AP Literature

anticlimax which is unintentional

metrical foot consisting of two syllables equally or almost equally accented

author's own life story; first person account

repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases

repetition of consonant sounds w/ different vowel sounds in a line of words

aristole's word for the pity and fear an audience experiences when seeing the hero fall

unexpected character, device, or event suddenly introduced to solve a situation or plot

unable to be touched; not concrete

story which has been composed orally and passed down word of mouth

form of rhyme where look is more important than sound

unrhymed poetry with lines of varying lengths, no specific metrical pattern

the feeling of pity and understanding for a character

begins and ends with same setting and/or narrator (middle is a flashback)

repetition of beginning consonant sounds

combination of harsh unpleasant sounds creating disordance

pertaining to the base side of man

assertions made based on facts, statistics, logical, or objective reasoning, or hard evidence

schematic rhyme that comes at the ends of lines of verse

an awakening; sudden understanding or burst of insight; key moments in greek plays

character who provides a contrast to another character

the structure, shape, pattern, organization, or style of a piece of literature

the expression of an idea in language which gives more than one meaning and leave uncertainty

two extremes in a continuum of intermediate possibilities

form of novel in which magic, mystery, horrors, and chivalry abound

a line of five metrical feet

unit of meter; can have two or three syllables; basic unit of measurement in a line of poetry

brief reference to an historical or literary figure, event from one literary work to another

brief witty observation about a person, institution, or experience usually at the end of a poem

line in poetry that ends with a complete pause created by punctuation

brief quotation at the beginning of a book or chapter

the comparison of two things, which are alike in several respects

basic foot of dipodic verse

latin phrase meaning "Seize the day"

when the character use words that have one meaning to them but another meaning to others

line of verse that carries over into next line without a pause of any kind

the dictionary definition, or exact meaning, of a word

popular japanese form of poetry, usually has 3 lines, respectively, with 5, 7, then 5 syllables

protagonist who is the antithesis of the hero-graceless, inept, dishonest

arrangement of events and information in such a way that prepare for later events in a work

opposite of a utopia; a controlled world where pain exists instead of pleasure

persuasive fallacy in which the writer assumes the reader will accept an assertion w/o support

line of one metrical foot

word choices that appeal to the ear, that help you "hear" the words

a line of three metrical feet

the claim that whatever has not been proved

method a writer uses to reveal the personality of a character in a literary work

fictional tale, marked by fantasy and magic, often appealing to imagination

two successive lines of rhymed poetry in iambic pentameter

extended metaphor, two unlike things are compared multiple ways

turning point or climax of a story

everything that happens in a plot between the climax or crisis and the denouement

subjective point of view when a character relays a narrative using "I"

informal or not grammatically correct expressions that are accepted

the intentional use of elevated language to describe the trivial place from a significant place

repetition in successive clauses which are usually parallel in syntax

line of two metrical feet

pair of rhyming lines written in the same meter

work which strives to provoke smiles and laughter

part of a plot which the entanglement caused by the conflict in developed

story written to make a moral point, using animals as characters

elevated language, often overdone

metrical foot consisting of one accented syllable followed by one unaccented syllable

lyrical poem about death; expresses grief or sorrow

double rhyme

nickname or appellation

writing or speech not meant to be taken literally; not literal in order to create an effect

a specific kind of category of literature, e.g., mystery, sonnet, romance

focuses on physically or mentally impaired characters

omission of conjunctions that ordinarily join coordinate words and phrases

use of inoffensive or neutral words to describe to describe harsher, more serious concepts

turning point, or crisis in a piece of literature

term applies to a group of attitudes which emphasize existence rather than essence

resolution of a plot after the climax

refers to the noble qualities of human beings and nature as opposed to the destructive forces

where the actual typeset layout of the poem suggests the topic

something out of its place in time or history

tragic flaw or error in judgement

a poem about morning

the character who is in conflict with the main character

occurs when the final consonants rhyme but the vowel sounds do not

narrative constructed so that one or more stories are embedded within another

growth novel; showing development of its central character from childhood to maturity

approach to literature which emphasizes reason,balance,clarity,and imitation of ancient writers

quality of style marked by pleasing, harmonious sounds, the opposite of cacophony

3 syllable foot consisting of 1 accented syllable followed by 2 unaccented syllables

works generally considered by scholars, critics, & teachers to be most important to study/read

dominant technique which the author analyzes reasons for a chain of events

poem that reveals a "soul in action" through speech of a character in a dramatic situation

totally ridiculous comedy

the introductory material which sets the tone, gives the setting, and introduces characters

brief statement which expresses an observation on life, usually intended as a wise observation

story performed by actors on a stage

imaginative writing; author breaks away from reality

character who is not fully developed by an author; only one outstanding trait

line of 4 metrical feet

form of verse to be sung or recited and characterized by a dramatic or exciting episode

pause for effect in the middle of a line of poetry

main character who has strength or moral character, a noble cause

metrical foot consisting of two unaccented syllables

struggle between two opposing forces

author's choice of words

unrhymed iambic pentameter

device by which an author can present action that occurred before the opening scene of the work

addressing someone or something, usually not present, as though present

a concept that cannot be seen which one illustrates metaphorically to a concrete object

long narrative consisting of adventure of a hero holding the fate of a nation

poem that teaches a lesson that is more important than the artistic quality

metrical foot; one unaccented syllable followed by one accented syllable

something of humor which interrupts in a serious or tragic literary work

a line of six metrical feet

similarity or repetition of a vowel sound in two or more words, especially in a line of verse

meter having two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable

a statement delivered by an actor that other characters on stage are presumed not to hear him

emotional implication that a word may carry;implied or associated meaning for a particular word

attacking the arguer and not the argument; mud slinging

a larger than life presence; a godlike paragon worthy of respect and reverence

an engraving on a tombstone

a thought is balanced with a contrasting thought in parallel arrangements of words and phrases

speech peculiar to a region

conversation between two characters, usually set off by quotation marks