Hey there, junior here! I'm having trouble remembering all the poetic devices that will likely be on the AP Lit exam. It's a bigger hassle than I thought it would be, haha. Does anyone have a comprehensive list that they'd be willing to share? It would save me hours of googling. Thanks in advance!
Sure thing! Here's a general list of some poetic devices you'll likely need to know for the AP Literature and Composition exam:
1. Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. For example, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
2. Assonance: Repetition of the same vowel sound in words close to each other. "The cat sat on the mat" is an example of assonance with the "a" sound.
3. Rhyme: Words that sound the same or similar, particularly at the ends of lines in poetry.
4. Metaphor: A statement that one thing is another, often unrelated, thing in order to make a comparison or highlight a similarity.
5. Simile: Comparing two things using like or as.
6. Hyperbole: Over-exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis.
7. Understatement: When a poet intentionally makes a situation seem less important or severe than it is.
8. Imagery: The use of language to appeal to our five senses.
9. Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.
10. Connotation: The emotional or cultural association with a word rather than its dictionary definition.
11. Denotation: The actual definition of a word, devoid of emotion or personal association.
12. Irony: When the outcome of a situation is different than what was expected.
13. Symbol: An object or action that means more than its literal meaning.
14. Personification: Applying human characteristics to non-human objects or concepts.
15. Onomatopoeia: Words that phonetically imitate or resemble the sounds of the actions they describe, like "buzz".
16. Oxymoron: A figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear in conjunction, such as "cruel kindness".
17. Paradox: A seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement that, upon closer inspection, contains a possible truth.
Remember it isn't enough to just identify these devices, but you should also be prepared to analyze how the author uses them to create meaning or evoke specific emotions. Good luck with your studies!
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