What is behavior in AP English Literature?

A character's actions and conduct that reveal their personality, values, and motivations.

What is bias in AP English Literature?

A character's prejudice or tendency to favor certain viewpoints, revealed through their language and choices.

What is character motives in AP English Literature?

The reasons, desires, or intentions that drive a character's decisions and actions.

What is character perspective in AP English Literature?

A character's point of view, beliefs, values, and way of understanding the world as revealed through their thoughts, words, and actions.

What is description in AP English Literature?

Textual details that depict a character's physical appearance, qualities, or circumstances, which may come from a narrator, speaker, other characters, or the character themselves.

What is dialogue in AP English Literature?

Spoken words exchanged between characters that reveal their personalities, perspectives, and relationships.

What is narrator in AP English Literature?

The voice or character who tells the story and whose perspective shapes how events and subjects are presented to the reader.

What is relationships in AP English Literature?

Connections between characters that shape and reveal their perspectives, motivations, and development.

What is textual details in AP English Literature?

Specific words, phrases, descriptions, dialogue, and actions within a text that provide evidence about characters, their perspectives, and motivations.

What is first-person narrator in AP English Literature?

A narrator who is a character involved in the narrative and tells the story from their own perspective using 'I' or 'we'.

AP English Literature Vocabulary – 353 terms & definitions

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Key Terms

662 essential vocabulary terms and definitions to know for your AP English Literature exam

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📚AP English Literature

Key Terms by Unit

🌱Unit 1 – Intro to Short Fiction

1.1 Interpreting the role of character in fiction

Term	Definition
behavior	A character's actions and conduct that reveal their personality, values, and motivations.
bias	A character's prejudice or tendency to favor certain viewpoints, revealed through their language and choices.
character motives	The reasons, desires, or intentions that drive a character's decisions and actions.
character perspective	A character's point of view, beliefs, values, and way of understanding the world as revealed through their thoughts, words, and actions.
description	Textual details that depict a character's physical appearance, qualities, or circumstances, which may come from a narrator, speaker, other characters, or the character themselves.
dialogue	Spoken words exchanged between characters that reveal their personalities, perspectives, and relationships.
narrator	The voice or character who tells the story and whose perspective shapes how events and subjects are presented to the reader.
relationships	Connections between characters that shape and reveal their perspectives, motivations, and development.
textual details	Specific words, phrases, descriptions, dialogue, and actions within a text that provide evidence about characters, their perspectives, and motivations.

1.2 Identifying and interpreting setting

Term	Definition
first-person narrator	A narrator who is a character involved in the narrative and tells the story from their own perspective using 'I' or 'we'.
narrator	The voice or character who tells the story and whose perspective shapes how events and subjects are presented to the reader.
omniscient narrator	A third-person narrator who has all-knowing perspective and can access the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of all characters and events in the narrative.
perspective	The viewpoint, background, and beliefs of a narrator, character, or speaker that shape how they perceive and present events or subjects.
point of view	The perspective from which a narrative is told, determined by the narrator's position, knowledge, and relationship to the events and characters in the story.
speaker	The voice presenting ideas or emotions in a text, particularly in poetry or non-narrative works, whose perspective influences the tone and content.
third-person narrator	A narrator who is an outside observer not directly involved in the narrative and refers to characters using 'he,' 'she,' 'it,' or 'they'.

1.3 Understanding how a story’s structure affects interpretations

Term	Definition
setting	The time, place, and social context in which a narrative takes place, which can function to establish conflict, reveal character, or drive plot development.
textual details	Specific words, phrases, descriptions, dialogue, and actions within a text that provide evidence about characters, their perspectives, and motivations.

1.4 Understanding and interpreting a narrator’s perspective

Term	Definition
action	The events and movements that occur within a narrative's plot.
cause-and-effect relationship	A connection between events in which one event (the cause) directly leads to or influences another event (the effect).
character	A person or entity in a narrative whose actions, thoughts, and relationships drive the story forward.
conflict	A struggle or opposition between characters, forces, or ideas that drives the narrative forward.
dramatic situation	The combination of setting, action, and conflict that develops a narrative and places characters in opposition or struggle.
events	Individual occurrences or incidents that make up the sequence of a plot.
exposition	The part of a narrative that introduces background information, characters, setting, and context necessary for understanding the story.
falling fortunes	A progression in a narrative where a character's circumstances, status, or prospects decline.
narrative	A story or account of events presented in a text, including how those events are ordered and connected.
plot	The sequence of events in a narrative that are connected through cause-and-effect relationships, with each event building on the others.
rising fortunes	A progression in a narrative where a character's circumstances, status, or prospects improve.
setting	The time, place, and social context in which a narrative takes place, which can function to establish conflict, reveal character, or drive plot development.

1.5 Reading texts literally and figuratively

Term	Definition
claim	A statement about a text that requires defense with evidence from the text.
literary analysis	The process of closely reading a text to identify details and make supported arguments about aspects of the text.
textual evidence	Specific details and quotes from a text that support and defend a claim in literary analysis.

