AP Literature Vocab 1-120

antagonist

A character who functions as a resisting force to the goals of the protagonist. The _____ is often a villain, but in a case where the protagonist is evil (for example, "Macbeth") the _____ may be virtuous (i.e. Macduff) Examples: Iago from "Othello" and Tybalt from "Romeo and Juliet" The wolf in "3 Little Pigs"

foil

A character whose contrasting personal characteristics draw attention to enhance, or contrast with those of the main character. A character who, by displaying opposite traits, emphasizes certain aspects of another character. For example, Tybalt serves as Romeo's ___.

archetype

A character, situation, or symbol that is familiar to people from all cultures because it occurs frequently in literature, myth, religion, or folklore. Ex: character: The ___ gunslinger, having been forced to kill once more, rides off into the sunset, leaving behind a town full of amazed and awestruck citizens. situation: Just when it looks like the battle will be won by the enemy, reinforcements arrive. symbol: The dove of peace

parody

A comical imitation of a serious piece with the intent of ridiculing the author or his work. Ex. Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (which parodies Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice)

antithesis

A concept that is directly opposed to a previously presented idea. Examples: In the popular Star Wars movie trilogy, Darth Vader, of the dark side of the Force, represents ideas that are diametrically opposed (that is, ______) to those of the Jedi Knights. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." "Hope for the best; prepare for the worst."

epigram

A short, clever poem with a witty turn of thought. Ex. "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes." "If we don't end war, war will end us." "Live simply, so that others may simply live."

flat character

A simple one dimensional character who remains the same, and about whom little or nothing is revealed throughout the course of the work. (May serve as symbols of types of people, similar to stereotypical characters.) Mrs. Micawber in Dickens' David Copperfield, is the ever-loyal wife who repeatedly says "I never will desert Mr. Micawber." Mme. Ratignolle is portrayed as a Mother Earth figure throughout Kate Chopin's The Awakening. Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby- morally

caesura

A speech pause occurring within a line Ex. "To be or not to be - that is the question" "Oh, say can you see (pause) by the dawn's early light..."

paradox

A statement or situation that at first seems impossible or oxymoronic, but which solves itself and reveals meaning. - "Fair is foul and foul is fair" - "The Child is father of the Man."

myth

A story usually with supernatural significance, that explains the origins of gods, heroes, or natural phenomena. Although they are fictional stories, they contain deeper truths, particularly about the nature of humankind. Ex. The Greek myth of Persephone, which is used to understand and give meaning to the changing seasons. Persephone, (daughter of Demeter, goddess of agriculture and the harvest), personifies plants and flowers. When she makes her journey to the Underworld to live with Hades in winter, vegetation on Earth withers and dies. When she returns to live with her mother on Earth, plants bloom and flourish once more.

epiphany

A sudden flash of insight. A startling discovery and/or appearance; a dramatic realization. Ex. Jocasta's sudden realization that her husband is her son is an _____ moment in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex.

inversion

A switch in the normal word order, often used for emphasis or for rhyme scheme. Ex. "Strong he was" "On the windowsill were her two cats, Penny and Percival"

aphorism

A terse statement that expresses a general truth or a moral principle; sometimes considered a folk proverb. Examples: "The grass is always greener on the other side" "Actions speak louder than words"

anticlimax

An often disappointing, sudden end to an intense situation. Example: Tension builds in a horror movie as a young girl approaches a closed door. There is a scratching sound coming from behind the door. When she opens it, a cat comes out.

imagery

Anything that affects or appeals to the reader's senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell. Ex. "The grass was green, and the flowers were red."

elegy

a type of literature defined as a song or poem, that expresses sorrow or lamentation, usually for one who has died. This type of work stemmed out of a Greek work known as a song of mourning or lamentation that is accompanied by the flute. Ex. By Walt Whitman, 1891 O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done, The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won, The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring: But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.

repetition

a word or phrase used more than once to emphasize an idea Ex. "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" "Oh, woeful, oh woeful, woeful, woeful day!"

