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Literary Terms
Literary terms for the AP English Composition test.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| • Abstraction | the act of considering something as a general quality or characteristic, apart from concrete realities, specific objects, or actual instances |
| • Alliteration | the commencement of two or more stressed syllables of a word group either with the same consonant sound or sound group or with a vowel sound that may differ from syllable to syllable |
| • Allusion | the figure of speech whereby the author refers to a subject matter such as a place, event, or literary work by way of passing reference – frequently biblical |
| • Analogy | helps to establish a relationship based on similarities between two different concepts or ideas. By using an analogy, the author can convey a new idea by using the blueprint of the old one as a basis for understanding. |
| • Anecdote | A short verbal accounting of a funny, amusing, interesting event or incident. |
| • Characterization | refers to the step by step process wherein an author introduces and then describes a character. This can be done directly or indirectly through actions, thoughts, and speech. |
| • Critique | an article or essay criticizing a literary or other work |
| • Diction | the distinctive tone or tenor of an author’s writings. |
| • Expository | writing serving to expound, set forth, or explain |
| • Fallacy | a deceptive, misleading, or false notion or belief being used in an argument |
| • Generalizations | a proposition asserting something to be true either of all members of a certain class or an indefinite part of that class |
| • Imagery | figurative description or illustration; rhetorical images collectively |
| • Irony | refers to playing around with words such that the meaning implied by a sentence or word is actually different from the literal meaning. Often irony is used to suggest the stark contrast of the literal meaning being put forth. |
| • Juxtaposition | the literary device wherein the author places a person, concept, place, idea, or theme parallel to another, helps to highlight the contrast between the two |
| • Narration | a recital of events |
| • Onomatopoeia | a word whose very sound is close to the sound it is meant to depict |
| • Overstatement | to state too strongly or exaggerate |
| • Oxymoron | allows the author to use contradictory, contrasting concepts placed together in a manner that actually ends up making sense in a complex manner. Ex, He possessed a cold fire in his eyes. |
| • Paradox | the use of concepts or ideas that are contradictory to one another, yet, when placed together holds significant value on several levels. Similar to an oxymoron, but it tends to be longer. Ex, High walls make not a palace; full coffers make not a king. |
| • Parallelism | when two different but subsequent phrases are embedded in the same structure |
| • Parody | the genre of literary composition represented by satirical imitations—easy to confuse with satire, but remember that parody tends to be taking directly from the source material, while satire is usually in a more subtle form, and part of a larger work |
| • Pathos | The quality of evoking the feeling of pity or compassion in order to persuade |
| • Personification | The practice of attaching human traits with inanimate objects, phenomena, and animals |
| • Simile | a simile marked by the use of the words ‘as’ or ‘like’ |
| • Symbol | the representation of several aspects in an object or action |
| • Metaphor | a meaning or identity ascribed to one subject by way of another |
| • Allegory | a symbolism device where the meaning of a greater, often abstract, concept is conveyed with the aid of a more corporeal object or idea being used as an example. Note that “allegory” is a genre of story, as opposed to an object within a story. |
| • Amplification | the literary practice wherein the author embellishes the sentence by adding more information in order to increase its worth and understandability |
| • Anastrophe | the exchange of the order of the noun and the adjective in order to create a dramatic impact. Ex. He dreamt of times past and future. |
| • Anthropomorphism | the lending of a human quality, emotion, or ambition to a non-human object or being. This is a form of personification, and the two can be used synonymously, but anthropomorphism more often refers specifically to animals. |
| • Antithesis | the employment of two sentences of contrasting meanings in close proximity to each other. Ex, one small step for man, but one giant leap for mankind |
| • Aphorism | a concise statement generally understood to be a universal truth. Most famous examples of aphorisms are attributed to Benjamin Franklin, ex. Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. |
| • Archetype | different, almost clichéd, “types” of characters. Ex, Romeo and Juliet as the lovers, Yoda as the sage, Warner in Legally Blonde as the dick ex-boyfriend. Basically, if there’s a tarot card named after it, it’s an archetype. |
| • Assonance | the repetition of sounds produced by vowels within a sentence or phrase; a type of alliteration. Ex, a long song (o’s) |
| • Asyndeton | the practice whereby the author purposely leaves out conjunctions in the sentence, while maintaining the grammatical in the sentence. Ex, reduce, reuse, recycle |
| • Authorial intrusion | breaking of the fourth wall by the writer. Think Frank Underwood in House of Cards and Ferris Bueller in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, but by the guy who wrote it. Lemony Snicket did this a LOT in a Series of Unfortunate Events. |
| • Cacophony | the use of words and phrases that imply strong, harsh sounds. Ex, pounding against a door |
| • Caesura | the fracture within a sentence causing two separate parts which are distinguishable but linked. Ex, Dr. Cramp—what a guy! |
| • Chiasmus | a figure of speech containing two phrases that are parallel but inverted to each other. Ex, you can take the girl out of the trailer park, but you can’t take the trailer park out of the girl |
| • Connotation | the associations people make with words |
| Consonance | the repetition of sounds in quick succession produced by consonants within a sentence or phrase. A type of alliteration, and the opposite of assonance. |
| Ekphrastic | the form of writing wherein the author describes another work of art, usually visual (ie a poem describing a photograph) |
| Euphemism | the literary practice of using a comparatively milder or less abrasive form of a negative description instead of the original form |
| Foil | a character who contrasts with another ex, Sancho and Don Quixote, Iron Man and Captain America |
| Inversion | the practice of changing the conventional placement of words used for the purpose of laying emphasis |
| Kennings | the use of a newly created compound sentence to refer to a person or object. Ex, battle-sweat=blood |
| Litote | an understated statement of affirmation through using a negative description. Ex, he’s not fat… he’s just not thin. |
| Malapropism | the practice of misusing words that sound similar to the intended word but actually have a greater meaning than the original. Think of it like a Freudian slip. |
| Metonymy | the practice of using a part of an object to refer to the whole. Ex, “there are a lot of problems in DC” when referring to issues in the government as a whole |
| Periphrasis | the use of excessive language to convey a meaning that could be conveyed more directly |
| Polysyndeton | the process of using more conjunctions than necessary. Ex, lions and tigers and bears (as opposed to lions, tigers, and bears) |
| Portmanteau | two words smushed together to make a new one. Ex, liger |
| Pun | a word is used in a manner to suggest two or more possible meanings. Ex, When I conjugate a swear word incorrectly in Mme. McKenna’s class, I say “Excuse my French.” Zing. |
| Satire | the practice of making fun of a human weakness or character flaw. Ie, Stephen Colbert on hardcore conservatives |
| Synecdoche | The opposite of metonymy, it is when the whole represents a part. |
| Syntax | the actual way/order in which words and sentences are placed |
| Understatement | the practice of drawing attention to a fact that is already obvious and noticeable, usually sarcastic |
Created by:
catherinelindsay
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