Ap Lit literary terms group 2

Euphony

"Good sound" refers to language that is smooth and musically pleasant to the ear

Denouement

A French term meaning "unraveling" or "unknotting," used to describe the resolution of the plot following the climax

genre

A French word meaning kind or type. The major ______ in literature are poetry, fiction, drama, and essays. _____ can also refer to more specific types of literature such as comedy, tragedy, epic poetry, or science fiction

Metaphor

A ________ is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things, without using the work like or as. _________ assert the identity of dissimilar things, as when Macbeth asserts that life is a "brief candle." _________ can be subtle and powerful, and can transform people, places, objects, and ideas into whatever the writer imagines them to be.

hyperbole (overstatement)

A boldly exaggerated statement that adds emphasis without intending to be literally true, as in the statement "He ate everything in the house." Hyperbole (also called _____________) may be sued for serious, comic, or ironic effect

Allusion

A brief reference to a person, place, thing, event, or idea in history or literature. _________ conjure up biblical authority, scenes from Shakespeare's plays, historic figures, wars, great love stories, and anything else that might enrich an author's work. ________ imply reading and cultural experiences shared by the writer and reader, functioning as a kind of short-hand whereby the recalling of something outside the work supplies an emotional or intellectual context, such as a poem about current racial struggles calling up the memory of Abraham Lincoln

Convention

A characteristic of a literary genre (often unrealistic) that is understood and accepted by audiences because it has come, through usage and time, to be recognized as a familiar technique. For example, the division of a play into acts and scenes is a dramatic __________, as are soliloquies and asides. Flashbacks and Foreshadowing are examples of literary ___________

Simile

A common figure of speech that makes an explicit comparison between two things by using words such as like, as, than, appears, and seems: "A sip of Mrs. Cook's coffee is like a punch in the stomach." The effectiveness of this ______ is created by the differences between the two things compared. There would be no ______ if the comparison were stated this way: "Mrs. Cook's coffee is as strong as the cafeteria's coffee." This is a literal translation because Mrs. Cook's coffee is compared with something like it- another kind of coffee

Oxymoron

A condensed form of a paradox in which two contradictory words are used together, as in "sweet sorrow" or "original copy"

Doggerel

A derogatory term used to describe poetry whose subject is trite and whose rhythm and sounds are monotonous heavy-handed

Farce

A form of humor based on exaggerated, improbable incongruities. _____ involves rapid shifts in action and emotion, as well as slapstick comedy and extravagant dialogue. Malvolio, in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, is a farcical character

Personification

A form of metaphor in which human characteristics are attributed to nonhuman things. _______________ offers the writer a way to give the world life and motion by assigning familiar human behaviors and emotions to animals, inanimate objects, and abstract ideas. For example, in Keats's "Ode on a Grecian Urn," the speaker refers to the urn as an " unravished bride of quietness."

Parody

A humorous imitation of another, usually serious, work. It can take any fixed or open form, because _________ imitate the tone, language, and shape of the original in order to deflate the subject matter, making the original work seem absurd. Anthony Hecht's poem "Dover Bitch" is a famous ______ of Matthew Arnold's well-known "Dover Beach." ______ may also be used as a form of literary criticism to expose the defects in a work. But sometimes ______ becomes an affectionate acknowledgement that a well known work has become both institutionalized in our culture and fair game for some fun. For example, Peter De Vries's "To His Importunate Mistress" gently mocks Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress"

Synecdoche

A kind of metaphor in which a part of something is used to signify the whole, as when a gossip is called a "wagging tongue," or when ten ships are called "ten sails." Sometimes, _________ refers to the whole being used to signify the part, as in the phrase "Boston won the baseball game." Clearly, the entire city of Boston did not participate in the game; the whole of Boston is being used to signify the individuals who played and won the game

implied metaphor

A more subtle comparison; the terms being compared are not so specifically explained. For example, to describe a stubborn man unwilling to leave, one could say that he was " a mule standing his ground." This is a fairly explicit metaphor; the man is being compared to a mule. But to say that the man "brayed his refusal to leave" is to create an _______ ________, because the subject (the man) is never overtly identified as a mule. Braying is associated with the mule, a notoriously stubborn creature, and so the comparison between the stubborn man and the mule is sustained. _______ _________can slip by inattentive readers who are not sensitive to such carefully chosen, highly concentrated language

Flashback

A narrated scene that marks a break in the narrative in order to inform the reader or audience member about events that took place before the opening scene of a work

