Terms from Past AP Literature Poetry and Prose Essay Prompts

Which word means "the overall feeling for the audience an author creates in his or her writing--also known as atmosphere"?

• complex attitude

• imagery

• mood

• point of view

Which word means "the overall organization of lines and/or the conventional patterns of sound"?

• structure

• syntax

• form

• word choice

Which word means "the narrative voice in a poem that speaks of his or her situation or feelings"?

• narrative

• bildungsroman

• speaker

• anaphora

Which term refers to the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in a line of poetry?

• A) Alliteration

• B) Assonance

• C) Consonance

• D) Onomatopoeia

What is the term for a comparison using 'like' or 'as'?

• A) Metaphor

• B) Simile

• C) Personification

• D) Hyperbole

Which term describes a character who undergoes significant internal change throughout a story?

• A) Static character

• B) Dynamic character

• C) Flat character

• D) Foil character

What is the term for the time and place in which a story occurs?

• A) Plot

• B) Setting

• C) Theme

• D) Conflict

Which term refers to the central message or insight into life revealed through a literary work?

• A) Theme

• B) Motif

• C) Symbol

• D) Tone

What is the term for a recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story?

• A) Motif

• B) Theme

• C) Irony

• D) Allegory

Which term describes the perspective from which a story is told?

• A) Tone

• B) Mood

• C) Point of view

• D) Style