Elements of Style: Literary Analysis

Elements of Style: Tools for Literary Analysis
Hello! Frustrated with the near disappearance of literary analysis tools in contemporary textbooks, even teacher's books on understanding literature and related activities, I decided it was time to take the bull by the horns and write it myself. I cannot imagine how one can think or analyze something critically without the proper tools, hence we have whole generations lacking, and not learning, to think and analyze. I poured through dozens of books and firsthand, understood how our society is being "dumbed down." Most of the books that I found that included these elements and concepts were written before I was even born. Possessing a master's degree in rhetorical criticism, I couldn't imagine how one could ever possess the ability to think and analyze when the tools have faded from sight. Seventeen good textbooks later, after months of reading and note-taking, I have finally emerged with a "toolbox" for our kids. Some of these concepts are "heady" but they will catch on as they use the "tools" and begin to understand the components of fine literature. I hope they will use these tools to better understand literature, to learn to analyze using real standards and definitions, rather than some "feel good" mile markers that change from person to person, and then apply these tools and play with them in their own writing. I guarantee your kids ability to think and analyze and discern will improve greatly. I present to you one of the better gifts I have to offer you and your family with my blessings: Elements of Style I. Types of Narratives: A. CONVENTIONAL FICTION - 1. Allegory - use of fictitious and existential characters to express fiction is largely a means of expressing what the writer already knows 2. Authoritarian - looks at the story line "spatially" - each element exists for the sake of the predetermined "end" 3. Existential - concerned with an individual who is radically free and responsible B. NON-CONVENTIONAL FICTION - 1. Metafiction - fiction that in both style and theme investigates fiction - a way to undermine fiction's harmful effects - a story that calls attention to it's methods and shows the reader what is happening to him as he reads 2. Deconstruction - taking language apart to discover the inner workings, e. g. generic references grouped together to be construed as having values assessment or Christian interpretation 3. Jazzing Around - fantasy writer doesn't feel a powerful need to create consistent, profound, well-rounded characters - transformations can be astonishing and interesting and makes enough sense to hold interest - can be whimsical II. Critical Approaches to Fiction: (Ways to Analyze) A. "Mimetic" approach - relation between text and the "real world" that text is supposed to represent B. "Genetic" approach - relation between text and it's author C. "Intertextual" approach - relation between text and other texts D. "Objective" approach - concerned with relationships or system of relationships E. "Pragmatic" approach - relation with text and reader III. Genres/Types of Fiction: A. Short Story - 500-15,000 words B. Novels - at least 45,000 words - average length is 80,000-150,000 Related: A. Novellas - 15,000 - 45,000 words B. Romance Novel - more inclined to idealization than novel - has heroes, villains - usually has imaginary places and times - novels tend to be more realistic, oriented toward the contemporary, more concerned with complexities of life in society than a romance novel C. Fable - short narrative often involving humanized animals as characters, and designed to point out a moral D. Tale - a form of plot story - primary concern is events - loosely constructed, covering indefinite periods of time and stressing temporal rather than causal relations - shorter than a short story Dead Form: Epic - poet tells of impossible things and makes no bones about their impossibility - does not expect reader to suspend belief Examples: Helen of Troy, many old myths IV. POINT OF VIEW: A. First person - "I" - more natural for non-writers B. Third person - "He/She" - common in folk tales and sophisticated narratives - limits the writer C. Authorial-Omniscient - writer speaks as if, in effect, God - both traditional and neutral, writer can see all characters' hearts and minds - presents all positions with justice and detachment - rarely uses 3rd person subjective but when used, done sparingly - must handle psychic distance carefully - difficult to establish initially D. Essayist Omniscient - similar to authorial-omniscient, but departs from proper grammar, may be anything but calm or dignified - makes a distinct voice for the speaker and allows us to assume age, gender, race, etc. E. Protagonist Omniscient - like authorial but from a human perspective complete with biases, colored interpretation and omissions V. TECHNIQUES - DELAY: A. Relevant Distractions - difficulties in achieving desired action - heightens reader's interest B. Irrelevant