AP Literature and Composition Vocabulary

1. Abstract: An abbreviated synopsis of a longer work of scholarship or research.● A page long excerpt of a graduate student’s thesis● Two minute portion of a thirty minute speech.

2. Active Voice: A verb is in the active voice when it expresses an action performed by its subject.

● Tony saw the horse in the woods● He wrote that story yesterday.

3. Adage: A saying or proverb containing a truth based on experience and often couched inmetaphorical language

● Don’t count your chickens before they hatch● Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong (Murphy’s Law)

4. Allegory: A story in which the narrative or characters carry an underlying symbolic, metaphorical, or possibly and ethical meaning

● Allegory of the cave in Plato’s Republic● Many paintings are an allegory of musical concepts.

5. Alliteration: A repetition of one or more initial consonants in a group of words or lines of poetry or prose

● Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.● How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood?● Star City Shores five times fast out loud.

6. Allusion: A reference to a person, place, or event meant to create an effect or enhance the meaning of an idea.

● The Simpsons alludes to many cultural themes throughout its episodes like the extremely christian sector of American society through Ned Flanders.

● Homer in The Odyssey alludes to many polytheistic beliefs at the time of his writing like the control that Poseidon has over the sea.

7. Ambiguity: A vagueness of meaning: a conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings and interpretation

● Ex: A good life depends on a liver – liver may be an organ or simply a living person● Ex: Foreigners are hunting dogs – hunting dogs? Unclear whether dogs were being

hunted or foreigners are spoken of as dogs.● Ex: Each of us saw her duck. – Duck? Not clear if the duck refers to an action of ducking

or duck that is a bird.

8. Anachronism: A person, scene, or event, or other element in literature that fails to correspond with the time or era in which the work is set

● Ex: Brutus: Peace! count the clock.Cassius: The clock has stricken three.(From Act II, scene i : lines 193 - 194 of Julius Caesar)

● Ex: Ross: That nowSweno, the Norways' king, craves composition:Nor would we deign him burial of his menTill he disbursed at Saint Colme's inchTen thousand dollars to our general use.

9. Analogy: A comparison that points out similarities between two dissimilar things● Ex: The relationship between them began to thaw.● Ex: You are as annoying as nails on a chalkboard.● Ex: I am going to be toast when I get home.

10. Annotation: A brief explanation, summary, or evaluation of text or work of literature● Ex: Davidson's book provides a thorough examination of the major roles filled by the

numerous pagan goddesses of Northern Europe in everyday life, including their roles in hunting, agriculture, domestic arts like weaving, the household, and death.

● Ex: The author discusses relevant archaeological evidence, patterns of symbol and ritual, and previous research. The book includes a number of black and white photographs of relevant artifacts.

11. Antagonist: A character or force in a work of literature that, by opposing the protagonist produces tension or conflict

● Ex: Bane from Dark Knight● Ex: Wicked Witch from Wizard of Oz● Ex: Cruella Deville from 101 Dalmatians

12. Antithesis: A rhetorical opposition or contrast of ideas by means of a grammatical arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences

● Ex: "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." Martin Luther King, Jr.

● Ex: "Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing." Goethe

13. Aphorism: A short, pithy statement of generally accepted truth or sentiment❏ “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”❏ “The future will be better tomorrow”❏ “The first rule of Fight Club -- don’t talk about Fight Club.”

http://grammar.about.com/od/ab/g/aphorismterm.htm

14. Apollonian: In contrast to Dionysian, it refers to the most noble, godlike qualities of human nature and behavior

➢ Harmonious

➢ Classy➢ Ordered

15. Apostrophe: A rhetorical device in which a speaker addresses a person or personified thing not present

➢ “O God, O God” (Hamlet 1.2)➢ “O happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die."

16. Archetype: An abstract or ideal conception of a type: a perfectly typical example; an original model or form

➔ Carl Jung said the archetype is also the ideal model of something:➔ The father: Stern, powerful, controlling➔ The trickster: Deceiving, hidde

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

➢ "The law may not change the heart, but it can restrain the heartless."(Martin Luther King, Jr., address to the National Press Club on July 19, 1962)

➢ "It beats . . . as it sweeps . . . as it cleans!" (advertising slogan for Hoover vacuum cleaners, 1950s)

➢ "Those images that yet Fresh images beget,That dolphin-torn, that gong-tormented sea." (W.B. Yeats, "Byzantium")

18. Ballad: A simple narrative verse that tells a story that is sung or recited

“It’s a great feeling to immerse feet in freezing cold water, and to watch the candle as it flirts with wax and fire, and the flames with air… Fire is so beautiful… The flame… The way it dances… It’s like a song… Lyrical ballad… It’s just… Just mesmerizing… And it’s 3:36 am…” (Syed Ahmad)

19. Bard: A poet; in olden times, a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment. A poem told by a bard is usually an epic. A long story of adventure told through a poem. They tell stories from memory and don’t write down their stories. The most famous example of a bard and his epic would be Homer and the Odyssey. He was a bard/poet in ancient Greece. He told enormous stories, or epics, from memory to people that would listen.