☕Unit 2 – Intro to Poetry

2.1 Identifying characters in poetry

Term	Definition
bias	A character's prejudice or tendency to favor certain viewpoints, revealed through their language and choices.
character motives	The reasons, desires, or intentions that drive a character's decisions and actions.
character perspective	A character's point of view, beliefs, values, and way of understanding the world as revealed through their thoughts, words, and actions.
textual details	Specific words, phrases, descriptions, dialogue, and actions within a text that provide evidence about characters, their perspectives, and motivations.

2.2 Understanding & interpreting meaning in poetic structure

Term	Definition
line breaks	The division of a poem into individual lines, which affects how readers process and interpret the text's meaning and pacing.
stanza	A grouped arrangement of lines in a poem that functions as a unit and contributes to the poem's overall structure and meaning.
stanza breaks	The division of a poem into grouped lines (stanzas), which contributes to the organization and development of ideas.
structure	The arrangement and organization of elements in a text, including line and stanza breaks, that affects how readers interpret ideas and respond to the work.

2.3 Analyzing word choice to find meaning

Term	Definition
contrast	A juxtaposition of different elements in a text that highlights differences and creates emphasis or meaning.
dramatic situation	The combination of setting, action, and conflict that develops a narrative and places characters in opposition or struggle.
imagery	The use of vivid, descriptive language and sensory details to create mental images and evoke emotional responses in a reader.
juxtaposition	The placement of two contrasting elements side by side to highlight their differences and create emphasis.
narrator	The voice or character who tells the story and whose perspective shapes how events and subjects are presented to the reader.
point of view	The perspective from which a narrative is told, determined by the narrator's position, knowledge, and relationship to the events and characters in the story.
shift	A change or transition in a text's focus, tone, perspective, or other literary elements.
speaker	The voice presenting ideas or emotions in a text, particularly in poetry or non-narrative works, whose perspective influences the tone and content.
tone	The attitude or emotional quality conveyed by the speaker, narrator, or author toward the subject matter.

2.4 Identifying techniques in poetry to analyze literary works

Term	Definition
alliteration	The repetition of the same letter sound at the beginning of adjacent or nearby words to emphasize those words and their associations.
ambiguous referent	A referent that can refer to more than one antecedent, creating multiple possible interpretations in a text.
antecedent	A word, phrase, or clause that precedes and is referred to by another word, typically a pronoun, in a text.
referent	A word, phrase, or clause that is referred back to by another word, such as a pronoun or noun, in a text.
repetition	The deliberate reuse of words, phrases, or ideas to emphasize meaning and create coherence in writing.

🎭Unit 3 – Intro to Longer Fiction & Drama

3.1 Interpreting character description and perspective

Term	Definition
character actions	The things a character does or chooses not to do, which reveal their motives, values, and personality.
character comparison	When a character or narrator is compared to something or someone else, revealing attitudes toward that character and insights about their nature.
character description	The specific details and information provided about a character's appearance, personality, background, and traits.
character inactions	The things a character fails to do or deliberately avoids doing, which can reveal their motives and values.
character motives	The reasons, desires, or intentions that drive a character's decisions and actions.
character perspective	A character's point of view, beliefs, values, and way of understanding the world as revealed through their thoughts, words, and actions.
climax	The turning point or moment of greatest tension in a narrative where the central conflict reaches its peak.
dynamic character	A character who develops and changes significantly over the course of a narrative, often making choices that affect the story's climax and resolution.
external changes	Visible, observable changes to a character such as changes in health, wealth, or physical appearance.
internal changes	Psychological or emotional changes within a character that are not immediately visible.
narrator perspective	The point of view and vantage point from which a narrator tells a story, which shapes how characters and events are presented to the reader.
reader's interpretation	The meaning and understanding a reader constructs about a character or text based on textual evidence and analysis.
resolution	The part of a narrative where conflicts are settled and loose ends are tied up after the climax.
static character	A character who remains largely unchanged or unaffected by the events of the narrative.
textual details	Specific words, phrases, descriptions, dialogue, and actions within a text that provide evidence about characters, their perspectives, and motivations.

3.2 Character evolution throughout a narrative

Term	Definition
conflict	A struggle or opposition between characters, forces, or ideas that drives the narrative forward.
external conflict	Tension between a character and outside forces that obstruct the character in some way.
internal conflict	Tension between competing values within a character; also known as psychological conflict.
internal conflicts	Psychological or emotional struggles within a character's mind, such as conflicting desires, beliefs, or values.
primary conflict	The main conflict in a text that can be heightened by the presence of additional intersecting conflicts.