Allegory

A narration or description usually restricted to a single meaning because its events, actions, characters, settings, and objects represent specific abstractions or ideas. Although the elements in an ________ may be interesting in themselves, the emphasis tends to be on what they ultimately mean. Characters may be given names such as Hope, Pride, Youth, and Charity; they have few if any personal qualities beyond their abstract meanings. These personifications are not symbols because, for instance, the meaning of a character named Charity is precisely that virtue

Exposition

A narrative device, often used at the beginning of a work, that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances. __________ explains what has gone on before, the relationships between characters, the development of a theme, and the introduction of a conflict

Sentimentality

A pejorative term used to describe the effort by an author to induce emotional responses in the reader that exceed what the situation warrants. ______________ especially pertains to such emotions as pathos and sympathy; it cons readers into falling for the mass murderer who is devoted to stray cats, and it requires that readers do not examine such illogical responses. Clichés and stock responses are the key ingredients of ______________ in literature

Symbol

A person, object, image, word, or event that evokes a range of additional meaning beyond and usually more abstract than its literal significance. _______ are educational devices for evoking complex ideas without having to resort to painstaking explanations that would make a story more like an essay than an experience

Paradox

A statement that initially appears to be contradictory but then, on closer inspection, turns out to make sense. For example, John Donne ends his sonnet "Death, Be Not Proud" with the ___________ statement "Death, thou shalt die." To solve the _______, it is necessary to discover the sense that underlies the statement. _______ is useful in poetry because it arrests a reader's attention by its seemingly stubborn refusal to make sense

Extended metaphor

A sustained comparison in which part or all of a poem consists of a series of related metaphors. Robert Francis's poem "Catch" relies on an ________ ________ that compares poetry to playing catch.

Melodrama

A term applied to any literary work that relies on implausible events and sensational action for its effect. The conflicts in __________ typically arise out of plot rather than characterization; often a virtuous individual must somehow confront and overcome a wicked oppressor. Usually, a ____________ story ends happily, with the protagonist defeating the antagonist at the last possible moment. Thus, __________ entertain the reader or audience with exciting action while still conforming to a traditional sense of justice

onomatopoeia

A term referring to the use of a word that resembles the sound it denotes. Buzz, rattle, bang, and sizzle all reflect ____________. ____________ can also consist of more than one word; writers sometimes create lines or whole passages in which the sound of the words helps to convey their meanings

Archetype

A term used to describe universal symbols that evoke deep and sometimes unconscious responses in a reader. In literature, characters, images, and themes that symbolically embody universal meanings and basic human experiences, regardless of when or where they live, are considered __________. Common literary __________ include stories of quests, initiations, scapegoats, descents to the underworld, and ascents to heaven

Dialect

A type of informational diction. ________ are spoken by definable groups of people from a particular geographic region, economic group, or social class. Writers use _______ to contrast and express differences in educational, class, social, and regional backgrounds of their characters

Metonymy

A type of metaphor in which something closely associated with a subject is substituted for it, In this way, we speak of the "silver screen" to mean motion pictures, "the crown" to stand for the king, "the White House" to stand for the activities of the president

Anagram

A word or phrase made from the letters of another word or phrase, as "heart" is an _______ of "earth." ________ have often been considered merely an exercise of one's ingenuity, but sometimes writers use ________ to conceal proper names or veiled messages, or to suggest important connections between words, as in "hated" and "death"

Image

A word, phrase, or figure of speech (especially a simile or a metaphor) that addresses the senses, suggesting mental pictures of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, feelings, or actions. _______ offer sensory impressions to the reader and also convey emotions and moods through their verbal pictures.

diction

A writer's choice of words, phrases, sentence structures, and figurative language, which combine to help create meaning

Ambiguity

Allows for 2 or more simultaneous interpretations of a word, phrase, action, or situation, all of which can be supported by the context of a work. Deliberate _________ can contribute to the effectiveness and richness of a work for example, in the open-ended conclusion to Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown." However, unintentional _________ obscures meaning and can confuse readers

omniscient narrator

An all-knowing narrator who is not a character in the story and who can move from place to place and pass back and forth through time, slipping into and out of characters as no human being possibly could in real life. __________ _________ can report the thoughts and feelings of the characters, as well as their words and actions. The narrator of The Scarlet letter is an __________ ________

Cliché

An idea or expression that has become tired and trite from overuse, its freshness and clarity having worn off. _______ often anesthetize readers, and are usually a sign of weak writing

