AP lit terms pt 2

antagonist

the character or force who stands in the way or opposes the goal of the protagonist

aside

a brief remark meant only for the audience that other characters (often of a play) don’t hear

bildungsroman

a literary genre that focuses on the psychological/moral growth of a protagonist through the course of their life

caricature

a drawing or description that exaggerates the physical features or character traits of a specific person humorously or satirically

comic relief

a character with the purpose of creating the humor of a certain story, often to break the emotional tension of an intense play or literary work

denouement

also known as resolution; the final outcome of the plot and conflicts in a book/play (doesn’t always have to be a positive ending)

dialect

the specific language spoken by a certain group of people, defined by vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation

dystopia

an often seemingly “perfect” world that turns out to be ruled by fear and dehumanization

flashback

an interrupting recall in a chronological sequence back to an earlier recollection of the past

flat character

a “two-dimensional” figure who lacks emotional *DEPTH* throughout a literary work; opposite of a round character

round character

the opposite of a flat character; a lifelike and complex figure in fiction that has a deep personal history; often unpredictable or layered and is usually the protagonist’s archetype

foil (character)

a figure who highly contrasts another character (often the protagonist) to highlight personality traits, values, and flaws; the term “foil” comes from jewelry trick where jewelers place metallic foil behind a clear gem to make it shine brighter (foil makes protagonist “shine” brighter)

foreshadowing

a metaphorical or literal sign that hints to or warns of a future outcome in a literary work

frame story

an overarching outer narrative used to structure one or more inner stories (the main focus)

hyperbole

an intentional exaggeration used for emphasis or humor of something not meant to be taken literally (highlights how strong a condition is and can be used humorously)

interior monologue

a representation of a character’s unvocalized thoughts and feelings in a narrative (often seen in italics)

in medias res

a narrative that starts a story in the middle of a conflict or plot instead of the chronological beginning

invocation of the muse

a formal request for divine inspiration from a Greek goddess at the start of an epic poem (originally seen in works like the Iliad and Odyssey)

local color

the natural, underlying color of an object seen in flat daylight (refers to writing that captures the habits and beliefs of an area)

metaphor

a comparison between 2 or more things without using the words like or as; simply stating that one thing is another

monologue

the thoughts of a character often given in a long speech aloud, addressed to the audience or another character

personification

a figure of speech that gives a non-human entity a human-like trait; often for the effect of imagery and emotion

rhythm

“a strong, regular repeated pattern of sound, movement, or time;” in literature, it refers to a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables as well as the meter of spoken words and verse

simile

a comparison of two different things using the words “like” or “as”

soliloquy

a dramatic device where a character speaks inner thoughts aloud so the audience can hear; usually delivered when ALONE on stage, a specific type of monologue and greatly contrasts an aside