Comprehensive Study Guide for AP Literature Literary Terms and Poetic Structures
Universal Literary Devices for Prose and Poetry
Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in a sequence of neighboring words. This device is often used to emphasize specific words, create a particular rhythmic effect, or enhance the lyrical quality of a passage.
Allusion: A brief and often indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance. It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers, relying instead on the reader’s familiarity with the external subject.
Anachronism: An error of chronology or timeline in a literary piece. It occurs when something is placed in a time period where it does not belong (e.g., a character in Ancient Rome wearing a wristwatch).
Anaphora: A rhetorical device involving the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. This provides emphasis and a sense of rhythm to the writing.
Anecdote: A short and interesting story, or an amusing event often proposed to support or demonstrate some point, or to make the audience laugh or think about a topic.
Antagonist: A character, group of characters, institution, or force that stands in or represents opposition against which the protagonist must contend. The antagonist is often the "villain," but can also be an abstract concept or internal struggle.
Antithesis: A literal meaning of "opposite," used as a rhetorical device to put two opposite ideas together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect. For instance, "Setting foot on the moon may be a small step for a man but a giant step for mankind."
Aphorism: A statement of truth or opinion expressed in a concise and witty manner. The term is often applied to philosophical, moral, or literary principles.
Archetype: A universal symbol, character, theme, or setting that recurs in different cultures and eras, often tapping into a shared human experience (e.g., the Hero, the Mentor, or the Quest).
Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words that do not end the same way (e.g., "the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain").
Asyndeton: A stylistic device used in literature and poetry to intentionally eliminate conjunctions between the phrases, and in the sentence, yet maintain grammatical accuracy. This creates a hurried rhythm or emphasizes the gravity of the list.
Connotation: The emotional or cultural associations attached to a word beyond its literal definition. These can be positive, negative, or neutral.
Consonance: Repetitive sounds produced by consonants within a sentence or phrase. This repetition often takes place in quick succession, such as in "pitter, patter."
Denotation: The literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotional or cultural coloring.
Deus Ex Machina: A plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and abruptly resolved by the inspired and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object.
Extended Metaphor: A comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences in a paragraph, or lines in a poem. It is often comprised of more than one sentence, and sometimes consists of a full paragraph.
Figurative Language: Language that uses figures of speech to be more effective, persuasive, and impactful. Examples include metaphors, similes, and allusions which go beyond literal meanings.
Flashback: Interruptions that writers do to insert past events, in order to provide background or context to the current events of a narrative.
Foreshadowing: A literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story.
Hyperbole: An exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis. It is a figure of speech that is not meant to be taken literally.
Imagery: Descriptive language that functions as a way for the reader to better imagine the world of the piece of literature by appealing to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).
In Media Res: A narrative technique of relating a story from the midpoint rather than the beginning. The story usually opens with dramatic action rather than exposition.
Irony: A contrast or incongruity between expectations for a situation and what is reality. This includes verbal irony (saying the opposite of what is meant), situational irony (an outcome contrary to expectations), and dramatic irony (audience awareness exceeding character awareness).
Litotes: A figure of speech that employs an understatement by using double negatives or, in other words, a positive statement expressed by negating its opposite expressions (e.g., "not bad" for "good").
Maxim: A brief expression of a general truth or principle, often serving as a rule of conduct or a piece of advice.
Metaphor: A figure of speech that makes an implicit, implied, or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated, but which share some common characteristics.
Monologue: An extended speech by one person. This can be a speech given by a single character to express their mental thoughts aloud, or to directly address another character or the audience.
Motif: An object or idea that repeats itself throughout a literary work. It often reinforces the theme.
Narrative: A report of related events presented to listeners or readers in words arranged in a logical sequence.
Oxymoron: A figure of speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an effect. Common examples include "cruel kindness" or "living death."
Paradox: A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or silly, but which may include a latent truth. It is used to illustrate an opinion or statement contrary to accepted traditional ideas.
Personification: A figure of speech in which a thing—an idea or an animal—is given human attributes. The non-human objects are portrayed in such a way that we feel they have the ability to act like human beings.
Point of View: The mode of narration that an author employs to let the readers "hear" and "see" what takes place in a story, poem, or essay (e.g., first person, third person limited, third person omniscient).
