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AP Literary Terms

Subjects : english, ap, literature
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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  • Match each statement with the correct term.
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This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. The suggested or implied meaning of a word or phrase






2. The act of determining the meter of a poetic line.






3. A style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind






4. A term often used as a synonym for realism - also a view of experience that is generally characterized as bleak and pessimistic.






5. A witty or ingenious thought; a diverting or highly fanciful idea - often stated in figurative language






6. Three periods (. . .) indicating the omission of words in a thought or quotation






7. A story in which the narrative or characters carry an underlying symbolic - metaphorical - or possibly an ethical meaning






8. A mocking - satirical assault on a person or situation






9. The interpretation or analysis of a text.






10. The action in a play or story that occurs after the climax and that leads to the conclusion and often to the resolution of the conflict






11. The organization of language into meaningful structure; every sentence has a particular pattern of words






12. A unit of stressed and unstressed syllables used to determine the meter of a poetic line.






13. The main idea or meaning - often an abstract idea upon which a work of literature is built






14. A figure of speech in which a part signifies the whole ('fifty masts' for fifty ships) or the whole signifies the part ('days' for life - as in 'He lived his days in Canada'). Also when the name of the material stands for the thing itself ('pigskin'






15. The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables found in poetry






16. As distinguished from Apollonian - the word refers to sensual - pleasure-seeking impulses






17. Overstatement; gross exaggeration for rhetorical effect






18. A poet; in olden times - a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment






19. The pattern of rhymes within a given poem






20. A subordinate or minor collection of events in a novel or play - usually connected to the main plot






21. The work of poets - particularly those of the seventeenth century - that uses elaborate conceits - is highly intellectual - and expresses the complexities of love and life






22. The resolution that occurs at the end of a play or work of fiction






23. A character whose name appears in the title of the novel or play; also known as the eponymous character






24. A pause somewhere in the middle of a verse - often (but not always) marked by punctuation






25. The repetition of two or more vowel sounds in a group of words or lines in poetry and prose






26. A sentence that follows the customary word order of English sentences - i.e. subject-verb-object. The main idea of the sentence is presented first and is then followed by one or more subordinate clauses






27. The depiction of people - things - and events as they really are without idealization or exaggeration for effect.






28. The excessive pride that often leads tragic heroes to their death






29. A saying or proverb expressing common wisdom or truth






30. Also called figure of speech. In contrast to literal language - it implies meanings. Includes metaphors - similes - and personification - among others.






31. A term that describes characters' excessive emotional response to experience; also nauseatingly nostalgic and mawkish






32. A French verse form calculated to appear simple and spontaneous but consisting of nineteen lines and a prescribed pattern of rhymes






33. A literary form in which events are exaggerated in order to create an extreme emotional response






34. A work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation






35. The language spoken in England roughly between 1150 and 1500 A.D.






36. A statement or idea that fails to follow logically from the one before






37. French term for the world of books - criticism - and literature in general






38. One of the ancient Greek goddesses presiding over the arts. The imaginary source of inspiration for an artist or writer






39. Pleasing - harmonious sounds






40. A device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which the name of a thing is replaced by one of its functions or qualities - as in 'ring-giver' for king and 'whale-road' for ocean






41. Inflated - pretentious language used for trivial subjects






42. A narrative told by a character involved in the story - using first-person pronouns such as I and we.






43. A mild or less negative usage for a harsh or blunt term; i.e. 'pass away' instead of 'die'






44. The general form - pattern - and manner of expression of a work of literature






45. A work of fiction of roughly 20 -000 to 50 -000 words--longer than a short story - but shorter than a novel






46. The use of words whose sounds suggest their meaning






47. A term for the title character of a work of literature






48. The role or facade that a character assumes or depicts to a reader - a viewer - or the world at large






49. A simple narrative verse that tells a story that is sung or recited






50. A circumstance in which the audience or reader knows more about a situation than a character - ex. Oedipus Rex