Connotation

Associations and implications that go beyond the literal meaning of a word, which derive from how the word has been commonly used and the associations people make with it. For example, the word eagle ________ ideas of liberty and freedom that have little to do with the word's literal meaning

literary/contextual symbol

Can be a setting, character, action, object, name, or anything else in a work that maintains its literal significance while suggesting other meanings. Such symbols go beyond conventional symbols; they gain their symbolic meaning within the context of a specific story. For example, the white whale in Melville's Moby-Dick takes on multiple symbolic meanings in the work, but these meanings do not automatically carry over into other stories about whales. The meanings suggested by Melville's whale are specific to that text; therefore, it becomes a __________ ______

Formal diction

Consists of a dignified, impersonal, and elevated use of language; it follows the rules of syntax exactly and is often characterized by complex words and lofty tone

Objective point of view

Employs a third-person narrator who does not see into the mind of any character. From this detached and impersonal perspective, the narrator reports action and dialogue without telling us directly what the characters think and feel. Since no analysis or interpretation is provided by the narrator, this point of view places a premium on dialogue, actions, and details to reveal character to the reader.

Conventional symbol

Have meanings that are widely recognized by a society or culture. Some ____________ _______ are the Christian cross, the Star of David, a swastika, or a nation's flag. Writers use ____________ _______ to reinforce meanings. Kate Chopin, for example, emphasizes the spring setting in "The Story of an Hour" as a way of suggesting the renewed sense of life that Mrs. Mallard feels when she thinks herself free from her husband

Epiphany

In fiction, when a character suddenly experiences a deep realization about himself or herself; a truth that is grasped in an ordinary rather than a melodramatic moment

Cacophony

Language that is discordant and difficult to pronounce, such as this line from John Updike's "Player Piano": "never by numb plunker fumbles." _________ ("bad sound") may be unintentional in the writer's sense of music, or it may be used consciously for deliberate dramatic effect

Persona

Literally, a _______ is a mask. In literature, a _______ is a speaker created by a writer to tell a story or to speak in a poem. A _______ is not a character in a story or narrative, nor does a _______ necessarily directly reflect the author's personal voice. A _______ is a separate self, created by and distinct from the author, through which he or she speaks

Middle diction

Maintains correct language usage, but it is less elevated than formal diction; it reflects the way most educated people speak

Neutral omniscience

Narration that allows the characters' actions and thoughts to speak for themselves

Limited omniscience

Occurs when an author restricts a narrator to the single perspective of either a major or minor character. The way people, places, and events appear to that character is the way they appear to the reader. Sometimes a _______ __________ narrator can see into more than one character, particularly in a work that focuses on two characters alternately from one chapter to the next. Short stories, however, are frequently limited to a single character's point of view

Formula literature (escape literature)

Often characterized as "______ __________," _______ __________ follows a pattern of conventional reader expectations. Romance novels, westerns, science fiction, and detective stories are all examples of _______ __________; while the details of individual stories vary, the basic ingredients of each kind of story are the same. _______ __________ offers happy endings (the hero "gets the girl," the detective cracks the case), entertains wide audiences, and sells tremendously well

Colloquial

Refers to a type of informal diction that reflects casual, conversational language and often includes slang expressions

Editorial omniscience

Refers to an intrusion by the narrator in order to evaluate a character for a reader, as when the narrator of The Scarlet Letter describes Hester's relationship to the Puritan community.

Point of view

Refers to who tells us a story and how it is told. What we know and how we feel about the events in a work are shaped by the author's choice of _____ __ ____. The teller of the story, the narrator, inevitably affects our understanding of the characters' actions by filtering what is told through his or her own perspective. The various _____ __ ____ that writers draw upon can be grouped into two broad categories: (I) the third-person narrator uses he, she, or they to tell the story and does not participate in the action; and (2) the first-person narrator uses I and is a major or minor participant in the action. In addition, a second-person narrator, you, is also possible, but is rarely used because of the awkwardness of thrusting the reader into the story, as in "You are minding your own business on a park bench when a drunk steps out and demands your lunch bag."

Informal diction

Represents the plain language of everyday use, and often includes idiomatic expressions, slang, contractions, and many simple, common words

Unreliable narrator

Reveals an interpretation of events that is somehow different from the author's own interpretation of those events. Often, the __________ _________ perception of plot, characters, and setting becomes the actual subject of the story, as in Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener." _________ can be __________ for a number of reasons: they might lack self-knowledge (like Melville's lawyer), they might be inexperienced, they might even be insane

Controlling metaphor

Runs through an entire work and determines the form or nature of that work. The ___________ ________ in Anne Bradstreet's poem "The Author to Her Book" likens her book to a child