Polysyndeton: A stylistic device in which several coordinating conjunctions are used in succession in order to achieve an artistic effect (e.g., using "and" repeatedly in a list).
Protagonist: The central character or leading figure in poetry, narrative, novel, or any other story. A protagonist is sometimes called a "hero" by the audience or readers.
Rhetorical Question: A question asked just for effect, or to lay emphasis on some point being discussed, when no real answer is expected.
Satire: A technique employed by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society, by using humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule.
Simile: A figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things using the words "like" or "as."
Stream of Consciousness: A method of narration that describes happenings in the flow of thoughts in the minds of the characters.
Symbol: The use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities, by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense.
Theme: A main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work, which may be stated directly or indirectly.
Tone: An attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience. Tone is generally conveyed through the choice of words, or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject.
Prose-Specific Literary Terminology
Bildungsroman: A genre focusing on the protagonist's psychological and moral growth from youth to adulthood.
Catharsis: An emotional release leading to moral or spiritual renewal, often achieved through audience's emotional response in tragedy.
Foil: A character contrasting with another (usually the protagonist) to highlight traits.
Loose Sentence: A sentence starting with a main clause followed by additional phrases or clauses.
Paragraph: A writing section addressing a single theme, indicated by line breaks or indentation.
Periodic Sentence: A sentence structured to place the main clause at the end, creating suspense.
Syntax: The arrangement of words to form sentences, shaping meaning and clarity.
Understatement: A figure of speech making a situation seem less significant than it is.
Verisimilitude: The quality of appearing true or real in a narrative.
Specialized Poetry Terminology
Apostrophe: Addressing a non-present person, concept, or object in a poem.
Ballad: A poem, often set to music, traditionally used in dance from medieval times.
Blank Verse: Unrhymed verse in iambic pentameter without fixed line numbers.
Cacophony: Use of harsh-sounding words to create a desired effect in the text.
Caesura: A rhythmic pause in a line of poetry.
Conceit: An elaborate comparison between two dissimilar objects.
Elegy: A poem written in honor of someone deceased, expressing mourning.
Enjambment: Continuation of a sentence without a pause at the end of a line.
Epic: A lengthy narrative poem detailing heroic deeds.
Euphony: Use of melodious and pleasing sounds in language.
Foot (Poetry): The basic rhythmic unit in poetry measuring verse structure.
Free Verse: Poetry without rhyme or regular meter.
Idyll: A short poem depicting rustic life and peaceful scenes.
Internal Rhyme: Rhyme occurring within a single line.
Lyric Poetry: Poetry expressing personal emotions, typically in the first person.
Metaphysical Poetry: Complex poetry characterized by philosophical themes and intricate imagery.
Meter: The rhythmic structure of a verse.
Metonymy: Replacing the name of one thing with another closely associated with it.
Ode: Extended lyric poetry on a serious subject with an elaborate structure.
Onomatopoeia: Words that mimic natural sounds.
Pastoral: Literature idealizing country life.
Rhyme: Correspondence of sounds, particularly at the ends of lines in poetry.
Rhythm: Patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables in verse.
Sight Rhyme: Words that look alike but do not sound alike.
Sonnet: A 14-line poem with specific rhyme schemes, usually in iambic pentameter.
Stanza: A grouping of lines in a poem.
Synecdoche: Referring to a whole by using a part or vice versa.
Synesthesia: A technique that appeals to multiple senses simultaneously.
Villanelle: A 19-line poem featuring a specific rhyme scheme and repeating lines.
Poetic Rhythms and Metrical Feet
Anapest: Two unaccented syllables followed by one accented syllable.
Dactyl: One stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables.
Iamb: One unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable.
Spondee: Two stressed syllables.
Trochee: A stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable.
Structural Units: Stanza Types
Couplet: 2 lines.
Tercet: 3 lines.
Quatrain: 4 lines.
Quintet: 5 lines.
Sestet: 6 lines.
Septet: 7 lines.
Octave: 8 lines.
Length of Poetic Lines: Metrical Measures
Monometer: 1 foot.
Dimeter: 2 feet.
Trimeter: 3 feet.
Tetrameter: 4 feet.
Pentameter: 5 feet.
Hexameter: 6 feet.
Heptameter: 7 feet.
Octometer: 8 feet.