epithet

an identifying expression, like "the polo player" for Tom Buchanan (also works for places, objects) Ex. A girl's name is Marilynn, but her parents call her Lynn. Her sister calls her Mary. And her friends call her Merry-go-round when she's being silly. Lynn, Mary, and Merry-go-round are all special nicknames that replace the name of a person and often describe them in some way.

quatrain

four-line stanza Ex. "The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea, The plowman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me."

pun

humorous play on words that have several meanings or words that sound the same but have different meanings In Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio's "You will find me a grave man" refers both to the seriousness of his words and the fact that he is dying.

satire

the use of humor to ridicule and expose the shortcomings and failings of society individuals, and institutions, often in the hope that change and reform are possible Swift's suggestion in A Modest Proposal that Irish babies be butchered and sold as food to wealthy English landlords in order to alleviate poverty in Ireland is a classic example of this because Swift was really savagely attacking the English for exploiting the Irish. Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest ______ Victorian social hypocrisy. If you've ever watched "Saturday Night Live", you've enjoyed this

couplet

two successive rhyming lines of the same number of syllables, with matching cadence. Ex. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast:/ Man never is, but always to be blest." (Alexander Pope, AnEssay on Man)

ambiguity

Quality of being intentionally unclear. Events or situations that are ____ can be interpreted in more than one way. This device is especially beneficial in poetry, as it tends to grace the work with the richness and depth of multiple meanings. Examples: "Thou still unravished bride of quietness." (Keats, "Odes on a Grecian Urn"). Does "still" mean that she is dead, that she never was alive, that the vase still exists, or she is still virginal? "I saw her duck". (The action duck or the animal duck?) "The chicken is ready to eat." (Is the chicken served for people to eat, or is the actual animal about to eat something?)

anadiplosis

Repeating last word of clause at beginning of next clause Example in the song "Glad You Came": Turn the lights out NOW NOW I'll take you by the HAND HAND you another DRINK DRINK it if you can....

anaphora

Repetition of an opening word or phrase in a series of lines Example: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

consonance

Same ___ sound in words with different vowel sounds. The following word groups reflect ___: work, stack, ark, belong, among.

euphemism

Substitution of an inoffensive word or phrase for another that would be harsh, offensive, or embarrassing. A _____makes something sound better than it is but is usually wordier than the original. Ex. "He passed on "rather than "he died". A dishwasher calling herself a "utensil maintenance tech.

attitude

The author's feelings toward the topic he or she is writing about. Ex: In her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses an innocent and unjaded child narrator to express her own attitude toward prejudice. In Liam O'Flaherty's The Sniper, the narrator's objectivity and ambiguity in referring to the men as "brothers" underscore the author's ____ toward the horror of civil war.

foot

The basic unit used in the scansion or measurement of metrical verse. Usually contains one accented syllable and one or two unaccented syllables. Ex. "The boy | stood on | the burn | ing deck" has 4 iambic metrical feet

genre

The category into which a piece of writing can be classified- poetry, prose, drama. Each ____ has its own conventions and standards. Ex. fiction, poetry, nonfiction, sci-fi

analysis

The process of examining the components of a literary work. Example: An ____ of Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre" might make reference to the novel's Gothic setting, elements of suspense, the author's style, romantic and feminist themes, the use of symbolism and figurative language, and the novel's religious aspects.

euphony

The quality of a pleasant or harmonious sound of a word or group of words as an intended effect. Ex. "Success is counted sweetest By those who ne'er succeed To comprehend a nectar Requires sorest need."

assonance

The repeated use of a vowel sound. Ex: "How now brown cow?"

parallelism

The repeated use of the same grammatical structure in a sentence or a series of sentences. This device tends to emphasize what is said and thus underscores the meaning. Can also refer to two or more stories within a literary work that are told simultaneously and that reinforce one another. - "I came, I saw, I conquered." - "We went to school, to the mall, and then to the movie." - "Presented alternately within King Lear are the stories of both King Lear and his daughters, and Gloucester and his sons."

alliteration

The repetition of accented consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are close to each other, usually to create an affect, rhythm, or emphasis. Example: "Big, bad, barking dog." "The noisy gnat knit nine sweaters."