20. Bathos: The use of insincere or overdone sentimentality. You will be familiar with the meaning of this word, even if you are unfamiliar with the word. Anytime you butter up to someone, or someone is trying to butter up to you, there is a lot of overdone sentimentality.

21. Bibliography: A list of works cited or otherwise relevant to a subject or other work. This is usually used for any paper that you wish to publish or turn in for a grade. If you don’t cite sources, you can receive a failure or get sued by a source you used.

22. Bildungsroman: A German word referring to a novel structured as a series of events that take place as the hero travels in quest of a goal. This is the process by which the hero of a story comes to age. He or she goes through a series of events or tasks and afterward came out a more mature person or a hero. For example, Batman. He had it good until his parents died and he went through a series of challenges and became a hero.

23. Bombast: Inflated, pretentious language used for trivial subjects. A bombast inflated sentence would look something like this. The birds soared across the sky, depositing excrement from his posterior. I know because I was bombarded by the fowl dung. Big pointless words for a bird pooping.

24. Burlesque: A work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation. The most famous example of this would be Animal Farm by George Orwell. He uses animals taking over a farm to ridicule communism uprising, in this case, Russia. Note, the commie pig joke in the book.

25. Cacophony: Grating, inharmonious soundsCacophony: many harsh sounds going on at the same time.

26. Caesura: A pause somewhere in the middle of a verse, often (but not always) marked bypunctuationCaesura: a complete pause that can be in writing or music.

27. Canon: The works considered most important in a national literature or period; works widely read and studiedCanon: a collection of sacred books that are considered genuine an example would be the bible.

28. Caricature: A grotesque likeness of striking qualities in persons and things

Caricature:

29. Carpe Diem: Literally, "seize the day"; enjoy life while you can, a common theme in literatureCarpe Diem: latin for seize the day, telling to embrace life

30. Catharsis: A cleansing of the spirit brought about by the pity and terror of a dramatic tragedyCatharsis: releasing pent up emotions, cleansing yourself of the daily problemscitations: google definitions

31. Classic: A highly regarded work of literature or other art form that has withstood the test of timeEX: Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

32. Classical: Classicism deriving from the orderly qualities of ancient Greek and Roman culture; implies formality, objectivity, simplicity, and restraintEX: Dante, Shakespearehttp://www.poetrysoup.com/poems/classicism

33. Climax: The high point, or turning point, of a story or playEX: Luke Skywalker’s confrontation with Darth Vader, Harry Potter’s confrontation with Voldemort

34. Coming-of-age story/novel: A tale in which a young protagonist experiences an introduction to adulthood. The character may develop understanding via disillusionment, education, does of reality, or any other experiences that alter his or her emotional or intellectual maturity

EX: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mud

35. Conceit: A witty or ingenious thought; a diverting or highly fanciful idea, often stated infigurative language

36. Connotation: The suggested or implied meaning of a word or phrase. Contrast with denotation. In a real life setting: any stereotypes or pre-conceived notions about someone or somethingEX:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/connotation

37. Consonance: The repetition of two or more consonant sounds in a group of words or a line of poetry'First and last,' 'odds and ends,' 'short and sweet,'

38. Couplet: A pair of rhyming lines in a poem"You say today is...Saturday?G'bye, I'm going out to play!" - Shel Silverstein

39. Denotation The dictionary definition of a word. Contrast with connotation

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

41. Deus Ex Machina In literature, the use of an artificial device or gimmick to solve a problem

42. Diction: The choice of words in oral and written discourse

43. Dionysian: As distinguished from Apollonian, the word refers to sensual, pleasure-seeking impulses

44. Dramatic Irony: A circumstance in which the audience or reader knows more about a situation than a character.Ex. Almost every horror/suspense film.

45. Elegy: A poem or prose selection that laments or meditates on the passing or death ofsomething or someone of value

Ex.

46. Ellipsis: Three periods (...) indicating the omission of words in a thought or quotationEx. “I thought you were a woman…”

47. Elliptical Construction: A sentence containing a deliberate omission of wordsEx. I can eat 4 cheese wedges, but Tom can only eat 1 (cheese wedge).

