English Language and Composition from Cliffs (1)
Terms for the Multiple-Choice and Essay Sections (according to CliffsAp by Barbara V. Swovelin). Exact Definition and highly reliable.
Terms
undefined, object
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- caricature
- a representation, especially pictorial or literary, in whcihc the subject's distinctive feature or peculiarities are deliberately exaggerated to produce a comic or grotesque effect. Sometimes caricature can be so exaggerated that it becomes a grotesque imitation or misrepresenmtation. Synonymous words include burlesque, parody, travesty, satire, lampoon
- antecedent
- the word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. The exam occasionally asks for the antecedent of a given pronoun in a long, complex sentence or in a group of sentences
- allusion
- a direct or indirect reference to something that is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical (like referring to Hitler), literary (like referring to Kurtz in Heart of Darkness), religious (like referring to Noah and the flood), or mythical (like referring to Atlas). There are, of course, many more possibilities, and a work may simultaneously use multiple layers of allusion
- analogy
- a similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. an analogy can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with, or pointing out its similarity to, something more familiar. Anaologies can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, and intellectually engaging
- ambiguity
- the multiple meanings, either intentional, or unintional, of a words, phrase, sentence, or passage
- atmosphere
- the emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere. Frequently, atmosphere foreshadows events
- ad hominem argument
- From the Latin meaning "to or against the man," this is an argument that appeals to emotion rather than reason, to feeling rather than intellect
- apostrophe
- a figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. the effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity. William Wordworth addresses John Milton as he writes, "Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour: England hath need of thee."
- aphorism
- a terse statement of known authorship that expresses a general truth or moral principle. (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb), An aphorism can be a memorable summation of the author's point
- allegory
- the device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. In some allegories, for example, an author may intend the characters to personify an abstraction like hope or freedom. The allegorical meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence
- antithesis
- a figure of speech involving a seeming contradiction of ideas, words, clauses, or sentences within a balanced grammatical structure. the resulting parallelism serves to emphasize opposition of ideas. The familiar phrase "Man proposes, God disposes" is an example of antithesis, as is John Dryden's description in The Hind and the Panther: "Too black for heaven, and yet too white for hell"
- alliteration
- the repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (she sells sea shells). Although the term is not used in the multiple-choice section, you can look for alliteration in any essay passage. The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, and/or supply a musical sound