AP Lit Literary Terms

ambiguity

deliberately suggesting two or more different, and sometimes conflicting, meanings in a work. An event or situation that may be interpreted in more than one way- - this is done on purpose by the author, when it is not done on purpose, it is vagueness, and detracts from the work

anachronism

something out of place in time

ex. caveman who microwaves his dinner

archetype

a perfect example or model of something

connotation

the associations and emotional overtones that have become attached to a word or phrase

denotation

the dictionary definition of a word

details

pieces of information that support or tell more about the main idea

epigraph

a quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work suggestive of the theme

ex: at the beginning of Harper Lee's novel: "Lawyer's, I suppose, were children once" : hint of theme of childhood innocence

flashback

a scene that interrupts the normal chronological sequence of events in a story to depict something that happened at an earlier time

foreshadowing

the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot

imagery

the use of language to evoke a picture or a concrete sensation of a person , a thing, a place, or an experience

in media res

to a literary work beginning at a point in its narrative other than the chronological beginning

mood

An atmosphere created by a writer's diction and the details selected

moral

ethical or philosophical lessons or messages conveyed within a literary work .. specific message

motif

a recurring image, word, phrase, action, idea, object, or situation used throughout a work (or in several works by one author), unifying the work by tying the current situation to previous ones, or new ideas to the theme. Kurt Vonnegut uses "So it goes" throughout Slaughterhouse-Five to remind the reader of the senselessness of death

parable

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

syntax

the order in which the words are written or spoken; sentence structure

theme

the insight about human life that is revealed in a literary work

tone

the attitude a writer takes toward the subject of a work, the characters in it, or the audience, revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization

allegory

story or poem in which characters, settings, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities

ex animal farm

allusion

reference to someone or something that is known from history, literature, religion, politics, sports, science, or another branch of culture. An indirect reference to something (usually from literature, etc.)

apostrophe

calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person, or to a place or thing, or a personified abstract idea

ex. macbeth addresses a dagger he imagines before him

euphemism

a word or phrase that softens an uncomfortable topic

hyperbole

a figure of speech that uses an incredible exaggeration or overstatement, for effect. "If I told you once, I've told you a million times...."

irony

a discrepancy between appearances and reality

direct metaphor

saying that one thing is another thing

indirect metaphor

when the writer states one of the things and the reader must infer the other

ex. At his daughter's wedding, a river gently flowed down the father's cheeks.

extended metaphor

A metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.

metonymy

a figure of speech in which a person, place, or thing, is referred to by something closely associated with it. "We requested from the crown support for our petition." The crown is used to represent the monarch

PART represents CONTEXT

oxymoron

a figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase. "Jumbo shrimp." "Pretty ugly." "Bitter-sweet"

paradox

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

ex. I must be cruel only to be kind

personification

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

pun

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

ex. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt

simile

a figure of speech that makes an explicitly comparison between two unlike things, using words such as like, as , than, or resembles

epic simile

A simile developed over several lines of verse

symbol

a person, place, thing, or event that has meaning in itself and that also stands for something more than itself

synaesthesia

synesthesia is a figurative use of words that intends to draw out a response from readers by stimulating multiple senses

ex. his words cut the air like a dagger

synecdoche

a figure of speech in which a part represents the whole. "If you don't drive properly, you will lose your wheels." The wheels represent the entire car - PART represents WHOLE

understatement

statement that says less than what is meant

ex. During the second war with Iraq, American troops complained of a fierce sand storm that made even the night-vision equipment useless. A British commando commented about the storm: "It's a bit breezy."

alliteration

repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in words that are close together

antecedent

a thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another.

"some antecedents to the African novel might exist in Africa's oral traditions"

conceit

complex, sustained metaphor, commonly used in poetry. explores theme or idea in imaginative/extended way.. look for extended metaphors that are central to the poem's meanings and themes

comparing lover to nature in shakespeare sonnet 130

contrast

comparing two things in order to show the differences between them

metaphysical conceit

A type of simile which establishes a striking parallel between startlingly dissimilar things, unusual, "intellectual"

ex. love is like a butterfly

meter

A regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry

referent

action, state, relationship, or attribute in the referential realm.

ex.

Historically, there was only one person called George Washington, the first president of the United States. He can be referred to in a text in many ways, such as

the concrete object or concept that is designated by a word or expression. A referent is an object,

Even though there are many ways to talk about him, there is only one ___ in the referential realm.

masculine rhyme

occurs when the stressed syllables at line endings rhyme together.

ex. "The dog barked loud, in a crowd".

feminine rhyme

lines rhymed by their final two syllables

ex plea-sure, trea-sure

shift

tone or mood is changed

stanza

A group of lines in a poem

structure

the arrangement or framework of a sentence, paragraph, or entire work

Bildungsroman

A coming of age story

climax

the turning point of the story

internal conflict

man vs. self

external conflict

A struggle between a character and an outside force

denouement

an outcome or solution; the unraveling of a plot

epiphany

A moment of sudden revelation or insight

epistolary

A piece of literature contained in or carried on by letters

exposition

Background information presented in a literary work

falling action

Events after the climax, leading to the resolution

gothic romance

a romance that deals with desolate and mysterious and grotesque events

inciting incident

event that introduces the central conflict

metafiction

fiction that concerns the nature of fiction itself, either by reinterpreting a previous fictional work or by drawing attention to its own fictional status.

"book about a book"

motivation

the reasons for a character's behavior

narrative pace

the speed at which the story progresses and the overall timing of event

plot

sequence of events

resolution

End of the story where loose ends are tied up

rising action

Events leading up to the climax

setting

The time and place of a story