48. Hyperbole: Overstatement; gross exaggeration for rhetorical effectEx. The student asked how many points the test was worth and the teacher replied, “Three billion.”

49. Idyll: A lyric poem or passage that describes a kind of ideal life or place

Wanting to find my happy place, i read and reread Virgil’s idyll poem.

50. Image: A word or phrase representing that which can be seen, touched, tasted, smelled, or felt

51. In Medias Res: A Latin term for a narrative that starts not at the beginning of events but at some other critical point

‘If you recall, it starts with most of Odysseus' journey already finished. The story up to that point is then told through flashbacks as we learn about all the fantastic characters he met along the way.” Read the full text here: http://mentalfloss.com/article/20618/5-great-examples-medias-res#ixzz2eQI7OxJM

52. Indirect Quotation: A rendering of a quotation in which actual words are not stated but only approximated or paraphrasedAn indirect quotation reports someone's words without quoting word for wordExample:Christy said that she likes to play basketball on the weekends.

53. Irony: A mode of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is stated, often implying ridicule or light sarcasm; a state of affairs or events that is the reverse of what might have been expected

54. Kenning: A device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which the name of a thing is

replaced by one of its functions or qualitiesEx. "whale-road" for oceanEx. “Slaughter-dew” for bloodEx. “Sky-candle” for sun

55. Lampoon: A mocking, satirical assault on a person or situationYou are a flukeOf the universe.You have no right to be here.And whether you can hear it or notThe universe is laughing behind your back.

Jed Babbin: "Going to war without the French is like going deer hunting without your accordion."

56. Light verse: A variety of poetry meant to entertain or amuse, but sometimes with a satirical thrust

Dorothy Parker’s “One Perfect Rose”:Why is it no one ever sent me yet,One perfect limousine, do you suppose?Ah no, it's always just my luck to getOne perfect rose.

57. Litotes: A form of understatement in which the negative of of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity

● That's not a meager sum. ● You're not doing badly. ● That's no mean feat.

'To His Coy Mistress' by Andrew Marvell: 'The grave's a fine a private place, But none, I think, do there embrace.'

58. Loose sentence: 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 then followed by one or more subordinate clauses.

Emma Goldman: I knew I had found a friend in the woman, who herself was a lonely soul, never having known the love of man or child. Eric Hoffer: I found a large hall, obviously a former garage, dimly lit, and packed with cots.

59. Lyric Poetry: Personal, reflective poetry that reveals the speaker's thoughts and feelings about the subject

Judy Konos’ “What is It”: it isn't the poemit isn't the song

could it be the lyricsthat lead us soon wrong?”

60. Maxim: A saying or proverb expressing common wisdom or truth● Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it. ● Well done is better than well said.● Speak little, do much.● They that won’t be counseled, can’t be helped.● Actions speak louder than words.

Taylor: 61. Melodrama: A literary form in which events are exaggerated in order to create an extremeemotional responseVery dramatic to appeal to the emotions of the audience, with plots about human emotion, failed romance, tragedy, illness, or just hardships in general. One example of a film that is a melodrama is Dead Poets Society.

62. Metaphor: A figure of speech that compares unlike objectsCold hearted, Narrow minded, Heart of gold are all examples of metaphors

63. Metaphysical Poetry: 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“A presence that disturbs me with the joyOf elevated thought: a sense of sublimeOf something far more deeply interfused”Woodsworth

“As Rochefoucauld his maxims drewFrom nature, I believe them true. They argue no corrupted mindIn him; the fault is in mankind.”Swift

64. Meter: The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables found in poetryPoems can be arranged by accentual rhythm, syllabic quantity, the number of syllables in a line, the rhythmical pattern.

65. Metonymy: A figure of speech that uses the name of one thing to represent something else with which it is associatedMozart for Mozart’s music, the press for journalists/journalism, the pen is mightier than the sword.66. Middle English: The language spoken in England roughly between 1150 and 1500 A.D.Lauerd me steres, noght wante sal me:

In stede of fode þare me louked he.He fed me ouer watre ofe fode,Mi saule he tornes in to gode.He led me ouer sties of rightwisenes,For his name, swa hali es.For, and ife .I. ga in mid schadw ofe dede,For þou wiþ me erte iuel sal .i. noght drede;Þi yherde, and þi stafe ofe mighte,Þai ere me roned dai and nighte.Þou graiþed in mi sighte borde to be,Ogaines þas þat droued me;Þou fatted in oli me heued yhite;And mi drinke dronkenand while schire es ite!And filigh me sal þi mercyAlle daies ofe mi life for-þi;And þat .I. wone in hous ofe lauerd isseIn lengþe of daies al wiþ blisse

67. Mock Epic: A parody of traditional epic form. It usually treats a frivolous topic with extreme seriousness, using conventions such as invocations to the Muse, action-packed battle scenes, and accounts of heroic exploitsex: he climbed the stairs heroically on the way to the bathroom ( something normal said in a heroic way )

68. Mode: The general form, pattern, and manner of expression of a work of literatureex: how the story story is written and and patterns it formulates

69. Montage: A quick succession of images or impressions used to express an ideaEx: A montage (like in a movie) shows a quick review of important points in the story so you don’t have to take the time go through all of details of the story.