3.3 Conflict and plot development

Term	Definition
character development	The process by which a character's personality, beliefs, or motivations change or are revealed through events in the narrative.
conflict	A struggle or opposition between characters, forces, or ideas that drives the narrative forward.
encounter	A meeting or interaction between characters in a narrative that can introduce and develop the plot.
episode	A distinct event or incident within a narrative that contributes to the development of the plot.
narrative	A story or account of events presented in a text, including how those events are ordered and connected.
plot	The sequence of events in a narrative that are connected through cause-and-effect relationships, with each event building on the others.
scene	A specific moment or sequence in a narrative where action takes place and can introduce and develop the plot.
setting	The time, place, and social context in which a narrative takes place, which can function to establish conflict, reveal character, or drive plot development.
textual details	Specific words, phrases, descriptions, dialogue, and actions within a text that provide evidence about characters, their perspectives, and motivations.

3.4 Interpreting symbolism

Term	Definition
claim	A statement about a text that requires defense with evidence from the text.
commentary	Explanatory writing that clarifies the relationship between textual evidence, reasoning, and thesis in a literary argument.
composition	The arrangement and organization of elements in writing, including structure, style, and technique used to communicate ideas effectively.
conventions	Established standards and rules for writing that are widely accepted and expected in formal communication.
defensible claim	An argument or interpretation that can be supported and justified through evidence and logical reasoning.
evidence	Specific details, quotes, examples, or references from a text used to support and develop a line of reasoning in a literary argument.
grammar	The system of rules governing the structure of sentences and the use of words in a language.
interpretation	An explanation or understanding of the meaning or significance of a literary text or its elements.
line of reasoning	The logical sequence of claims that work together to defend and support the overarching thesis statement.
literary analysis	The process of closely reading a text to identify details and make supported arguments about aspects of the text.
mechanics	The technical aspects of writing including punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and formatting that follow established conventions.
textual evidence	Specific details and quotes from a text that support and defend a claim in literary analysis.
thesis	The overarching central claim or argument that an essay defends and develops throughout.
thesis statement	A statement that expresses an interpretation of a literary text and makes a defensible claim that can be supported through textual evidence and reasoning.

⚔️Unit 4 – Character, Conflict, & Storytelling in Short Fiction

4.1 Protagonists, antagonists, character relationships, and conflict

Term	Definition
agency	A character's ability to make choices and take action that affects the plot and reveals their significance.
antagonist	A character, force, or entity that opposes the protagonist and creates conflict in the narrative.
character choices	Decisions made by a character through speech, action, or inaction that reveal their values and personality.
character motives	The reasons, desires, or intentions that drive a character's decisions and actions.
character perspective	A character's point of view, beliefs, values, and way of understanding the world as revealed through their thoughts, words, and actions.
complexity	The intricate, multifaceted, and often contradictory aspects of character relationships that go beyond simple or straightforward dynamics.
conflict	A struggle or opposition between characters, forces, or ideas that drives the narrative forward.
contrasting characters	Characters who have opposing qualities, values, or characteristics that highlight differences and reveal meaning in a narrative.
internal conflicts	Psychological or emotional struggles within a character's mind, such as conflicting desires, beliefs, or values.
nuance	Subtle variations, shades of meaning, or delicate distinctions in character relationships and interactions.
protagonist	The main character in a narrative who typically drives the action and with whom the reader often identifies.
textual details	Specific words, phrases, descriptions, dialogue, and actions within a text that provide evidence about characters, their perspectives, and motivations.
value systems	The principles, beliefs, and priorities that guide a character's decisions and actions, often causing tension when characters hold different values.

4.2 Character interactions with setting and its significance

Term	Definition
atmosphere	The overall tone and emotional quality of a narrative, often created through descriptive details and setting.
character	A person or entity in a narrative whose actions, thoughts, and relationships drive the story forward.
environment	The physical surroundings and conditions that a character inhabits within a literary work.
setting	The time, place, and social context in which a narrative takes place, which can function to establish conflict, reveal character, or drive plot development.

4.3 Archetypes in literature

Term	Definition
adjective	A descriptive word that modifies a noun and conveys the perspective or attitude of the narrator or speaker toward what is being described.
adverb	A descriptive word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb and conveys the perspective or attitude of the narrator or speaker.
character	A person or entity in a narrative whose actions, thoughts, and relationships drive the story forward.
diction	The choice and use of words in a text that conveys meaning and reveals the perspective or attitude of the narrator or speaker.
narrative	A story or account of events presented in a text, including how those events are ordered and connected.
narrative distance	The physical, chronological, relational, or emotional separation between the narrator and the events or characters in the narrative.
narrator	The voice or character who tells the story and whose perspective shapes how events and subjects are presented to the reader.
perspective	The viewpoint, background, and beliefs of a narrator, character, or speaker that shape how they perceive and present events or subjects.
point of view	The perspective from which a narrative is told, determined by the narrator's position, knowledge, and relationship to the events and characters in the story.
speaker	The voice presenting ideas or emotions in a text, particularly in poetry or non-narrative works, whose perspective influences the tone and content.
stream of consciousness	A narrative technique that presents a character's thoughts, feelings, and sensations in a continuous, unfiltered flow.
syntax	The arrangement and structure of words and sentences in a text that can reveal a narrator's or speaker's perspective and attitude.
tone	The attitude or emotional quality conveyed by the speaker, narrator, or author toward the subject matter.

