AP Literary and Rhetorical Terms

A metaphor that is developed and continued throughout a long section of writing or an entire text

Throughout the novel, the author uses an extended metaphor comparing the human mind to a garden that must be carefully tended and weeded.

A short, well-known saying that expresses a general truth or rule for behavior

My grandmother always repeated the maxim 'actions speak louder than words' when I made promises I didn't keep.

A way of describing something by saying it is something else, to show they share a quality, without using 'like' or 'as'

The teacher said that life is a journey and we must choose our path carefully.

A figure of speech in which the name of one thing is used to refer to something closely associated with it

When the news reporter said 'the White House announced a new policy,' she was using metonymy to refer to the president and his staff.

The overall feeling or atmosphere that a piece of writing creates in the reader

The dark storm clouds and empty streets described in the opening chapter created a mood of fear and loneliness.

A recurring image, symbol, idea, or theme that appears repeatedly in a work of literature and helps develop the main ideas

The motif of mirrors appears throughout the story to represent the character's obsession with her own identity.

A spoken or written account of connected events; a story

The novel's narrative follows a young woman as she travels across three countries searching for her missing brother.

A statement or conclusion that does not logically follow from what was said before it

We were discussing the budget cuts at school, and then he said 'I really like cheese,' which was a complete non-sequitur.

The use of words that imitate or suggest the natural sound of the thing they describe

The poet used onomatopoeia when he wrote about the bees buzzing and the river gurgling through the forest.

A phrase that combines two words with opposite meanings to create a special effect or express a complex idea

When she described the silence after the concert as 'deafening silence,' she used a clever oxymoron.

A short, simple story that teaches a moral or religious lesson

The teacher told the class a parable about a farmer who worked hard every day to show the importance of dedication.

Characterized by an excessive disaplay of learning or scholarship

His pedantic corrections of every tiny grammar mistake during casual conversation made it difficult for people to enjoy talking with him.

A bitter and powerful speech or piece of writing that strongly attacks or denunciates a person or group

The senator delivered a passionate philippic against the new law, arguing that it would harm millions of ordinary citizens.

A piece of writing or a speech that argues strongly against or in favor of something, often in a controversial way

The journalist wrote a bold polemic against the city's new housing policy, claiming it would make the problem worse.

The reson that supports the validity of a claim.

The premise of the book is that a single small decision can completely change the course of a person's life.

Information, often biased or misleading, that is spread to promote a particular political cause or point of view

The history teacher explained how governments sometimes use propaganda to make citizens support a war by showing only one side of the story.

A humorous use of a word or phrase that has two different meanings, or of words that sound alike but have different meanings

When the bicycle shop put up a sign saying 'We're on a roll,' they made a pun that made their customers smile.