meter

The rhythmical pattern of a poem. Just as all words are pronounced with accented (or stressed) syllables and unaccented (or unstressed) syllables, lines of poetry are assigned similar rhythms. English poetry uses 5 basic _____ feet. - iamb: unstressed, stressed: before - trochee: stressed, unstressed: weather - anapest: unstressed, unstressed, stressed: contradict - dactyl: stressed, unstressed, unstressed: satisfy

catharsis

The term refers to an emotional cleansing or feeling or relief. In his Poetics, Aristotle wrote that a tragedy should "arouse pity and fear in such a way as to accomplish a ___ of such emotions in the audience."

characterization

The way an author presents characters. In direct presentation, a character is described by the author, the narrator or the other characters. In indirect presentation, a character's traits are revealed by action and speech. Ex. "The patient boy and quiet girl were both well mannered and did not disobey their mother." Explanation: The author is directly telling the audience the personality of these two children. The boy is "patient" and the girl is "quiet."

antecedent

The word or phrase to which a pronoun refers. It often precedes a pronoun in prose (but not necessarily in poetry). This grammar question appears repeatedly in AP multiple-choice questions. Examples: "O that this too, too solid flesh would melt./Thaw and resolve itself into a dew." *Flesh is the _____; *itself is the pronoun that refers to it. "The dog at the shelter is loud and energetic, but we still really like him." *The antecedent in the sentence is the underlined word "dog." The sentence continues and then uses the underlined word "him" to refer back to the dog. Instead of using the word "dog" again, we simply could put the pronoun "him" in the dog's place. Since we already mentioned the dog once, we know to what or to whom we are referring.

meiosis

Understatement, the opposite of exaggeration. - "I was somewhat worried when the psychopath ran toward me with a chain saw." (i.e., I was terrified). - Litotes (especially popular in Old English poetry) is a type of _____ in which the writer uses a statement in the negative to create the effect: "You know, Einstein is not a bad mathematician."

figurative language

Unlike literal expression, it uses figures of speech such as a metaphor, simile, metonymy, personification, hyperbole. Appeals to one's senses

blank verse

Unrhymed poetry of iambic pentameter (five feet of two syllables each- unstressed and stressed) - favored technique of Shakespeare. "When honour's at the stake. How stand I then, That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd..." (Hamlet, Shakespeare)

ode

Usually a lyric poem of moderate length, with a serious subject, an elevated style, and an elaborate stanza pattern. The ____ often praises people, the arts of music and poetry, natural scenes, or abstract concepts. The Romantic poets used the ____ to explore both personal and general problems; they often started with a meditation on something in nature. Ex. "The Rainbow comes and goes, And lovely is the Rose, The Moon doth with delight Look round her when the heavens are bare"

refrain

repetition of a line, stanza, or phrase Ex. "Return and return again"

polysyndeton

repetition of conjunctions in close succession Ex. (as in we have ships and men and money) 'Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers.'

epistrophe

repetition of words at the end of a line, phrase, or clause Ex. "And that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."

ad misercordiam

*An appeal to the audience's sympathy* - an attempt to persuade another, using a hard-luck-story rather than logic or reason. Examples: Not completing your homework and then telling me that you had a fight with your significant other, and that you are so "stressed out" from the pressures of your senior year, that you simply could not concentrate. "You need to pass me in this course, since I'll lose my scholarship if I don't."

didactic

A ______ story, speech, essay or play is one in which the author's primary purpose is to instruct, teach or moralize. Ex. The Boy Who Cried Wolf The story tells of a little boy who continues to cry out for help claiming that his flock is in danger of a wolf. However, he is only doing so as a source of entertainment. The moral of the story is that liars will not be rewarded; even if they tell the truth, no one believes them.

epigraph

A brief quotation found at the beginning of a literary work, reflective of theme. Ex. Toni Morrison's beloved opens with the ____: "Sixty million and more" which says volumes about slavery.

first person

A character in the story tells the story, using the pronoun I. This is a limited point of view since the narrator can relate only events that he or she sees or is told about. Point of view (POV) is vital to all works of literature - prose and poetry.

lyric poem

A fairly short, emotionally expressive poem that expresses the feelings and observations of a single speaker.