4.4 Types of narration like stream of consciousness

Term	Definition
archetypes	Recurring patterns in dramatic situations that are so common they create predictable expectations for how stories will progress and resolve.
conflict	A struggle or opposition between characters, forces, or ideas that drives the narrative forward.
contrast	A juxtaposition of different elements in a text that highlights differences and creates emphasis or meaning.
dramatic situation	The combination of setting, action, and conflict that develops a narrative and places characters in opposition or struggle.
narrative	A story or account of events presented in a text, including how those events are ordered and connected.
plot	The sequence of events in a narrative that are connected through cause-and-effect relationships, with each event building on the others.

4.5 Narrative distance, tone, and perspective

Term	Definition
body paragraphs	Paragraphs in an essay that develop reasoning, justify claims, and provide evidence and commentary linked to the thesis.
claim	A statement about a text that requires defense with evidence from the text.
coherence	The logical linking of ideas within sentences, paragraphs, and across a text so that the writing flows clearly and meaningfully.
cohesive	Logically connected and unified, with clear relationships between ideas, claims, and evidence within a paragraph or essay.
commentary	Explanatory writing that clarifies the relationship between textual evidence, reasoning, and thesis in a literary argument.
defensible claim	An argument or interpretation that can be supported and justified through evidence and logical reasoning.
evidence	Specific details, quotes, examples, or references from a text used to support and develop a line of reasoning in a literary argument.
interpretation	An explanation or understanding of the meaning or significance of a literary text or its elements.
line of reasoning	The logical sequence of claims that work together to defend and support the overarching thesis statement.
parallel structure	The use of similar grammatical forms or patterns to express related ideas, creating balance and clarity in writing.
pronoun references	The use of pronouns to refer back to previously mentioned nouns, creating connections between ideas in a text.
repetition	The deliberate reuse of words, phrases, or ideas to emphasize meaning and create coherence in writing.
synonyms	Words with similar meanings used to reinforce ideas and maintain coherence without unnecessary repetition.
textual evidence	Specific details and quotes from a text that support and defend a claim in literary analysis.
thesis	The overarching central claim or argument that an essay defends and develops throughout.
thesis statement	A statement that expresses an interpretation of a literary text and makes a defensible claim that can be supported through textual evidence and reasoning.
topic sentence	A sentence that states a claim and explains the reasoning connecting the various claims and evidence in a paragraph.
transitions	Words or phrases that connect ideas and show relationships between sentences, paragraphs, or sections of writing.

🌈Unit 5 – Structure & Figurative Language in Poetry

5.1 Traits of closed and open structures in poetry

Term	Definition
closed forms	Poetry that follows predictable patterns in the structure of lines, stanzas, meter, and rhyme to develop relationships among ideas.
meter	The rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry.
open forms	Poetry that may not follow expected or predictable patterns in the structure of lines or stanzas but may still have structures that develop relationships between ideas.
rhyme	The repetition of identical or similar sounds at the end of words, typically at the end of lines in poetry.
stanza	A grouped arrangement of lines in a poem that functions as a unit and contributes to the poem's overall structure and meaning.

5.2 Use of techniques like imagery and hyperbole

Term	Definition
adjective	A descriptive word that modifies a noun and conveys the perspective or attitude of the narrator or speaker toward what is being described.
adverb	A descriptive word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb and conveys the perspective or attitude of the narrator or speaker.
connotation	The emotional, cultural, or associative meaning of a word beyond its literal definition that can add nuance or complexity to a text.
figurative meaning	The non-literal meaning of a word or phrase that conveys ideas through comparison, symbolism, or other rhetorical devices rather than direct definition.
hyperbole	A figure of speech that exaggerates something for emphasis or effect, focusing attention on a particular trait.
literal meaning	The direct, dictionary definition of a word or phrase without any figurative or symbolic interpretation.
understatement	A figure of speech that minimizes or downplays something, focusing attention on a trait by deliberately representing it as less important than it is.

5.3 Types of comparisons in poetry including personification and allusion

Term	Definition
adjective	A descriptive word that modifies a noun and conveys the perspective or attitude of the narrator or speaker toward what is being described.
adverb	A descriptive word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb and conveys the perspective or attitude of the narrator or speaker.
comparison	A literary device in which one thing is likened to another to represent something in a text through sensory associations.
image	A descriptive representation in a text that can be literal or figurative, appealing to the senses or creating associations with sensory experience.
imagery	The use of vivid, descriptive language and sensory details to create mental images and evoke emotional responses in a reader.
sensory imagery	Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses, created through the use of adjectives, adverbs, and other descriptive words.