70. Mood: The emotional tone in a work of literatureEx: When you read or watch something sad like Bambi it makes you feel sad same with other emotions

71. Moral: A brief and often simplistic lesson that a reader may infer from a work of literatureEx: Snow white. Don’t take food from strangers

72. Motif: A phrase, idea, or event that through repetition serves to unify or convey a theme ina work of literature.Ex: the central theme of the book that comes through at multiple points in the story

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

There are 9 muses which come from ancient Greek astronomy: Epic poetry, history, love poetry, song and elegiac poetry, tragedy, hymns, dance, comedy, and astronomy. Authors will occasionally “invoke the muses” in a piece of work, hoping for inspiration. One example of this is in Shakespeare’s King Henry the V part 1, where he asks for a muse of fire to ascend them to the heavens.

74. Myth: An imaginary story that has become an accepted a part of the cultural or religioustradition of a group or society; often used to explain natural phenomena.

One of the most famous examples of myth is the Greek pantheon of gods, where different gods represent different parts of nature, i.e. Zeus is the sky and lightning, Poseidon represents the sea, etc.

75. Narrative: A form of verse or prose that tells a storyThere are three major types of narrative, a narrative story which is a story you might

write about something that might have happened to you, a narrative poem, an example of which is The Raven, by Edgar Allen Poe, in which someone is narrating an evening with a raven, and finally a narrative novel, an example of which is Moby Dick, where the main character is describing what happened to him.

76. Naturalism: A term often used as a synonym for realism; also a view of experience that is generally characterized as bleak and pessimistic; characters within this type of work oftenstruggle unsuccessfully to exercise free will.

A good example of this is Lord of the Flies, where all the characters end up giving into their rather gruesome natural tendencies. Another example that I love is the Wheel of Time series, where all the characters believe that their lives are threads woven into the pattern of life, and that they have very few actual choices.

77. Non Sequitur: A statement or idea that fails to follow logically from the one beforeAn example of this would be someone saying “ Pears are disgusting.” and then eating a

large amount of pears.

78. Novel of Manners: A novel focusing on and describing the social customs and habits of a particular social group

An example of this might be Pride and Prejudice and another Jane Austen books, which examine the lives of rich ladies in England.

79. Novella- A work of fiction of roughly 20,000 to 50,000 words-longer than a short story, butshorter than a novelExamples: Jack London's The Call of the Wild

John Steinbeck's Of Mice and MenGeorge Orwell's Animal Farm

Work Citedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novella

80. Ode- A lyric poem usually marked by serious, respectful, and exalted feelings toward thesubject

Example- Lovers Will

I am my beloved;My beloved is mine;Together we'll be entwined in Passion divine..

Work Citedhttp://www.poetrysoup.com/poems_poets/poems_read.aspx?term=ode

81. Old English- The Anglo-Saxon language spoken in what is now English from approximately 450 to 1150 A.D.Examples- ceap ("cheap"), cild ("child"), dic ("ditch") ([ ], next to a front vowel) (new sound derived from Germanic [k])fisc ("fish"), wascan ("wash"), scearp("sharp") ([ ] in all environments) (new sound derived from Germanic [sk])Work Citedhttp://mockingbird.creighton.edu/english/fajardo/teaching/eng520/oldeng.htm

82. Omniscient Narrator: A narrator with an unlimited awareness, understanding, and insight of characters, setting, background, and all other elements of the storyExamples- 1) The omniscient narrator may be a disembodied intelligence that isn’t part of the story as a character, but separate looking in and observing.2) The omniscient narrator can tell us what’s happening with any character.3) The fully omniscient narrator, who hasn’t been restricted, could literally report anything.Work Citedhttp://anaelectures.wordpress.com/tag/omniscient-narrator/

83. Onomatopoeia- The use of words whose sounds suggest their meaningExamples- The sheep went, “Baa.”

The large dog said, “Bow-wow!” Both bees and buzzers buzz.

