AP Lit VocaB
abstract - a short version
adage - a saying or proverb of truth; common saying
allegory - a story where each thing represents some other thing
alliteration - the repetition of consonants at the beginning of words
allusion - a reference to other literature, history, or mythology
ambiguity - a vagueness of meaning or clarity
anachronism - a time period error (Ex. People saw the Kennedy assassination on their smartphones)
analogy - a comparison
annotation - brief explanations, summaries
antagonist - a character or force in literature that produces tension and opposes the protagonist.
antithesis - an opposite
aphorism - a short pithy statement of a generally accepted truth or sentiment
apollonium - refers to the most noble and godlike quality in human nature.
apostrophe -
archetype - ideal conception of a type; common symbols that have some meaning
assonance - similar vowel sounds; repetition of two or more vowel sounds
ballad - A poem that tells a story; short, narrative poem
bard - a poet
bathos - use of insincere or overdone sentimentality
bibliography - includes every source you consult
classic -
classical, classicion -
climax - high point or turning point in the story
coming of age story/novel - when somebody becomes of age; when someone goes through an experience that alters their development
conceit - a witty or ingenious thought
connotation - the suggested or implied meaning of a phrase
consonance - repetition of consonants or sounds
couplet - two rhyming lines of poetry
denotation - the literal meaning of a word
denouement - the resolution of a conflict after the climax; the falling action
deus ex machina - god from the machine
diction - the style of words
Dionysion (vs. Apollonium) - the dark, hidden pleasure-seeking motives of humans
dramatic irony - the audience knows more about the situation than the characters
elegy - laments or meditates on the passing of someone
ellipsis (...) - something is left out; indicating the omission of words
elliptical construction - when you deliberately leave out some words
empathy - to feel for somebody or something
end-stopped - when a line of poetry ends with the line
enjonbrent -
epic - an extended narrative poem about the extended exploits of a hero
epigram - when somebody says something super intelligent
epithet - common adjective used to express a striking quality in a person or thing
eponymous - when the work is named for the title character
euphemism - when something is bad and so you say it in a nice way
euphony - when things sound pleasing
explication - when you make things very explicit
exposé - when you expose something
exposition - the beginning of the story
extended metaphor - a long, drawn out metaphor
fable - a short story often featuring nonhuman characters that teaches a lesson
falling action - aftermath of the climax; when everything gets sort of concluded or resolved
fantasy - a story that has unreal or imaginative features or elements
farce - a comedy that contains an extravagant and nonsensical regard for seriousness; a comedy that is absurd
figure of speech/figurative language - symbolism or implied meaning
first-person narrative - a narrative told in the first person (“I”)
flashback - going back to a previous event in the story
foil - a minor character whose personality or attitude contrasts with that of the main character
foot - a measurement in poetry
foreshadowing - hints of things to come
frame - a frame narrative; structure that provides a premise for the narrative.
free verse - poetry with no rules; no rhyme, meter, or any fixed pattern.