5.4 Identifying and interpreting extended metaphors

Term	Definition
comparison subject	In a comparison, the thing to which the main subject is being compared; the secondary object or concept used to illuminate the main subject.
extended metaphor	A metaphor that is developed and sustained throughout parts of or an entire text through additional details, similes, and images.
figurative meaning	The non-literal meaning of a word or phrase that conveys ideas through comparison, symbolism, or other rhetorical devices rather than direct definition.
main subject	In a comparison, the thing being compared; the primary object or concept that is the focus of the metaphor or simile.
metaphor	A figure of speech that implies similarities between two usually unrelated concepts or objects to reveal or emphasize something about one of them.
trait	Distinctive qualities or characteristics of a person, object, or concept.

🛠️Unit 6 – Literary Techniques in Longer Works

6.1 Interpreting foil characters

Term	Definition
character motives	The reasons, desires, or intentions that drive a character's decisions and actions.
character perspective	A character's point of view, beliefs, values, and way of understanding the world as revealed through their thoughts, words, and actions.
competing choices	Multiple alternative actions or decisions available to a character that pull in different directions or reflect different values.
complexity	The intricate, multifaceted, and often contradictory aspects of character relationships that go beyond simple or straightforward dynamics.
conflicting choices	Decisions or actions by a character that contradict each other or reveal opposing values and motivations.
contrast	A juxtaposition of different elements in a text that highlights differences and creates emphasis or meaning.
foil characters	Characters whose traits, attributes, or values contrast with another character in order to highlight and illuminate those qualities in the other character.
inconsistency	Contradictions or misalignments between different aspects of a character, such as between their private thoughts and public behavior.
narrator perspective	The point of view and vantage point from which a narrator tells a story, which shapes how characters and events are presented to the reader.
private thoughts	A character's internal mental states, beliefs, and feelings that are not expressed outwardly to others.
professed values	The beliefs, principles, or moral standards that a character openly claims or demonstrates to others.
speaker perspective	The viewpoint and voice of the person speaking in a text, which shapes the tone and interpretation of their words.
tension	The psychological or emotional strain created by conflicting desires, beliefs, or behaviors within a character.
textual details	Specific words, phrases, descriptions, dialogue, and actions within a text that provide evidence about characters, their perspectives, and motivations.

6.2 Understanding and interpreting character complexity

Term	Definition
archetypal	Representing a character or symbol that is so universally recognized and recurrent that it embodies a universal pattern or prototype.
symbol	A person, place, object, or action that represents something beyond its literal meaning, such as an abstract concept, emotion, or idea.
symbolic	Serving as a representation or standing for an idea or concept; having symbolic meaning.

6.3 Understanding nonlinear narrative structures like flashbacks and foreshadowing

Term	Definition
bias	A character's prejudice or tendency to favor certain viewpoints, revealed through their language and choices.
character motives	The reasons, desires, or intentions that drive a character's decisions and actions.
diction	The choice and use of words in a text that conveys meaning and reveals the perspective or attitude of the narrator or speaker.
motivation	The underlying reasons or purposes that drive a narrator's or speaker's choices in presenting information and perspective.
narrative	A story or account of events presented in a text, including how those events are ordered and connected.
narrator	The voice or character who tells the story and whose perspective shapes how events and subjects are presented to the reader.
narrator's reliability	The degree to which a narrator can be trusted to provide accurate, truthful, and complete information about events in a narrative.
perspective	The viewpoint, background, and beliefs of a narrator, character, or speaker that shape how they perceive and present events or subjects.
speaker	The voice presenting ideas or emotions in a text, particularly in poetry or non-narrative works, whose perspective influences the tone and content.
syntax	The arrangement and structure of words and sentences in a text that can reveal a narrator's or speaker's perspective and attitude.
tone	The attitude or emotional quality conveyed by the speaker, narrator, or author toward the subject matter.

6.4 The effect of narrative tone and bias on reading

Term	Definition
ambiguity	The quality of having multiple possible meanings or interpretations, often created by contrasts within a text.
chronology	The arrangement of events in the order they occur in time.
contradiction	Direct oppositions or inconsistencies between elements in a text that create complexity and tension.
contrast	A juxtaposition of different elements in a text that highlights differences and creates emphasis or meaning.
flashback	A narrative technique that interrupts the chronological sequence to present events that occurred earlier in time.
foreshadowing	A narrative technique that hints at or suggests future events before they occur in the story.
in medias res	A narrative technique that begins a story in the middle of the action rather than at the beginning.
inconsistency	Contradictions or misalignments between different aspects of a character, such as between their private thoughts and public behavior.
narrative	A story or account of events presented in a text, including how those events are ordered and connected.
nuance	Subtle variations, shades of meaning, or delicate distinctions in character relationships and interactions.
plot	The sequence of events in a narrative that are connected through cause-and-effect relationships, with each event building on the others.
stream of consciousness	A narrative technique that presents a character's thoughts, feelings, and sensations in a continuous, unfiltered flow.

