ap lit terms 4

onomatopoeia

the use of words whose sounds echo their sense “Pop”

oxymoron

a figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase

parable

a relatively short story that teaches a moral, or lesson about how to lead a good life

paradox

a statement that appears self contradictory but that reveals a kind of truth

koan

a paradox used in Zen Buddhism to gain intuitive knowledge: What is the sound of one hand clapping?

parallel structure

the repitition of words or phrase that have similar grammatical structure

paratactic sentence

simply juxtaposes clauses or sentences I am tired: it is hot.

parody

a work that makes fun of another work by imitating some aspect of the writer’s style

periodic

a sentence that places the main idea or central complete thought at the end of the sentences, after all introductory elements

personification

a figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitude

plot

a series of related events in a story or play, sometimes called the storyline

exposition

introduces characters, situation, and setting

rising action

complication in conflict and situations

climax

that point in a plot that creates greates intensity, suspense, or interest

resolution

the conclusion of a story, when all or msot of the conlicts have been settled; often called the denouement

point of view

the vantage point from whcih the writer tells the story

first person

one of the characters tell the story

third person limited

unknown narrator tells the story but the narrator zoom into focus on thoughts and feelings of ONLY ONE character

third person omniscient

an omniscient or all knowing narrator tells the story, also using the third person pronouns…often tells us everything about many characters

polysyndeton

a sentence which uses a conjunction with NO commas to separate the items in a series

protagonist

central character in story the one who initiates or drives action (hero, anti-hero, tragic hero)

pun

play on words based on the multiple meanings of a single word or on words that sound alike but mean different things

quatrain

a poem consisting of four lines that can be considered as a unit

refrain

a word, phrase, line, or group of lines that is repeated for effect several times in a poem

rhythm

a rise and fall of the voice produced by the alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables in a language

rhetoric

art of effective communication especially persuasive discourse

rhetorical question

a question asked for an effect, not actually requiring an answer

romance

in general a story in which an idealized hero or heroine undertakes a quest and is successful