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AP Literature Vocab
AP Lit vocab 1-20
Question | Answer |
---|---|
allegory | a representation of an abstract or spiritual meaning through concrete or material forms; figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another. |
allusion | a passing or casual reference; an incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication: |
analogy | a similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based |
anecdote | a short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature. |
aphorism | a terse saying embodying a general truth, or astute observation, as “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” |
apostrophe | the act of addressing some abstraction or personification that is not physically present |
aside | a few words or a short passage spoken by one character to the audience while the other actors on stage pretend their characters cannot hear the speaker's words. |
aubade | A genre of poetry in which a short poem's subject is about the dawn or the coming of the dawn, or it is a piece of music meant to be sung or played outdoors at dawn. |
blank verse | Unrhymed lines of ten syllables each with the even-numbered syllables bearing the accents |
caesura | A pause separating phrases within lines of poetry--an important part of poetic rhythm. |
caricature | a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others. |
carpe diem | Literally, the phrase is Latin for "seize the day,"The term refers to a common moral or theme in classical literature that the reader should make the most out of life and should enjoy it before it ends |
catharsis | An emotional discharge that brings about a moral or spiritual renewal or welcome relief from tension and anxiety. |
chorus | (1) A group of singers who stand alongside or off stage from the principal performers in a dramatic or musical performance. (2) The song or refrain that this group of singers sings. |
closed form poetry | Poetry written in a a specific or traditional pattern according to the required rhyme, meter, line length, line groupings, and number of lines within a genre of poetry. |
conceit | An elaborate or unusual comparison--especially one using unlikely metaphors, simile, hyperbole, and contradiction. |
comic relief | A humorous scene, incident, character, or bit of dialogue occurring after some serious or tragic moment. |
complication | A series of difficulties forming the central action in a narrative. |
connotation | The extra tinge or taint of meaning each word carries beyond the minimal, strict definition found in a dictionary. |
convention | A common feature that has become traditional or expected within a specific genre (category) of literature or film. |
couplet | Two lines--the second line immediately following the first--of the same metrical length that end in a rhyme to form a complete unit |
denotation | The minimal, strict definition of a word as found in a dictionary, disregarding any historical or emotional connotation. |
deus ex machina | An unrealistic or unexpected intervention to rescue the protagonists or resolve the story's conflict. The term means "The god out of the machine," and it refers to stage machinery. |
diction | The choice of a particular word as opposed to others. |
dramatic monolouge | A poem in which a poetic speaker addresses either the reader or an internal listener at length. |