conceit

A far-fetched comparison between two seemingly unlike things; an extended metaphor that gains appeal from its unusual or extraordinary comparison. Ex. "Steal someone's thunder" "Fit as a fiddle" "Life is like a bowl of cherries"

litotes

A figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite, as in This is no small problem. Ex. He was not averse to taking a drink. She is no saint. This is no small problem.

oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines two contradictory words, placed side by side - bitter sweet - wise fool - living death

metonymy

A figure of speech that replaces the name of something with a word or phrase closely associated with it; similar to synecdoche (many authors do not distinguish between the two). - "the White House" instead of "the president", "the presidency" - "brass" to mean "military officers" - "suits" instead of "supervisors"

metaphor

A figure of speech which compares two dissimilar things, asserting that one thing is another thing, not just that one is like another. Compare with analogy and simile. - "Life's but a walking shadow" (Macbeth, Shakespeare) - "The snow is a white blanket"

iambic pentameter

A five foot line made up of an unaccented followed by an accented syllable. It is the most common metric foot in English-language poetry. "When I have fears that I may cease to be/ Before my pen has gleaned my teeming brain." (John Keats)

ballad

A folk song or poem passed down orally that tells a story which may be derived from an actual incident or from legend or folklore. Usually composed in four-line stanzas (quatrains) with the rhyme scheme abcb. They often contain a refrain. Ex. "Barbara Allen" In Scarlet town, where I was born, There was a fair maid dwellin', Made every youth cry Well-a-way! Her name was Barbara Allen. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink. The very deep did rot - Oh Christ! That ever this should be. Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs, Upon the slimy sea.

paean

A hymn sung in ancient Greece in invocation of or thanksgiving to a deity; any song of praise Ex. The national anthem for an Olympic gold medalist's country is played as a paean to their athletic prowess.

farce

A kind of comedy that depends on exaggerated or improbable situations, physical disasters, and sexual innuendo to amuse the audience. (Many situation comedies on television today might be called _____s) Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, Brandon Thomas' Charley's Aunt, Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway

interior monologue

A literary technique used in poetry and prose that reveals a character's unspoken thoughts and feelings. A(n) _____ may be presented directly by the character, or through a narrator. (See also stream of consciousness) Ex. "I was a Flower of the mountain yes when I put the rose in my hair like the Andalusian girls used or shall I wear a red yes and how he kissed me under the Moorish wall and I thought well as well him as another and then I asked him with my eyes..."

monologue

A long speech made by one person, often monopolizing a conversation. Ex. from Hamlet "To be, or not to be- that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them. To die- to sleep- No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to. 'Tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. To die- to sleep. To sleep- perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub! For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause. There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life."

anapest

A metrical foot consisting of two unaccented syllables followed by one accented syllable. Examples: (un - der - STAND) (un - a - BRIDGED) (in - ter - RUPT) (con - tra - DICT) (Gail - li - lee)

epistolary novel

A novel in letter form written by one or more of the characters. The novelist can use this technique to present varying first person points of view and does not need a narrator. Ex. C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters and Alice Walker's The Color Purple are _____works.

bildungsroman

A novel whose principal subject is the moral, psychological, and intellectual development of a usually youthful main character. Ex: Great Expectations or Harry Potter

aubade

A poem or song about lovers who must leave one another in the early hours of the morning. Ex: "Hark, hark, the lark at heaven's gate sings,/And Phoebus ' gins arise,/His steeds to water at those springs/On chaliced flowers that lies;/And winking Mary-buds begin/ To ope their golden eyes:;/With everything that pretty is,/My lady sweet, arise:/Arise, arise!" (Cymbeline, Shakespeare)

narrative poem

A poem that tells a story. Ex. Rime of the Ancient Mariner

antihero

A protagonist who carries the action of the literary piece but does not embody the classic characteristics of courage, strength, or nobility. Examples: Jay Gatsby in "The Great Gatsby" Mark Zuckerberg in "The Social Network" - Mark Zuckerberg is an _____ because of his lack of empathy, brutality, and arrogance. His ex-girlfriend, Erica, tells Mark that she is not breaking up because he is a nerd (that's what he thought); it's simply because he is an a**hole.

metamorphosis

A radical change in a character, either physical or emotional. - In Kafka's aptly titled The _______, a man is transformed overnight into a large vermin.