genre - literary forms, like novel, play, essay; category of literature
Gothic novel - a novel with supernatural horrors and unknown terrors
harangue - a forceful sermon, lecture, or tirade
heroic couplet - two rhymed lines written in iambic pentameter and is a complete thought
hubris - audacity; excessive pride
humanism - a belief that exercises faith and optimism in human potential
hyperbole - an exaggeration
idyll - idyllic; a lyric poem or passage that describes an ideal life or place
image - a word or phrase that can be seen, touched, sensed, or smelled. A figurative word or description
in media res - when an action is already going on; starting in the middle of the action
indirect quotation - when you quote something indirectly. Saying what they mean but not what they said
irony - the opposite of your expectations
kenning - a device employed where the name of a thing is replaced by its function or quality
lampoon -
light verse - poetry that’s not about death; variety of poetry meant to entertain or amuse
litotes - when the contrast is used to achieve emphasis
loose sentence - when the main idea of the sentence is provided first, then supported by clauses
lyric poetry - personal reflective poetry that reveals the speaker’s thoughts and feelings about the subject
maxim - a saying or proverb about a common wisdom or truth
melodrama - a literary form in which events are exaggerated to create an extreme emotional response; over dramatic
metaphor - comparison with figurative language between two dissimilar or unlike things
metaphysical poetry - a type of poetry that uses elaborate and intellectual metaphors, etc to appeal to an educated audience
meter - timing and rhythm having to do with poetry
metonymy - a figure of speech that uses the name of something to represent something else in which it associates
Middle English - The transitionary period between Old and Modern English
mock epic - an epic about a subject that isn’t as worthy for an epic; pathetic
mode - The general or form or manner that something occurs
montage - a quick succession of images or impressions used to express an emotion or response
mood - emotional tone in a work of literature
moral - a brief and simple lesson inferred from a work of literature
motif - something repeated a bunch of times throughout a work
muse - the inspiration behind a work
myth - story that has become a part of a culture or group
narration - a story
naturalism -
non sequitur - when something doesn’t follow
novella - a small novel
novel of manners - pride and prejudice; a story about a group of people and the social customs and habits of those people
ode - poems of love toward something
Old English - Older form of English; Anglo-Saxton
omniscient - someone who knows everything; unlimited awareness
onomatopoeia - words that are bubbling, murmuring, etc
ottave rime - an eight line rhyming stanza of a poem
oxymoron - uniformly nonuniform; organized chaos
parable - a metaphorical story used to teach a lesson
paradox - a statement that seems self-contradictory but is nevertheless true
paraphrase - not quote exactly but summarize
parody - an imitation of a work
pastoral - a literary work dealing with rural life
pathetic fallacy - a fallacy, incorrect logic, concerning emotions; when you think that something that can’t actually have feelings or thoughts is making decisions
pathos - element in literature that evokes pity or sorrow
pentameter - five feet per line, 10-15 beats per line
periodic sentence - a sentence where the main thought or idea that is only at the end; opposite of a loose sentence
persona - The character you are portraying; false self on the surface
personification - giving humans, animals, or things human characteristics
picaresque novel - when you combine what a novel is and what a picaresque is; an episodic novel about a roguelike wanderer and his wits
plot - the narrative story and series of events
point of view - the relation of the narrative speaker to the story
protagonist - the main character; character whose actions drive the plot
pseudonym - an alternative name
pulp fiction - novels that are written for mass consumption often with exciting plot
pun - similar sounding or identical words to suggest different meanings
quatrain - four lines
realism - the depiction of things or events as how they actually are without exaggeration or alliteration for effect
rhetoric - The language of a work and its style; the art of making yourself understood
rhetorical question - A question that is asked for rhetorical effect
rhetorical stance - Language that reveals the position or side of an issue
rhyme - When things share letters that sound the same
simile - comparison of two things, not direct relationship
slant rhyme - when the words have a slight difference in sound, vowels are usually different
sonnet - a fourteen line poem written in iambic pentameter
stanza - a paragraph in a poem
stream of consciousness - a style of writing that tries to imitate people of thought
style - how it is done
subplot - a mini-story within the main story;
subtext - An underlying and often distinct theme in a piece of writing or conversation
symbolism - an object or something evokes ideas that aren’t originally associated with the item
synecdoche - a figure of speech in which the part signifies the whole
syntax - the arrangement of the words in a sentence
theme - the message that is trying to be conveyed
title character - the character’s name is in the title
tone - the attitude of the work; the feeling; the emotional essence
tragedy - a form of literature where the hero is destroyed by a character flaw
trope - a recurring motif in a story
verbal irony - when the opposite is said what is meant
verisimilitude - life-likeness
verse - poetry
verification -
villanelle - a french verse form that tries to appear spontaneous, has nineteen lines
voice - the real or assumed personality assumed by the speaker
volta - a shift or a turning point in a work of prose or poetry
wit - intelligence, the type that allows you to say quick, funny, and clever things