6.5 Characters as symbols, metaphors, and archetypes

Term	Definition
audience	The intended readers or listeners for whom a writer creates a text.
claim	A statement about a text that requires defense with evidence from the text.
clarity	The quality of being clear and easily understood; achieved through appropriate language choices for task, purpose, and audience.
commentary	Explanatory writing that clarifies the relationship between textual evidence, reasoning, and thesis in a literary argument.
composition	The arrangement and organization of elements in writing, including structure, style, and technique used to communicate ideas effectively.
defensible claim	An argument or interpretation that can be supported and justified through evidence and logical reasoning.
evidence	Specific details, quotes, examples, or references from a text used to support and develop a line of reasoning in a literary argument.
interpretation	An explanation or understanding of the meaning or significance of a literary text or its elements.
line of reasoning	The logical sequence of claims that work together to defend and support the overarching thesis statement.
purpose	The intended goal or effect a writer aims to achieve with their writing.
standard English conventions	Accepted rules and practices in grammar, punctuation, and spelling that are expected in formal writing.
syntax	The arrangement and structure of words and sentences in a text that can reveal a narrator's or speaker's perspective and attitude.
task	The specific writing assignment or type of writing a student is asked to complete.
textual evidence	Specific details and quotes from a text that support and defend a claim in literary analysis.
thesis	The overarching central claim or argument that an essay defends and develops throughout.
thesis statement	A statement that expresses an interpretation of a literary text and makes a defensible claim that can be supported through textual evidence and reasoning.
vocabulary	The choice and use of specific words in writing; deliberate vocabulary choices contribute to achieving a writer's purpose.

🏛️Unit 7 – Societal & Historical Context in Short Fiction

7.1 Sudden and more gradual change in characters

Term	Definition
central conflict	The main struggle or tension in a narrative that typically involves the protagonist and is often directly related to character epiphanies.
character change	The transformation or development of a character's traits, beliefs, or values over the course of a narrative.
character interactions	The ways in which characters engage with, respond to, and influence one another through dialogue, action, and behavior.
complexity	The intricate, multifaceted, and often contradictory aspects of character relationships that go beyond simple or straightforward dynamics.
conflict of values	A clash between different principles or beliefs that a character holds, which often drives character development in a narrative.
epiphany	A sudden moment of realization or insight that allows a character to see things in a new light and often leads to significant change.
exclusion	The rejection or separation of a character from a group, revealing the group's attitude toward that character.
inclusion	The acceptance or incorporation of a character into a group, revealing the group's attitude toward that character.
nuance	Subtle variations, shades of meaning, or delicate distinctions in character relationships and interactions.
textual details	Specific words, phrases, descriptions, dialogue, and actions within a text that provide evidence about characters, their perspectives, and motivations.

7.2 Epiphany as a driver of plot

Term	Definition
attitude	The emotional stance or perspective a narrator, character, or speaker takes toward a subject or situation.
character	A person or entity in a narrative whose actions, thoughts, and relationships drive the story forward.
character development	The process by which a character's personality, beliefs, or motivations change or are revealed through events in the narrative.
conflict of values	A clash between different principles or beliefs that a character holds, which often drives character development in a narrative.
narrative	A story or account of events presented in a text, including how those events are ordered and connected.
setting	The time, place, and social context in which a narrative takes place, which can function to establish conflict, reveal character, or drive plot development.

7.3 Relationships between characters and groups

Term	Definition
abstraction	Non-concrete ideas or concepts such as emotions, ideologies, and beliefs that settings or symbols may represent.
ideology	Systems of beliefs, values, and ideas that can be symbolically represented through literary elements like setting.
image	A descriptive representation in a text that can be literal or figurative, appealing to the senses or creating associations with sensory experience.
imagery	The use of vivid, descriptive language and sensory details to create mental images and evoke emotional responses in a reader.
motif	A unified pattern of recurring objects or images used to emphasize a significant idea in large parts of or throughout a text.
setting	The time, place, and social context in which a narrative takes place, which can function to establish conflict, reveal character, or drive plot development.
symbol	A person, place, object, or action that represents something beyond its literal meaning, such as an abstract concept, emotion, or idea.

7.4 Character interactions with changing and contrasting settings

Term	Definition
attitude	The emotional stance or perspective a narrator, character, or speaker takes toward a subject or situation.
entity	A thing with distinct and independent existence, such as an abstract concept or force.
personification	A type of comparison that assigns human traits or qualities to nonhuman objects, entities, or ideas in order to characterize them.
simile	A figure of speech that uses the words 'like' or 'as' to compare two different things and transfer the qualities of one to the other.