allusion

A reference in literature or in art to previous literature, history, mythology, pop culture/current events, or the Bible. Example: "Chocolate cake is my Achilles heel." The ___ here is to "Achilles' heel," or the Greek myth about the hero Achilles and how his heel was his one weakness. In this case, the speaker's "weakness" is chocolate cake.

apostrophe

A rhetorical (not expecting an answer) figure of direct address to a person, object, or abstract entity. Examples: Come on, Phone, give me a ring! Chocolate, why must you be so delicious? Alarm clock, please don't fail me. Seven, you are my lucky number!

asyndeton

A rhetorical term for a writing style that omits conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. Poets use _____ to quicken the pace of the line. Ex. She likes pickles, olives, raisins, dates. "I came, I saw, I conquered."

near, off, or slant rhyme

A rhyme based on an imperfect or incomplete correspondence of end syllable sounds. Ex. "Worm" and "swarm"

internal rhyme

A rhyme that is within the line, rather than at the end. The rhyming may also be within two lines, but again, each rhyming word will be within its line, rather than at the beginning or end. Ex. "I went to town to buy a gown" "I took the car, and it wasn't far"

anecdote

A short and often personal story used to emphasize a point, to develop a character or a theme, or to inject humor. Examples: In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" there is the ____ about Tom Buchanan's liaison with the chambermaid during his honeymoon that speaks volumes about his character. "I remember learning how to swim. I took lessons at the community pool in the town where I grew up. One of the lifeguards, Ms. Jen, really helped me get comfortable with holding my breath. She'd play this bobbing game with us that had a fun song to go along with it. Whenever I get in a pool, I still sing that song in my head."

essay

A short composition on a single topic expressing the view or interpretation of the writer on that topic.

aside

A short speech or remark made by an actor to the audience rather than to the other characters, who do not hear him or her. Shakespeare's characters often share their thoughts with us in this way. Ex: In a room full of people, Macbeth uses an ____ to tell the audience his plans: "The castle of Macduff I will surprise..."

parable

A short story illustrating a moral or religious lesson. Ex. The Boy Who Cried Wolf In it, a young boy enjoys yelling "wolf" and laughing as the adults in his village run around in a panic. But one day, he sees an actual wolf, and cries out "wolf" to try and get someone to save him.

octave

An eight-line stanza; the first eight lines of a sonnet, especially one structure as an Italian or Petrarchan sonnet. Ex. "Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride, In the sepulchre there by the sea, In her tomb by the sounding sea."

anachronism

An element in a story that is out of its time frame; sometimes used to create a humorous or jarring effect. *Beware*: this can also occur because of careless or poor research on the author's parts. Examples: In "Julius Caesar", Shakespeare mentions caps, which the Romans did not wear. Imagine Shakespeare's Romeo (from Romeo and Juliet) riding to the Capulet party in a Porsche. In "Titanic", Jack says he and Rose will "ride on a rollercoaster until we throw up" but the rollercoaster was not built until 1916.

distortion

An exaggeration or stretching of the truth to achieve a desired effect. Ex. Gregor Samsa waking up as a large insect in Kafka's The Metamorphosis is a _____ of reality.

allegory

An expression, by means of symbolic fictional characters and actions, of truths about human conduct and experience. (story or poem with characters and events that stand for ideas about life or for a political situation.) Example: The Lorax movie shows ravages of industry, represented by one man known as the Once-ler and the environment, represented by the Lorax who "speaks for the trees,"

hyperbole

An extreme exaggeration for literary effect that is not meant to be interpreted literally. Ex. "I am so hungry I could eat a horse."

connotation

Associations a word calls to mind. Ex: house and home have the same denotation, or dictionary meaning- a place to live. But home ____ warmth and security, house does not. The more ___ a piece is, the less objective is interpretation becomes. Careful, close reading often reveals the writer's intent.

