "good sound"

10. neologism

giving a new meaning to an old word or creating a new expression

1. fiction

the class of literature comprising works of imaginative narration, especially in prose form.

2. non-fiction

books, magazines etc giving facts, information etc, not stories, novels, plays, poetry

3. melodrama

a drama, such as a play, film, or television program, characterized by exaggerated emotions, stereotypical characters, and intrapersonal conflicts

4. myth

a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature

5. genre

a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique

6. refrain

a phrase or verse recurring at intervals in a song or poem, esp. at the end of each stanza; chorus.

7. red herring

An action, theme, or piece of information meant to lead a character or the reader astray. Mysteries often employ red herrings to complicate the plot and draw the reader's attention away from the real solution, thus prolonging the pleasure of reading

8. verisimilitude

How fully the characters and actions in a work of fiction conform to our sense of reality. To say that a work has a high degree of verisimilitude means that the work is very realistic and believable--it is "true to life."

9. novella

A prose fiction longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. There is no standard definition of length, but since rules of thumb are sometimes handy, we might say that the short story ends at about 20,000 words, while the novel begins at about 50,000. Thus, the novella is a fictional work of about 20,000 to 50,000 words.

10. dramatic monologue

A literary device that is used when a character reveals his or her innermost thoughts and feelings, those that are hidden throughout the course of the story line, through a poem or a speech. Often comes during a climactic moment in a work and reveals hidden truths about a character, their history and their relationships.