College Board Glossary of Literary Terms

Contents

  • Introduction

  • Glossary of Literary Terms for AP® Spanish Literature and Culture Course

    • Terms for Achievement Level 3

    • Terms for Achievement Level 4

    • Terms for Achievement Level 5

  • Resources

  • This document aims to assist teachers and students in understanding literary terms used in the AP® Spanish Literature and Culture course.

    • It is not an exhaustive list but a representative collection of terms appearing in anthologies and literary analysis instructional materials.

    • Aligned with the AP Spanish Literature and Culture curriculum framework.

Curriculum Alignment Details:

  1. Category Grouping:

    • Terms categorized by achievement levels (3, 4, and 5) related to interpretive communication, and written/spoken interpersonal and presentational communication.

    • Reflects progression in literary text interpretation and analysis.

  2. Organization by Genre:

    • Divided into General terms, Narrative genres, Poetic genres, Dramatic genres, Rhetorical figures, and Historical terms.

  3. Examples Provided:

    • Inclusion of examples from the required reading list for each term.

  1. Teachers can reference examples to illustrate literary terms to students.

  2. Students can solidify their understanding of literary terms used in reading.

  3. Students can review sections prior to assigned readings to identify literary devices.

  4. Can serve as a foundational resource for a broader list of literary terms.

Terms for Achievement Level 3 (Basic)

  • Students can appropriately use these terms and identify a variety when discussing texts, although mistakes may affect quality of work.

General Literary Terms:

  • género:

    • Types of literary works (narrativa, poesía, drama, ensayo).

    • ambiente: The emotional condition created by a work, referring to the general sensation the reader should perceive.

    • argumento: The subject or matter being discussed in a work.

  • narrativa terms:

    • autor, narrador: The author and the narrator of the story.

  • Poesía terms:

    • poema, poeta: The poem or poet; includes concepts like verso (line), estrofa (stanza).

  • Drama terms:

    • acto, escena, escenario: Act, scene, setting.

  • Figuras retóricas:

    • metáfora, símil, aliteración, hipérbole, onomatopeya, personificación: Various figurative language techniques.

Terms for Achievement Level 4 (Intermediate)

  • Students can use these terms properly and can explain rhetorical figures; errors may occur but do not significantly detract from analysis quality.

General Literary Terms:

  • ambigüedad: A statement containing multiple meanings; example needed.

  • analogía: Comparison suggesting similarities between different things.

  • antagonista: The character or force opposing the protagonist.

Narrative Terms:

  • crónica: A historical narrative in prose monitoring chronological events.

  • flashback: Technique allowing the writer to present past events interwoven with present ones.

Poetic Terms:

  • heptasílabo, octosílabo, endecasílabo, alejandrino: Different types of verse syllable counts.

Dramatic Terms:

  • acción dramática: The unfolding movement within the plot.

Rhetorical Figures:

  • anáfora, antítesis, apóstrofe: Various figures of speech used in texts.

Literary Historical Terms:

  • Barroco, Boom, colonial: Different literary movements and periods.

Terms for Achievement Level 5 (Advanced)

  • At this level, students can apply a broad-variety of terms and understand their function in text and context with proficiency.

General Literary Terms:

  • alegoría: A narrative that illustrates an idea or moral principle symbolically.

  • apología: A discourse defending a person or ideology.

Narrative Terms:

  • narrativa epistolar: A narrative presented in the form of letters.

Poetic Terms:

  • diéresis, hiato, sinéresis: Techniques dealing with syllable pronunciation in poetry.

  • verso blanco, verso libre: Terms for free verse in poetry without rhyme or consistent meter.

Dramatic Terms:

  • anagnórisis: Moment of a character's discovery of something critical.

  • catarsis: The purging emotional experience of the audience.

Rhetorical Figures Specific to Level 5:

  • asíndeton, cacofonía, epíteto, metonimia: More complex rhetorical strategies and techniques used by authors.

Literary Historical Contexts for Advanced Understanding:

  • surrealismo, existencialismo, modernismo, costumbrismo: Various movements providing necessary context for deeper literary analysis.

Resources

  • Diverse academic articles, textbooks, and websites that contribute to the understanding of Spanish literature, authors, and movements.

Contributors

  • Details about editors and contributors with teaching experience in AP Spanish Language and AP Spanish Literature, showcasing backgrounds in literature education and authorship.