AP Literature Review Test
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Literary Terms—DEFINITIONS
Greek word for “feeling”; evokes high emotion—sorrow, pity, compassion
figure of speech; author groups contradictory terms to suggest paradox
giving attributes of a human being to something nonhuman
statement that appears to be self-contradictory but may be true
language that cannot be taken literally
major category into which a literary work fits
reference to art, history, literature which is presumably known
reader/audience knows something a character does not
implicit comparison made between two things essentially unlike
a work that targets human vices (faults/follies)
multiple meanings of a word, phrase, or sentence
nonliteral, associative meaning of a word
figure of speech; use of something closely related for the thing meant
addressing someone dead or absent as if could reply
representation through language of sense experience
question asked not for a response but for impact/call attention to something
a pleasing arrangement of sounds
elaborate parallel between two seemingly dissimilar objects/ideas
style of writing that combines realism with moments of fantasy
brief narration of a single event or incident (serves as an illustration)
use of words that sound like the thing they refer to (hiss/pop)
theme, motif, symbol, character holds familiar and fixed place in culture
prayer for inspiration to a god or muse (usually at the beginning)
common character type that recurs throughout literature
literal, dictionary definition of a word
repetition of sounds
repetition of similar vowel sounds
recurring structure, contrast, etc. that develops a work’s major theme (mocking bird)
adjective or phrase that describes a prominent feature of a person or thing
character who illuminates qualities of another character by means of contrast
a play on words exploiting similar sounds with distinctly different meanings
clash of discordant or harsh sounds
a common expression that has acquired a meaning different from its literal one
presents the total range of thoughts, memories, associations of a character
a general statement of an aspect of literary work that can be substantiated
short narrative that illustrates a moral by means of allegory
any composition not written in verse
vantage point from which author presents the action of the story
unrhymed iambic pentameter
word choice
the manner of speaking an author uses; revealed in attitude toward subject
similar or like grammatical structures (to be or not to be)
two consecutive lines that rhyme
group of American writers in the 1950s & ‘60s-bohemian counterculture
poem that laments the death of someone/something
17th-century poets who combined direct language with ingenious images/conceits
overstatement--exaggeration
sentence structure; pattern of formation or phrases. unique conscious and unconscious
choices an author makes
intended to instruct or education
serious lyric poem to commemorate an occasion or person
humorous and often satirical imitation of a particular work or author
use of decorous language to express vulgar or unpleasant ideas, events, actions
attributing human feeling or motivation to nonhuman object (esp. in nature)
Latin for in the middle of things; starting a narrative in the middle of the action