Work Citedhttp://www.ereadingworksheets.com/figurative-language/poetic-devices/onomatopoeia-examples/

84. Ottava Rima- An eight-line rhyming stanza of a poemExamples- Quickly did the tiger begin his fast runOver hilly ground you see him fly and leapThe passive prey laying grazing in the sunSuddenly its life that it wanted to keepTiger pounces, quickly getting the job done

The prey collapsing in a really big heapTiger sleeps as night takes over from the dayWill we ever see the hunter become prey?Work Citedhttp://www.youngwriters.co.uk/ottava-rima.php

85. Oxymoron A term consisting of contradictory elements juxtaposed to create a paradoxical effect:Examples: “A clean mess”, “Original copy”, “Appear Invisible”Examples in a sentence: “A little pain never hurt anyone.” “We are not anticipating any emergencies.”http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/examples-of-oxymorons.html

86. Parable A story consisting of events from which a moral or spiritual truth may be derivedExamples:The Tortoise and the HareBeauty and the BeastThe Boy Who Cried Wolfhttp://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/parable-examples.html

87. Paradox A statement that seems self-contradictory but is nevertheless trueExamples: “Bittersweet”, “A wise fool”, “Jumbo Shrimp”, “I can resist anything but temptation”-Oscar Wildehttp://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-paradox.html

88. Paraphrase A version of a text put into simpler, everyday wordsExamples:Early in the series=first seasonClosest friend and associate=one family memberKids click through websites=children surfing the webhttp://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/examples-of-paraphrasing.html

89. Parody An imitation of a work meant to ridicule its style and subjectExamples:“Austin Powers”= Spoof on James Bond movies“Scary Movies”=Spoof on horror moviesSaturday Night Livehttp://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-parody.html

90. Passive Voice A verb is in the ________ _____ when it expresses an action performed upon its subject or when the subject is in the result of the action.Examples: “It was determined by the committee that the report was inconclusive.”-Subject is weak and indeterminate

“We were invited by our neighbors to attend their party.”-Sentence would be stronger if changed to “Our neighbors invited us to attend their party.”http://www.dailywritingtips.com/7-examples-of-passive-voice/

91. Pastoral: A work of literature dealing with rural life

92. Pentameter: A verse with five poetic feet per lineThis line has 5 feet, so it’s written in pentameter. And the stressing pattern is all iambs:if YOU | would PUT | the KEY | inSIDE | the LOCKda DUM | da DUM | da DUM | da DUM | da DUM

http://iambicpentameter.net/● It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. (William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet)

93. Periodic sentence: A sentence that departs from the usual word order of English sentences by expressing its main thought only at the end. In other words, the particulars in the sentence are presented before the idea they support

94. Persona: The role or facade that a character assumes or depicts to a reader, a viewer, or the world at large The firefighter is heroic and brave

95. Personification: A figure of speech in which objects and animals are given human characteristics

96. Picaresque Novel: An episodic novel about a roguelike wanderer who lives off his wits

97. Point of View: The relation in which a narrator or speaker stands to the story or subject matter of a poem

*First person: (includes the thoughts and perspective of one main character, who's telling his/her own story) As I walked up the hill, I realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who was nearly

always singing from the top of the maple tree. I thought I saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when I looked again it was gone. Still, I shuddered as I felt a silent threat pass over me like a cloud over the sun.* Second person: (turns the reader into the character) As you walk up the hill, you realize that the atmosphere's just too quiet. There's no sound from the cardinal you know is almost always singing from the top of the maple tree. You think you see a shadow move high up on the slope, but when you look again it's gone. You shudder as you feel a silent threat pass over you. You feel cold, like a cloud just passed over the sun.* Third person selective singular: (includes the thoughts and perspective of one main character) As she walked up the hill, she realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who she so often heard singing from the top of the maple tree. She thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again it was gone. Nevertheless, she shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her. It felt like a cloud creeping over the sun. Third person selective multiple;: (includes the thoughts of more than one main character but only one at a time. The scene break--*****--indicates a change from one POV to the other) As she walked up the hill, she realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who she so often heard singing from the top of the maple tree. She thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again it was gone. Nevertheless, she shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her. It felt like a cloud creeping over the sun.

***** He saw her start up the hill, and he moved quickly behind the shelter of the huge old maple tree. If she saw him now, everything would be ruined, but if he could stay hidden until she came within range--well, then she'd have to talk to him. Wouldn't she?Third person dual: (includes the thoughts of two main characters) As she walked up the hill, she realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who she so often heard singing from the top of the maple tree. He saw her start up the hill, and he moved quickly behind the shelter of the huge old maple tree. If she saw him now, everything would be ruined.

She thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again it was gone. If he could just stay hidden until she came within range, he thought, then she'd have to talk to him. Wouldn't she? She shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her. It felt like a cloud creeping over the sun.* Third person omniscient: (all-knowing; can include thoughts and perspective of all characters) As the girl walked up the hill, she realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. The cardinal tipped his head back and drew breath to sing, but just as the first note passed his beak he heard the crack of a dead branch far below his perch high in the maple tree. Startled, he looked down, cocking his head to one side and watching with great interest while the man rattled the blades of grass as he tried to hide himself behind the tree. As the man saw her start up the hill, he moved quickly into the shelter of the huge old maple tree. If she saw him now, everything would be ruined. She thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again it was gone. The man thought if he could stay hidden until she came within range, she'd have to talk to him. Wouldn't she? The girl shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her. It felt like a cloud creeping over the sun.* Third person detached: (no thoughts; the POV of screenplays) The girl walked up the quiet hillside. In the top of the maple tree, the cardinal tipped his head back and drew breath to sing. A dead branch cracked on the ground below the bird's perch. The man stepped on the branch and rattled the blades of grass as he moved behind the tree. He watched the girl come up the hillside toward him. Her gaze shifted quickly and warily from one shadowy area high on the slope to another, and she shuddered.http://home.mchsi.com/~webclass/POV%20samples.htm

98. Protagonist: The main character in a work of literatureexample: Harry Potter is the main character of The Harry Potter book series. It

focuses on him and his experiences.

99. Pseudonym: Also called "pen name"; a false name or alias used by writersExamples: J.K Rowling used the Pseudonym, Robert Galbraith, for her crime

novel The Cuckoo's Calling

100. Pulp Fiction: Novels written for mass consumption, often emphasizing exciting and titillating plots.

Example: Those free nook books offered on bn.com

101. Pun: A humorous play on words, using similar soundingor identical words to suggest different meanings

Examples:-I changed my iPod’s name to Titanic. It’s syncing now.-When chemists die, they barium.-Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.-How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it.-I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me.-This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I’d never met herbivore.-I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can’t put it down.-PMS jokes aren’t funny. Period.-Why were the Indians here first? They had reservations.http://oldnfo.org/2012/05/12/really-bad-puns/

102. Quatrain: A four-line poem or a four-line unit of a longer poemExample:

The sense of danger must not disappear:The way is certainly both short and steep,However gradual it looks from here;Look if you like, but you will have to leap.http://www.uni.edu/~gotera/CraftOfPoetry/quatrain.html

103. Realism: A depiction of people, things, and events as they really are without idealization or exaggeration for effect Ex:

● The dog had 4 legs. ● Fish swim in water. ● The unconscious person was not awake.

104. Rhetoric: The language of a work and its style; words, often highly emotional, usedregard to a particular subjectEx:

● How did this idiot get elected? -rhetorical question

● I will die if you ask me to do that-rhetorical hyperbole● Here comes the Spongebob of our school -Reference to pop culture using rhetoric

105. Rhetorical Stance: Language that conveys a speaker's attitude or opinion with regard to a particular subjectEx:

● This policy is bad for society. -rhetorical claim● As Mr. Keck states in his 2009 book, … - rhetorical evidence● The reason for this is that… -rhetorical reason/motive

Cite: http://literarydevices.net/rhetoric/

106. Rhyme: The repetition of similar sounds at regular intervals, used mostly in poetryEx:

● I can rhyme anytime● There is no way Nathan Wei is going golfing today● Who doesn’t love a good glove?

107. Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of rhymes within a given poemEx:

● It was purchased just for you,● when you're happy or you're blue,● you can wear it on your head,● 'round the house or in your bed,● you can wear it in the dark,● while you're ..........● Source: Rhyme Poems - Poems which Rhyme http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/funny/rhyme-

poems.asp#ixzz2eQKWYCfj

108. Rhythm: The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that make up a line of poetryEx:

● Three baby birds● Were Playing in their nest,● Mummy said - No more play● It is time for rest.● One, two, three● She put them into bed,● Sleep tight, wake up bright● This is what she said.

Source: http://exporterpages.hubpages.com/hub/Poems-for-kids-Poems-for-children-Poems-for-middle-schools-Rhythm-Poem-for-Nursery-KG

109. Roman à clef: French for a novel in which historical events and actual people appear under the guise of fictionEx:

● Animal Farm by George Orwell● Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

110. Romance: An extended narrative about improbable events and extraordinary people in exotic placesEx:

● Titanic● Casablanca● The Notebook

111. Sarcasm: A sharp, caustic expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt

● Used mainly for the purpose to make fun of someone.