7.5 The significance of the pacing of a narrative

Term	Definition
arrangement of details	The strategic ordering and placement of information in a narrative to control pacing and emphasis.
chronology	The arrangement of events in the order they occur in time.
emotional reaction	The feelings or affective responses evoked in readers through narrative techniques and story structure.
frequency of events	How often events occur or are repeated within a narrative, which contributes to the overall pacing.
narrative structures	The organizational frameworks used to arrange and present events in a story, such as linear, non-linear, or fragmented structures.
pacing	The speed and rhythm at which events unfold in a story, controlled by the order and timing of information revealed to the reader.
plot	The sequence of events in a narrative that are connected through cause-and-effect relationships, with each event building on the others.
syntax	The arrangement and structure of words and sentences in a text that can reveal a narrator's or speaker's perspective and attitude.
tense	The verb form that indicates when an action or event occurs, which can shift within a narrative to affect pacing and perspective.

7.6 Setting as a symbol

Term	Definition
contradictory information	Conflicting or opposing details and accounts provided by different narrators or speakers in a text.
multiple narrators	Two or more narrators or speakers in a text who may provide different perspectives, details, or contradictory information about the same events.
narrator's reliability	The degree to which a narrator can be trusted to provide accurate, truthful, and complete information about events in a narrative.
unreliable narrator	A narrator whose account of events is distorted, incomplete, or deliberately misleading, affecting how readers interpret the narrative.

7.7 Interpreting texts in their historical and societal contexts

Term	Definition
alternative interpretation	Different or competing ways of understanding or analyzing a text that may challenge the primary argument.
claim	A statement about a text that requires defense with evidence from the text.
commentary	Explanatory writing that clarifies the relationship between textual evidence, reasoning, and thesis in a literary argument.
defensible claim	An argument or interpretation that can be supported and justified through evidence and logical reasoning.
evidence	Specific details, quotes, examples, or references from a text used to support and develop a line of reasoning in a literary argument.
interpretation	An explanation or understanding of the meaning or significance of a literary text or its elements.
line of reasoning	The logical sequence of claims that work together to defend and support the overarching thesis statement.
relevance	The connection or applicability of an interpretation to a broader context or audience understanding.
significance	The importance or meaning of an interpretation within a broader context or framework.
textual evidence	Specific details and quotes from a text that support and defend a claim in literary analysis.
thesis	The overarching central claim or argument that an essay defends and develops throughout.
thesis statement	A statement that expresses an interpretation of a literary text and makes a defensible claim that can be supported through textual evidence and reasoning.

🤾🏾‍♀️Unit 8 – Advanced Techniques in Poetry

8.1 Looking at Punctuation and Structural Patterns

Term	Definition
antithesis	A rhetorical device in which contrasting ideas or elements are placed in opposition to emphasize their differences.
contrast	A juxtaposition of different elements in a text that highlights differences and creates emphasis or meaning.
emphasis	Special importance or prominence given to particular ideas or images in a text, often created through interruption of established patterns.
juxtaposition	The placement of two contrasting elements side by side to highlight their differences and create emphasis.
paradox	A statement or situation that contains seemingly contradictory elements but may reveal a hidden or unexpected truth.
punctuation	Marks such as periods, commas, dashes, and line breaks that guide reader understanding and affect the flow and meaning of a text.
situational irony	A contrast between what readers expect to happen in a text and what actually occurs.
stanza	A grouped arrangement of lines in a poem that functions as a unit and contributes to the poem's overall structure and meaning.
structural patterns	Repeated or consistent arrangements of elements in a text that create rhythm, expectation, or meaning.
structure	The arrangement and organization of elements in a text, including line and stanza breaks, that affects how readers interpret ideas and respond to the work.
verbal irony	A contrast between what is stated in a text and what is actually meant, often used for effect or emphasis.

8.2 Interpreting juxtaposition, paradox, and irony

Term	Definition
allusion	A reference to a person, place, event, or work of literature that the reader is expected to recognize, creating emotional or intellectual associations and deeper meaning.
ambiguity	The quality of having multiple possible meanings or interpretations, often created by contrasts within a text.
attitude	The emotional stance or perspective a narrator, character, or speaker takes toward a subject or situation.
character	A person or entity in a narrative whose actions, thoughts, and relationships drive the story forward.
conceit	An extended metaphor that develops complex comparisons between unlike things, often presenting images, concepts, and associations in surprising or paradoxical ways.
extended metaphor	A metaphor that is developed and sustained throughout parts of or an entire text through additional details, similes, and images.
metaphor	A figure of speech that implies similarities between two usually unrelated concepts or objects to reveal or emphasize something about one of them.
narrator	The voice or character who tells the story and whose perspective shapes how events and subjects are presented to the reader.
perspective	The viewpoint, background, and beliefs of a narrator, character, or speaker that shape how they perceive and present events or subjects.
shared knowledge	Common understanding or familiarity with a reference that allows readers to grasp the meaning and significance of an allusion.
speaker	The voice presenting ideas or emotions in a text, particularly in poetry or non-narrative works, whose perspective influences the tone and content.
symbol	A person, place, object, or action that represents something beyond its literal meaning, such as an abstract concept, emotion, or idea.

