AP Literary Devices Flashcard

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Extended metaphor

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A version of metaphor that extends over the course of multiple lines, paragraphs, or stanzas of prose or poetry.

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Antithesis

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A rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect. Example: 'Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.'

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Antagonist

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The principal opponent or foil of the main character (protagonist) in a drama or narrative.

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Meter

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The number of feet in a line of poetry.

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Ballad

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A type of poem that tells a story and was traditionally set to music; typically composed of four-line stanzas that follow an ABCB rhyme scheme.

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Simile

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A figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as'.

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Metaphor

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A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.

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Alliteration

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The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

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Imagery

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Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates a visual representation in the reader's mind.

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Personification

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A literary device where human qualities are attributed to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract concepts.