First person narrator

The I in the story presents the point of view of only one character. The reader is restricted to the perceptions, thoughts, and feelings of that single character. For example, in Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener," the lawyer is the _____ ______ ________ of the story. _____ ______ _________ can play either a major or a minor role in the story they are telling

Suspense

The anxious anticipation of a reader or an audience as to the outcome of a story, especially concerning the character or characters with whom sympathetic attachments are formed. ________ helps to secure and sustain the interest of the reader or audience throughout a work

Tone

The author's implicit attitude toward the reader or the people, places, and events in a work as revealed by the elements of the authors' style. ____ may be characterized as serious or ironic, sad, or happy, private or public, angry or affectionate, bitter or nostalgic, or any other attitudes and feelings that human beings experience

Thesis

The central idea of an essay. The ______ is a complete sentence (although sometimes it may require more than one sentence) that establishes the topic of the essay in clear, unambiguous language

Theme

The central meaning or dominant idea in a literary work. A _____ provides a unifying point around which the plot, characters, setting, point of view, symbols, and other elements of a work are organized. It is important not to mistake the _____ for the actual subject of the work; the _____ refers to the abstract concept that is made concrete through the images, characterization, and action of the text. In nonfiction, however, the _____ generally refers to the main topic of the discourse

Denotation

The dictionary meaning of a word

Style

The distinctive and unique manner in which a writer arranges words to achieve particular effects. _____ essentially combines the idea to be expressed with the individuality of the author. These arrangements include individual word choices as well as matters such as the length of sentences, their structure, tone, and use of irony

Foreshadowing

The introduction early in a story of verbal and dramatic hints that suggest what is to come later

Satire

The literary art of ridiculing a folly or vice in order to expose or correct it. The object of ______ is usually some human frailty; people, institutions, ideas, and things are all fair game for _________. ______ evokes attitudes of amusement, contempt, scorn, or indignation toward its faulty subject in the hope of somehow improving it

Metafiction

The literary term used to describe a work that explores the nature, structure, logic, status, and function of storytelling

stream-of-consciousness technique

The most intense use of a central consciousness is a narration. The ______ __ _____________ _________ takes a reader inside a character's mind to reveal perceptions, thoughts, and feelings on a conscious or unconscious level. This technique suggests the flow of thought as well as its content; hence, complete sentences may give way to fragments as the character's mind makes rapid associations free of conventional logic or transitions. James Joyce's novel Ulysses makes extensive use of this narrative technique

Understatement (litotes)

The opposite of hyperbole, ______________ (or litotes) refers to a figure of speech that says less than is intended. _____________ usually has an ironic effect, and sometimes may be used for comic purposes, as in Mark Twain's statement "the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

Syntax

The ordering of words into meaningful verbal patterns such as phrases, clauses, and sentences. Poets often manipulate ______, changing conventional word order, to place certain emphasis on particular words. Emily Dickinson, for instance, writes about being surprised by a snake in her poem "A narrow Fellow in the Grass," and includes this line: " His notice sudden is." In addition to the alliterative hissing s-sounds here, Dickinson also effectively manipulates the line's ______ so that the verb is appears unexpectedly at the end, making the snake's hissing presence all the more "sudden."

Form

The overall structure or shape of a work, which frequently follows an established design. _____ may refer to a literary type (narrative ____, short story ____) or to patterns of meter, lines, and rhymes (stanza form, verse form)

Setting

The physical and social context in which the action of a story occurs. The major elements of _______ are the time, the place, and the social environment that frames the characters. _______ can be used to evoke a mood or atmosphere that will prepare the reader for what is to come, as in Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "Young Goodman Brown." Sometimes, writers choose a particular_______ because of traditional associations with that _______ that are closely related to the action of a story. For example, stories filled with adventure or romance often take place in exotic locales

Dialogue

The verbal exchanges between characters. ________ makes the characters seem real to the reader or audience by revealing firsthand their thoughts, responses, and emotional states

narrator

The voice of the person telling the story, not to be confused with the author's voice

Canon

These works generally considered by scholars, critics, and teachers to be the most important to read and study, which collectively constitute the "masterpieces" of literature. Since the 1960s, the traditional English and American literary _____, consisting mostly of works by white male writers, has been rapidly expanding to include many female writers and writers of varying ethnic backgrounds

naïve narrator

Usually characterized by youthful innocence, such as Mark Twain's Huck Finn or J.D. Salinger's Holden Caulfield

Figures of Speech

Ways of using language that deviate from the literal, denotative meanings of words in order to suggest additional meanings or effects. _______ __ ______ say one thing in terms of something else, such as when an eager funeral director is described as a vulture