Distractions - pauses, random movements that stop the progression - readers dislike and feel manipulated C. Stylistic Juxtaposition - inserting meaningful dreams or having characters intersect that do not appear to be immediately relevant to one another - part of the suspense comes from not knowing how to anticipate the future D. Ironic Use of Delay - reader casts a possible outcome and then writer does not allow any progress to that end - delay becomes the end in itself focusing on the value of the journey itself rather than the arrival VI. STYLE: A. Denotation - dictionary meaning B. Connotation - suggestions and associations aroused by word C. Literal Images - satisfies the need for specifics, concrete detail - vivid representation D. Recurrent Imagery - each instance is literal, overall contributions of images suggest a theme, e. g. dry E. Figurative Images - or tropes or figures of speech 1. Simile - explicit comparison of markedly dissimilar objects or entities, using words as "like" or "as", e. g. "My love is like a rose." 2. Metaphor - bolder figure, comparison remains implicit - statements asserts an identification, e. g. "My love is a rose." F. Literary Symbol - an author's attempt to name those many areas of human experience that ordinary language is inadequate to deal with G. Syntax - concerned with characteristic length of sentences, proportion of simple to complex sentences - the length and complexity of sentences can change the meaning as they are modified H. Tone - expression of attitudes - intonation of voice reveals the tone and attitude of narrator/author toward subject and audience I. Understatement - may be thought of as a way of avoiding commitments -may also be a way of calling attention to the reader to react with the full power of their imagination J. Irony - consists of a discrepancy between what is stated and what is suggested - crudest form of sarcasm - we say the opposite of what we mean, e. g. "nice work" really means "you have really botched things up." K. Hyperbole - opposite of understatement - exaggeration used for rhetorical effect L. Middle Style - tends to present a fair and accurate picture of things as they are - avoids extremes - represents a sort of ideal M. Sentimentality - the attempt to impose on the material a greater emotional burden than it can comfortably bear, e. g. stirring up excessive emotions at times of "loss/death" of a baby doll, as if human N. Inhibition - minimalistic style - author's failure to give due emotional weight to his/her material, e. g. understate their way to a kind of death, or inhibition of appropriate feelings O. Personification - giving an inanimate object human qualities P. Foreshadowing - introducing elements, descriptions that will later be revealed more clearly as critical aspects of the story - many times, the initial reference is almost as a side note - not really viewed as important until its' existence becomes central to progression of the plot or resolution to a problematic issue Q. Onomatopoeia - words that sound like what they describe, e. g. "boom", "varroom", "buzz" R. Alliteration - using several words in a row with the same beginning letter S. Antithesis - a form of balance or parallelism - opposed ideas are balanced and placed next to each other in parallel positions, e. g. "That isn't the truth; it's a lie." T. Apostrophe - an absent or dead person or personified thing is directly addressed, e. g. "Ambition, you have been a cruel master to me." U. Oxymoron - using two opposite words or ideas together, as if to cancel themselves out, e. g. "peace-keeping forces", "icy hot" V. Paradox - jolts reader into new realization - writer states a seeming contradiction that will later be explained and/or make sense on second thought, e. g. "He who loses his life for My sake will save it." W. Substitution - when terms that describe a part of a whole are used, e. g. "Not a green ear stood on any stalk in all the county" substituted for ears of corn 1. Whole is used for a part - Example: "The nation went to the polls" where nation is substituted for those that actually voted 2. Labels representing things replace the people who control those things Example: "Capital has learned to sit down and talk with labor." 3. People and their ideals replace things - Example: "John Smith was burned today when Hilda dropped the subversive books into the bonfire" meaning the author's work was rejected today and his work destroyed in the fire as if it were the person himself. Copyright 2000 by Patricia Kelley-Huff Limited permission to copy is granted so long as content can be obtained without any monetary compensation. This literary analysis tool is free for all those who desire to have a copy. References: The Art of Fiction - Notes on Craft For Young Writers John Gardner How To Read and Write Fiction Dr. William Kennedy The Elements of Style William Strunk, Jr. & E. B. White What Your 5th Grader Needs To Know E. D. Hirsch Effective Writing - Book 3 Loyola University Press - copyright 1954