112. Satire: A literary style used to poke fun at, attack or ridicule a idea, vice, or foible often for the purpose of inducing change

● Irony● Parody● Sarcasm● Pun● Hyperbole

113. Scan: The act of determining the meter of a poetic line● Determining the type of poem.● Marking a poem.● Counting its syllables per line.● Which words are “stressed” and “unstressed.”● Read the poem out loud to see if it sounds right and flows well.

Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Scan-a-Poem

114. Sentiment: A synonym for view or feeling; also a refined and tender emotion in literature● Usually based on emotion instead of reason.● A conveyed feeling.

● It’s the author telling you how a character feels.Source: http://petekarnas.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/sentimentality-in-literature/

115. Sentimental: A term that describes characters' excessive emotional response to experience; also nauseatingly nostalgic and mawkish -Ex. Emotions such as love, pity, longing, and nostalgia can be considered sentimental -http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sentimental

116. Setting: The total environment for the action in a novel or play. It includes time, place,historical milieu, and social, political, and even spiritual circumstances. -Ex. Location, Area, Country, City, Universe, Dimension, Date, Year, Time Period, Culture, Wartime, Peacetime, Famine, Dystopia, Utopia, etc. -Creates a backdrop and mood for the story -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setting_(narrative)

117. Simile: A figurative comparison using the words like or as -Ex. “As soft as a baby’s bottom”, “As dead as a doornail”, “As welcome as a bacon sandwich at a bar mitzvah”, “I’m off like milk”, “Like a midget at a urinal, I was going to have to be on my toes” -http://sw1970.hubpages.com/hub/Funny-Similes-and-Metaphors

118. Sonnet: A popular form of verse consisting of fourteen lines and a prescribed rhymescheme. -Ex. Shakespeare Sonnet 18Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines,By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;But thy eternal summer shall not fadeNor lose possession of that fair thou owest;Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,When in eternal lines to time thou growest: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,So long lives this and this gives life to thee. -http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/18.html

119. Stanza: A group of two or more lines in poetry combined according to subject matter,rhyme, or some other plan -A way of organizing a poem to make it easier for the reader to understand and follow it

120. Stream of Consciousness: A style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind -Also known as interior monologue. It is an attempt to portray the character’s point of view by giving the character’s thought processes in a loose monologue or in connection to their actions -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stream_of_consciousness_(narrative_mode)

121. Style: The manner in which an author uses and arranges words, shapes, ideas, formssentences, and creates a structure to convey ideas. A pattern consistent with the section. Style is a distinctive manner of expression. http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/style/ Authors tend to create their own styles to be distinct. For example, Charles Dickens (author of A Tale of Two Cities) tends to write in long sentences as well as set his stories in semi depressing settings.

122. Subplot: A subordinate or minor collection of events in novel or play, usually connected to the main plot. While the main story is consistent throughout, a subplot is a ‘stray’ story that unfolds along the main storyline. Most of the time, a single storyline is composed of a few main ideas and numerous sub-ideas.

123. Subtext: The implied meaning that underlies the main meaning of a work of literature. Similarly, it is a message which is not stated directly but can be inferred. (dictionary.com)

124. Symbolism: The use of one object to evoke ideas and associations not literally part of the original object. Represent an abstract idea through literary object.http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/examples-of-symbolism.html

ex: peace sign (for peace, hippies); cross (religious reference); flowers (love, growth); four leaf clover (luck)

125. Synecdoche: A figure of speech in which a part signifies the whole or the whole signifies the part; when the name of a material stands for the thing itself (pigskin for football) ex: three pairs of shoes walked--synecdoche for three people

126. Syntax: The organization of language into meaningful structure. Arrangement of words in sentences, clauses, and phrases, and the study of the formation of sentences and the relationship of their component parts. Often referred with grammar. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/syntax

127. Theme: The main idea or meaning, often an abstract idea upon which a work ofliterature is builtEX.The 12 Most Common Themes in Literature

1. Man Struggles Against Nature: Man is always at battle with human nature, whether the drives described are sexual, material or against the aging process itself.

2. Man Struggles Against Societal Pressure: Mankind is always struggling to determine if societal pressure is best for living. Check out books like Revolutionary Road or Mrs. Dalloway for examples of characters who know how society says they should live, but feel society's dictation is contrary to what makes them happy.

3. Man Struggles to Understand Divinity: Mankind tries to understand and make peace with God, but satisfaction is elusive and difficult.

4. Crime Does Not Pay: A popular theme played out in books throughout time is the concept that honesty is honored and criminals will eventually be caught. Crime and Punishment and "The Telltale Heart" are two stories written on this theme.

