Ap Lit Terms

Front 1

Allegory

Back 1

story or poem in which story or poem in which characters, settings, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities.characters, settings, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities.

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Alliteration

Back 2

repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in words that are close together.

Hint 2

regiment is gone, a remnant remainsAllus

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Allusion

Back 3

reference to someone or something that is known from history, literature, religion, politics, sports, science, or another branch of culture. An indirect reference to something

Front 4

Ambiguity

Back 4

deliberately suggesting two or more different, and sometimes conflicting, meanings in a work. An event or situation that may be interpreted in more than one way-- this is done on purpose by the author

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Analogy

Back 5

Comparison made between two things to show how they are alike

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Anaphora

Back 6

Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row. This is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer’s point more coherent.

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Anastrophe

Back 7

Inversion of the usual, normal, or logical order of the parts of a sentence. Purpose is rhythm or emphasis or euphony. It is a fancy word for inversion.

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Anecdote

Back 8

Brief story, told to illustrate a point or serve as an example of something, often shows character of an individual

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Antagonist

Back 9

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

Hint 9

One should eat to live, not live to eat

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Antimetabole

Back 10

Repetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order.

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Antithesis

Back 11

Balancing words, phrases, or ideas that are strongly contrasted, often by means of grammatical structure.

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Antihero

Back 12

Central character who lacks all the qualities traditionally associated with heroes. may lack courage, grace, intelligence, or moral scruples.

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Anthropomorphism

Back 13

attributing human characteristics to an animal or inanimate object (Personification)

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Aphorism

Back 14

brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life, or of a principle or accepted general truth. Also called maxim, epigram

Hint 14

Loacöon! Thou great embodiment/ Of human life and human history!

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Apostrophe

Back 15

calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person, or to a place or thing, or a personified abstract idea. If the character is asking a god or goddess for inspiration it is called an invocation.

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Apposition

Back 16

Placing in immediately succeeding order of two or more coordinate elements, the latter of which is an explanation, qualification, or modification of the first (often set off by a colon)

Hint 16

“These are the times that try men’s souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it Now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”

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Assonance

Back 17

the repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds especially in words that are together.

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Assonance

Back 18

the repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds especially in words that are together.

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Asyndeton

Back 19

Commas used without conjunction to separate a series of words, thus emphasizing the parts equally: instead of X, Y, and Z... the writer uses X,Y,Z.... see polysyndeton.

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Balance

Back 20

Constructing a sentence so that both halves are about the same length and importance. Sentences can be unbalanced to serve a special effect as well.

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Characterization

Back 21

the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character.

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Characterization

Back 22

the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character.

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Chiasmus

Back 23

In poetry, a type of rhetorical balance in which the second part is syntactically balanced against the first, but with the parts reversed. Coleridge: “Flowers are lovely, love is flowerlike.” In prose this is called antimetabole.

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Cliche

Back 24

is a word or phrase, often a figure of speech, that has become lifeless because of overuse. Avoid clichés like the plague. (That cliché is intended.)

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Cliche

Back 25

is a word or phrase, often a figure of speech, that has become lifeless because of overuse. Avoid clichés like the plague. (That cliché is intended.)

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Colloquialism

Back 26

a word or phrase in everyday use in conversation and informal writing but is inappropriate for formal situations.

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Comedy

Back 27

in general, a story that ends with a happy resolution of the conflicts faced by the main character or characters.

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Comedy

Back 28

in general, a story that ends with a happy resolution of the conflicts faced by the main character or characters.

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Conceit

Back 29

an elaborate metaphor that compares two things that are startlingly different. Often an extended metaphor.

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Comedy

Back 30

in general, a story that ends with a happy resolution of the conflicts faced by the main character or characters.

Front 31

Conceit

Back 31

an elaborate metaphor that compares two things that are startlingly different. Often an extended metaphor.

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Confessional Poetry

Back 32

a twentieth century term used to describe poetry that uses intimate material from the poet’s life.