English 2 Pre-AP Final Exam Review

Literary Concepts

• Literary Archetype: Recurring symbols or images in literature that are recognizable to readers, enhancing their literary experience.
• Stock Character: A stereotypical character that is instantly recognizable, often representing a specific type or trait.
• Foil: A character whose contrasting qualities highlight specific attributes of another character, often the protagonist.
• Protagonist: The main character in a narrative, typically the hero or heroine around whom the plot revolves.

Characterization and Themes

• Stereotype: A generalized image or idea that assigns specific characteristics to groups of people based on race, nationality, or sexual orientation.
• Soliloquy: A dramatic device where a character speaks their thoughts aloud, typically in a play, without consideration of listeners.
• Dramatic Monologue: A poem where a speaker addresses an implied silent listener, revealing their thoughts and emotions.

Literary Devices

• Sermon: A religious or moral talk given during a church service, derived from biblical texts.
• Exposition: Provides essential background information on the setting, characters, and plot within a narrative.
• Diatribe: A strong, bitter verbal attack on a person or issue.

Religious and Figurative Language

• Polytheistic: Refers to the belief in or worship of multiple gods.
• Allusion: An indirect reference to a concept or theme without explicit mention, designed to evoke associations.
• Personification: Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities or objects.

Figurative Language Techniques

• Metaphor: A comparison made between seemingly unrelated things to deepen understanding of a theme without using "like" or "as."
• Hyperbole: An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis or effect.
• Apostrophe: A punctuation mark indicating possession or the omission of letters.

Comparisons and Sound Devices

• Simile: A comparison using "like" or "as" to highlight similarities between different things.
• Understatement: A description that presents something as less significant than it is, often for ironic effect.
• Synecdoche: A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole or vice versa, providing a deeper connection.

Sound and Rhythm

• Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds, especially at the end of syllables or important words, enhancing the musicality of language.
• Alliteration: The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in closely connected words, often used for rhythm and emphasis.
• Onomatopoeia: The use of words that imitate the sounds of the objects or actions they refer to, creating an auditory effect.
• Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds within words in close proximity, enriching the phonetic texture of poetry.
• Metonymy: A figure of speech where one word, often related to the primary subject, is used to represent that subject more broadly.