analogy

Clarifies or explains an unfamiliar concept or object, or one that cannot be put into words, by comparing it with one which is familiar. By explaining the abstract in terms of the concrete, it may force the reader to think more critically about a concept. They also tend to appear more often in prose than in poetry. They enliven writing by making it more interesting, entertaining, and understandable. Similies and metaphors are 2 specific types. Examples: "Life is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you are going to get" "That movie was a roller coaster ride of emotions" "Knowledge always desires increase: it is like fire, which must first be kindled by some external agent, but which afterwards propagates itself." The island in "Lord of the Flies" before the boys arrived is analogous to the Garden of Eden.

apotheosis

Elevating someone to the level of a god. Ex: Helen of Troy is considered the ____ of beauty.

dactyl

Foot of poetry with three syllables, one stressed and two short or unstressed. Think of the waltz rhythm. Ex. "Just for a handful of silver he left us." (Robert Browning, "The Lost Leader")

anthropomorphism

Giving a human quality, emotion, or ambition to a non-human object or being. Differs from personification in that the non-human objects acts like a human rather than simply being given the trait. (if they are not human but behave like a human.) Examples: All singing/dancing Disney animals Simba from "The Lion King" Thomas the Train

cacophony

Harsh, discordant sounds, unpleasant to the ear; the sound of nails scratching a blackboard is ___. It is used by poets for effect. Notice all the sounds in these 2 lines: sq, st, ck, ft, t, k, sc, ch: "And squared and stuck there squares of soft white chalk, And with a fish-tooth, scratched a moon on each," (Browning, "Caliban Upon Setebos)

foreshadowing

Hints at what is to come. It is sometimes noticeable only in hindsight, but usually it is obvious enough to set the reader wondering. Ex. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, when Romeo says, "My life were better ended by their hate, than death prorogued, wanting of thy love." This line ______ Romeo's eventual fate: commiting suicide over the loss of Juliet.

in medias res

In literature, a work that begins in the middle of the story. The Odyssey, Medea, and Oedipus Rex all begin this way.

heroic couplet

In poetry, a rhymed couplet written in iambic pentameter (five feet, each with one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable). Alexander Pope used this form almost exclusively in his poetry: "The bookful blockhead, ignorantly read,/ With loads of learned lumber in his head."

enjambment

In poetry, the running over of a sentence from one verse or stanza into the next without stopping at the end of the first. Ex. The sun hovered above the horizon, suspended between night and day.

hubris

Insolence, arrogance, or pride. In Greek tragedy, the protagonist's ____ is usually the tragic flaw that leads to his or her downfall. Ex. A politician who thinks he's too beloved to lose an election and chooses to skip campaigning.

flashback

Interruption of a narrative by the introduction of an earlier event or by an image of a past experience.

carpe diem

Latin for "seize the day"; frequent in 16th and 17th century court poetry. Expresses the idea that you only go around once; refers to the modern saying that "life is not a dress rehearsal." Ex: Gather ye rosebuds while ye may/ Old time is still a-flying;/ And this same flower that smiles today/ Tomorrow will be dying. (Robert Herrick, " To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time")

deus ex machina

Literally, when the gods intervene at a story's end to resolve a seemingly impossible conflict. Refers to an unlikely or improbable coincidence; a cop-out ending. Ex. In Greek mythology, Medea murders her children and is whisked away by a chariot of the gods.

colloquial

Of or relating to slang or regional dialect, used in familiar everyday conversation. In writing, an informal style that reflects the way people spoke in a distinct time and/or place. Ex. words such as "y'all" or "gonna" or "wanna" "He needs to step up to the plate." phrases such as "old as the hills" and "graveyard dead"

free verse

Poetry that does not have regular rhythm or rhyme. Ex. William Carlos Williams's short poem "The Red Wheelbarrow" is written like this. It reads: "so much depends / upon / a red wheel / barrow / glazed with rain / water / beside the white / chickens."

diction

The deliberate choice of a style of language for a desired effect or tone. Words chosen to achieve a particular effect that is formal, informal, or colloquial. Ex. In response to a request that you do something, formal ____ might sound like, "I will address that issue right away." Alternatively, using informal _____, the response would be more casual like, "You got it."

denotation

The dictionary or literal meaning of a word or phrase. Ex. "A rose is a bush or shrub that produces flowers, usually red, pink, white, or yellow in color."

