AP Literature Terms Quiz

A character who acts as contrast to another character

Presentation of essential information about what has occurred prior to beginning of the play.

In a tragedy, the quality within the hero or heroine which leads to his or her downfall

Commas used without conjunction to separate a series of words. Ex: X,Y,Z

A poem consisting of four lines, or four lines of a poem that can be considered as a unit.

Poetry written without rhymes, but which retains a set metrical pattern like iambic pentameter

A recurring image, word, phrase, action, idea, object, or situation used throughout a work

A figure of speech that compares two unlike things, using words such as like, as , than, etc.

Use of language to evoke a picture or concrete sensation of a person, thing, place, experience

A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole. 

Repetition of same or similar sounds at the beginning of words close together

Repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonants in words close together

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

Figure of speech that uses an incredible exaggeration or overstatement, for effect.

A word or phrase, often a figure of speech, that has become lifeless because of overuse

When meaning of character’s words, actions are unknown by character but understood by audience

Artificial device or coincidence used to bring about a convenient, simple solution to a plot

a work that makes fun of another work by imitating some aspect of the writer’s style.

An idealized model of a person, object, or conceptfrom which similar instances are patterned

Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row

A story within a story, within sometimes yet another story

A way of speaking that is characteristic of a social group or inhabitants of a certain area

Comparison between two unlike things WITHOUT the use of like, as, than, or resembles

Emotional breakdown or climax consisting of overwhelming feelings or extreme emotional change

Comedy in which ridiculous, stereotyped characters are involved in silly, unlikely situations

Sentence which uses a conjunction with NO commas to separate items in a series. “X and Y and Z”

Harmony or beauty of sound which provides a pleasing effect to the ear

Figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.

Use of fancy language to describe the trivial or switch from serious thought to a trivial one

Two consecutive rhyming lines of poetry.

Continuation of sense and grammatical construction of sentence beyond the end of poetic line

Poetry that does not conform to a regular meter or rhyme scheme

Substitution of an comfortable or inoffensive expression to replace an unpleasant one

A style of writing that portrays the inner (often chaotic) workings of a character’s mind.

Device in which the same expression is repeated at the end of two or more lines or clauses

Attitude a writer takes toward the subject of a work, the characters in it, or the audience

Opponent who struggles against or blocks the hero, or protagonist, in a story.

The central character in a story, the one who initiates or drives the action.

Deliberately suggesting two or more different, and sometimes conflicting, meanings in a work

A work that uses mockery, humor/ wit to critique and change human nature and institutions

The emotional tone or background that surrounds ascene

Rhyme within a line of poetry instead of at the end

The use of words whose sounds echo their sense

A long speech made by a character in a play while no other characters are on stage.

The repetition of sound patterns that creates a rhythm in poetry.

Central character who lacks all the qualities traditionally associated with heroes

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

Writing that records the thinking that goes on inside a character’s head

Callingout to an imaginary, dead, or absent person, place, thing, or personified abstract idea

A statement which appears contrary to common sense, yet can be seen as true

The choice of words, phrases, sentence structures, and figurative language in a literary work

Rhetorical device in which unassociated ideas, words, phrases are placed next to one another

Literature emphasizing a particular setting, including customs, clothing, dialect, landscape

Unpleasant sounds in jarring juxtaposition of harsh letters or syllables which sound grating

Category of literary work which may refer to both the content of a given work and to its form

When words appearing at the ends of two or more verses have similar final consonant sounds

“In the midst of things” – standard of epic poetrywhere the action begins in middle of story

A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, etc.

Comment made by stage performer intended to be heard by audience but not by other characters.

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

Work in which characters, settings, etc. stand for other people, events, abstract ideas

The author’s creation--the voice “through which the author speaks.”

When the intended meaning of a statement differs from the apparent meaning

Play on words based on multiple meanings of words that sound alike but mean different things.

Reference to someone or something from history, literature, religion, politics, etc.  

Excessive pride or ambition that leads to a character’s downfall