AP Lang Literary Terms

farce/slapstick--a play full of ridiculous happenings, absurd actions etc.

two things seen or placed close together with contrasting effect

the use of words that imitate sounds, as in buzz, hiss, murmur, rustle

an inoffensive expression used in place of a blunt one felt to be disagreeable or harsh

background or explanatory information that furthers the reader's understanding

refers to a group of newly coined words which are not acceptable for formal usage yet

a contrast expressed in grammatically parallel form

direct, unadorned form of language, written or spoken in ordinary usage; it is not restricted.

restraint or lack of emphasis in expression, as for rhetorical effect

a deliberate use of many conjunctions

language which seems harsh, rough and unmusical

a work in which materials are selected and managed primarily to interest involve and entertain

a character or force in conflict with the main character in a literary work

a specific word, idea, or object that may stand for ideas, values, persons or ways of life

deliberate omission of conjunctions between a series of related clauses (a hurried rhythm)

a deliberate omission of a word or words which are readily implied by the context

literary movement marked especially by emphasis on the imagination and the emotions.

mingling and juxtaposition of primarily realistic elements with the fantastic and bizarre

fixed character with little individuality, often based on racial, social, prejudices

untying or resolution--the final stage of plot development in which mysteries are explained.

a type of parallel sentence which builds to a main clause.

"literary form"-- a recurring type of literature

a figure of speech in which one thing is spoken of as though it were something else

a lengthy speech by a single person

a short concluding section at the end of a literary work

language which is smooth, pleasant, and musical to the ear

a pervasive authorial presence

the use, in a literary work, of clues that suggest events that have yet to occur

(purgation or purification) emotional purging of yourself after an emotional event

the literal term for one thing is applied to another with which it is closely associated

a direct address to an absent person or non-human entity

author is outside the story

a character who serves to stress and highlight the distinctive temperament of the protagonist

types of composition

pride or overwhelming self-confidence which leads a protagonist to disregard a divine warning

a struggle between opposing forces

author is outside the story but seems to know what goes on in the minds of all the characters

regional speech, vocabulary and pronunciation particular to a geographic area

a multi-dimensional character changes/develops during the story

character that occurs repeatedly in a literary genre--the clever servant, for example

a reference to a well-known person, place, event , literary work, or work of art

In poetry, a foot with one weak stress followed by one strong stress, as in the word "afraid"

direct unadorned form of language

repetition of vowel sounds in stress syllables containing dissimilar consonant sounds

a phrase, verse, or group of verses repeated at intervals throughout a song or poem

symbolic narrative created to parallel and illuminate a separate set of situations

long narrative poem in elevated style

literary techniques that involve surprising, interesting or amusing contradictions

a very brief account of an incident usually personal or biographical

a form of discourse whose purpose is to explain the nature of an object, an idea, or a theme

19th century movement in writing of novels--"life as it really is"

Repetition of the same word or groups of words at the beginning of successive clauses

tragic flaw--error of judgment of a tragic hero which leads him to a mistaken act

recurrent narrative designs, patterns of action, character types in a wide variety of works

compositions written in meter, a line of poetry etc.