chiasmus

The opposite of parallel construction; inverting the second of two phrases that would otherwisebe in parallel form. Ex: parallel construction: "I like the idea; I don't like its execution." Ex. ____: "I like the idea; its execution, I don't."

onomatopoeia

Words that imitate sounds - meow - clip-clop - whirr - clang - pop - bang

hamartia

a tragic flaw Ex. In the novel Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein's arrogant conviction that he can usurp the roles of God and nature in creating life directly leads to ruinous consequences for him

simile

a comparison of unlike things using the word like, as, or so Ex. "As busy as a bee"

soliloquy

a dramatic or literary form of discourse in which a character talks to himself or herself or reveals his or her thoughts without addressing a listener Ex. In Shakespeare's plays, for example, there are many speeches that begin with a character saying something like "Now I am alone.", and know you now you're about to experience one.

fallacy

a mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument. Ex. the notion that the camera never lies "People died of cancer before cigarettes were invented... So smoking doesn't cause cancer!"

pastoral

a poem, play, or story that celebrates and idealizes the simple life of shepherds and shepherdesses Ex. The Tuft of Flowers "I went to turn the grass once after one Who mowed it in the dew before the sun. The dew was gone that made his blade so keen Before I came to view the levelled scene. I looked for him behind an isle of trees; I listened for his whetstone on the breeze. But he had gone his way, the grass all mown, And I must be, as he had been,—alone, 'As all must be,' I said within my heart, 'Whether they work together or apart."

rhetorical question

a question with an obvious answer, so no one response is expected; used for emphasis or to make a point Ex. "Is the Pope Catholic?" "Is rain wet?"

periodic sentence

a sentence that delivers its point at the end; usually constructed as a subordinate clause followed by a main clause ex. At the piano she practiced scales.

sestet

a six-line stanza of poetry; also, the last six lines of an Italian/Petrarchan sonnet Ex. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.I love thee to the depth and breadth and heightMy soul can reach, when feeling out of sightFor the ends of being and ideal grace.I love thee to the level of every day'sMost quiet need, by sun and candle-light.I love thee freely, as men strive for right;I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.I love thee with the passion put to useIn my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.I love thee with a love I seemed to loseWith my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,I shall but love thee better after death."

shift

in writing, a movement from one thought or idea to another; a change Ex. "The way a crow Shook down on me The dust of snow From a hemlock tree Has given my heart A change of mood And saved some part Of a day I had rued." (the change from rue to hope)

pathos

the quality of a literary work or passage which appeals to the reader's or viewer's emotions Ex. A teenager tries to convince his parents to buy him a new car by saying if they cared about their child's safety they'd upgrade him.

point of view

perspective of the speaker or narrator in a literary work 1st: "I", "my" 3rd: "he", "she", "they"

physiognomy

the assessment of a person's character or personality from his or her outer appearance, especially the face. The term can also refer to the general appearance of a person, object or terrain Ex. "scanty beards" or "a deceitful eye"

personification

the attribution of human characteristics to an animal or to an inanimate object Wordsworth's daffodils "tossing their heads in a sprightly dance" in I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

protagonist

the main or principal character in a work; often considered the hero or heroine Hamlet, Macbeth Oedipus, Anna Karenina, and Tom Sawyer are the protagonists of the eponymous works in which they appear

prose

the ordinary language people use to express themselves; the opposite of poetry

denouement

the outcome or clarification at the end of a story or play; the winding down from climax to ending. Ex. In fairy tales, the main characters have succeeded at whatever conflict they faced (a dragon, an evil stepmother, etc.), and now they've gotten married and will lead awesome, happy lives. In a video game, there's often a long cutscene at the end, after the final boss battle, in which the player gets to see their character destroy the boss and win the reward. This scene ties up all the loose ends in the game and explains any remaining mysteries.

scansion

the process of measuring metrical verse, this is, of marking accented and unaccented syllables, dividing the lines into feet, identifying the metrical pattern, and noting significant variations from that pattern (it simply means to take the poem apart) Ex. "For the moon / never beams, / without bring / ing me dreams Of the beau / tiful Ann/ abel Lee; And the stars / never rise, / but I feel / the bright eyes Of the beau / tiful Ann / abel Lee"