5. Overcoming Adversity: Many books laud characters who accept a tough situation and turn it into triumph. Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind exemplifies a shrewd person who finds a way to come out on top despite failed relationships and an economic depression after the Civil War.

6. Friendship is Dependant on Sacrifice: This is the idea that you can't have friends if you don't act like a friend.

7. The Importance of Family: Sacrifices for family are honored and explored, as are the family bonds that survive adversity.

8. Yin and Yang: Just when you think life is finally going to be easy, something bad happens to balance it all out.

9. Love is the Worthiest of Pursuits: Many writers assert the idea that love conquers all, appealing to the romantic side of us.

10. Death is Part of the Life Cycle: Literary works with this theme show how death and life and intricately connected.

11. Sacrifices Bring Reward: Sacrifices and hard work pay off in the end, despite the

challenges along the way.12. Human Beings All Have the Same Needs: From Montagues to Capulets in Romeo and

Juliet or the characters in S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders, book after book asserts that rich or poor, educated or dumb, all human beings need love and other basic needs met.

http://www.life123.com/parenting/education/children-reading/12-most-common-themes-in-literature.shtml

128. Title Character: A character whose name appears in the title of the novel or play; also known as the eponymous characterEX.

.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gatsby

129. Tone: The author's attitude toward the subject being written about; the characteristicemotion that pervades a work or part of work-in other words, the spirit or quality that is the work's emotional essenceEX.In contrast, in Charlotte's Web, although the book is sad, the tone is one of peace and acceptance:But I feel peaceful. Your success in the ring this morning was, to a small degree, my success. Your future is assured. You will live, secure and safe, Wilbur. Nothing can harm you now. These autumn days will shorten and grow cold. The leaves will shake loose from the trees and fall. Christmas will come, and the snows of winter. You will live to enjoy the beauty of the frozen world, for you mean a great deal to Zuckerman and he will not harm you, ever. Winter will pass,

the days will lengthen, the ice will melt in the pasture pond. The song sparrow will return and sing, the frogs will awake, the warm wind will blow again. All these sights and sounds and smells will be yours to enjoy, Wilbur—this lovely world, these precious days…”http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-tone-in-a-story.html

130. Tragedy: A form of literature in which the hero is destroyed by some character flaw and a set of forces that cause the hero considerable anguishEX.A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances.http://www.thefreedictionary.com/tragedyLiterary examples would consist of Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet

131. Trope: The generic name for a figure of speech such as image, symbol, simile, andmetaphorEX.With irony, a word or words are taken in the opposite way from their literal meaning. Examples:

● I just love doing dishes.● Your explanation is clear as mud.● That cloth is as smooth as sandpaper.

http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/examples-of-trope.html

132. Verbal Irony: A discrepancy between the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken wordsEX.The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne:Dimmesdale confesses to his congregation that he is the “worst of sinners.” but his congregation “did but reverence him the more”; they said that if “a saint on earth” could find sin in himself than they must truly be terrible. Dimmesdale wants the people to shun him as they did Hester, but they do and say the exact opposite.http://www.englishlanguageterminology.org/verbal-irony.htm

133. Verisimilitude: Similar to the truth; the quality of realism in a work that persuades readers that they are getting a vision of life as it is.

● Ex. A stage whisper so loud that the deaf lady in the way back can hear what’s going on, while the other characters on stage are oblivious.

● Ex. Asides in Shakespeare

134. Verse: A synonym for poetry. Also a group of lines in a song or poem; also a single line of poetry

● Ex. Sonnet 18 by Shakespeare

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15555Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate.Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summer's lease hath all too short a date.Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,And often is his gold complexion dimmed;And every fair from fair sometime declines,By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimmed;But thy eternal summer shall not fade,Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

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

● Ex. The Waking by Theodore Roethkehttp://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/172106I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. I feel my fate in what I cannot fear. I learn by going where I have to go.

We think by feeling. What is there to know? I hear my being dance from ear to ear. I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Of those so close beside me, which are you? God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there, And learn by going where I have to go.

Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how? The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair; I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Great Nature has another thing to do To you and me; so take the lively air, And, lovely, learn by going where to go.

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know. What falls away is always. And is near. I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. I learn by going where I have to go.

136. Voice: The real of assumed personality used by a writer or speaker.● Ex. Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven

○ gives off creepy mood

137. Wit: The quickness of intellect and the power and talent for saying brilliant things thatsurprise and delight by their unexpected cleverness; the power to comment subtly and pointedly on the foibles of the passing scene.

● Ex. "Don’t be so humble - you are not that great."- Golda Meir (1898-1978), to a visiting diplomat

http://www.tk421.net/quotes/