8.3 How ambiguity can allow for various interpretations

Term	Definition
alternative interpretation	Different or competing ways of understanding or analyzing a text that may challenge the primary argument.
attribution	The act of crediting or acknowledging the source of words, ideas, images, or other intellectual property used in writing.
citation	A formal reference to the source of borrowed words, ideas, or information in a text.
claim	A statement about a text that requires defense with evidence from the text.
commentary	Explanatory writing that clarifies the relationship between textual evidence, reasoning, and thesis in a literary argument.
defensible claim	An argument or interpretation that can be supported and justified through evidence and logical reasoning.
elements of composition	The fundamental components and techniques writers use to structure and organize their writing, including word choice, sentence structure, and rhetorical devices.
evidence	Specific details, quotes, examples, or references from a text used to support and develop a line of reasoning in a literary argument.
intellectual property	Original words, ideas, images, texts, and other creative or informational content created by others that must be acknowledged when used.
interpretation	An explanation or understanding of the meaning or significance of a literary text or its elements.
line of reasoning	The logical sequence of claims that work together to defend and support the overarching thesis statement.
logical relationship	The connection between ideas that shows how claims and evidence support the thesis statement.
textual evidence	Specific details and quotes from a text that support and defend a claim in literary analysis.
thesis	The overarching central claim or argument that an essay defends and develops throughout.
thesis statement	A statement that expresses an interpretation of a literary text and makes a defensible claim that can be supported through textual evidence and reasoning.

🚣🏾Unit 9 – Nuanced Analysis in Longer Works

9.1 Looking at a character’s response to the resolution of a narrative

Term	Definition
character	A person or entity in a narrative whose actions, thoughts, and relationships drive the story forward.
character complexity	The quality of a character having multiple, often contradictory traits, motivations, or perspectives that make them psychologically realistic and multidimensional.
character development	The process by which a character's personality, beliefs, or motivations change or are revealed through events in the narrative.
character interpretation	A reader's understanding and analysis of who a character is, what they represent, and how they function within a narrative.
character responses	The ways a character reacts through words or actions, particularly in response to events or conflicts in the narrative.
character values	The principles, beliefs, and priorities that guide a character's decisions and behaviors throughout a narrative.
dynamic character	A character who develops and changes significantly over the course of a narrative, often making choices that affect the story's climax and resolution.
inconsistency	Contradictions or misalignments between different aspects of a character, such as between their private thoughts and public behavior.
major character	A character who is central to the narrative and typically undergoes significant development or change throughout the story.
minor character	A character who appears less frequently in a narrative and typically does not undergo significant development or change.
narrative resolution	The conclusion of a story where conflicts are settled and the fates of characters are determined.
plot	The sequence of events in a narrative that are connected through cause-and-effect relationships, with each event building on the others.
static character	A character who remains largely unchanged or unaffected by the events of the narrative.
unexpected developments	Surprising changes or revelations in a character's behavior, beliefs, or circumstances that diverge from reader expectations.

9.2 Suspense, resolution, and plot development

Term	Definition
anticipation	The reader's expectation or sense of what might happen next in a narrative, creating suspense.
catharsis	A moment of emotional release or purification that often occurs when central conflicts in a plot are resolved.
competing value systems	Conflicting sets of beliefs, principles, or priorities held by different characters or groups within a text.
conflict	A struggle or opposition between characters, forces, or ideas that drives the narrative forward.
plot	The sequence of events in a narrative that are connected through cause-and-effect relationships, with each event building on the others.
resolution	The part of a narrative where conflicts are settled and loose ends are tied up after the climax.
significant event	A key occurrence or moment in a plot that drives the narrative forward and contributes to the development of themes and conflicts.
suspense	The tension or uncertainty created in a narrative that keeps the reader engaged and wondering about the outcome of events.
unresolved ending	A conclusion to a narrative in which central conflicts remain unsettled, leaving ambiguity about outcomes.

9.3 Narrative inconsistencies and contrasting perspectives

Term	Definition
complexity	The intricate, multifaceted, and often contradictory aspects of character relationships that go beyond simple or straightforward dynamics.
diction	The choice and use of words in a text that conveys meaning and reveals the perspective or attitude of the narrator or speaker.
irony	A literary device in which there is a contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs, or between what is said and what is meant.
narrator	The voice or character who tells the story and whose perspective shapes how events and subjects are presented to the reader.
perspective	The viewpoint, background, and beliefs of a narrator, character, or speaker that shape how they perceive and present events or subjects.
speaker	The voice presenting ideas or emotions in a text, particularly in poetry or non-narrative works, whose perspective influences the tone and content.
syntax	The arrangement and structure of words and sentences in a text that can reveal a narrator's or speaker's perspective and attitude.