Structural and stylistic elements give each literary text an individual “feel”. A skillful author will choose which structures to use and which to exclude from a particular text and will develop a style suited to the text. As you read each of the following selections, keep in mind that its structural elements and styles were deliberately chosen by the author to convey his ideas to readers and to fulfill the purpose of the text. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay When you hear the word structure, you might think of buildings. The shape of a building reflects its structure. Buildings come in all kinds of shapes, and their shapes contribute to their style and meaning. Think of the soaring spiers of a Gothic cathedral reaching for the sky, or the functional cubes of concrete and glass that make up many “modern” buildings. Likewise, the structure or structures employed by an author contribute to the style and meaning of the text. Here are the main elements of structure that you will often encounter in literary texts and that you learned in Lesson 6: sequence: the order in which related events happen in the rhythm of a story (which includes concepts such as scenes, acts, and summaries) - how quickly or flashback events slowly occur—a break in a narrative's normal sequence of events to portray an episode that occurred before the current point in the story's parallel plot—a technique in which the narrative switches back and forth between two equally important stories. Here are some important elements of style that you will often encounter in literary texts and that you learned in Lesson 6: syntax: the arrangement and order of words in a sentence word choice: the author's selection of words, sentences, and structure of the sentence; length and complexity of sentence irony: the use of language to express something as opposed to the literal meaning of the word; a situation that is the opposite of what is expected; tension: the feeling of excitement and anticipation of what is to come, caused by a sense of danger or uncertainty; sometimes called suspense. Identifying structure and style within a literary text may require a little more effort, but asking yourself some specific questions as you read can make the job easier. Here are questions that can help you recognize structure and elements of style in many types of literary texts: Does the story unfold chronologically or does it jump back and forth in time to describe events? Does the story follow multiple characters? Do these characters meet at some point or do they remain separated throughout the story? How does an author break down events within a text? Does an author summarize events? If so, how does this affect the pacing of the story? Does the author use a specific choice of words or vary the sentence structure? If so, how does this contribute to the pacing of the scenes within the text? Is there any situation where something happens that is the opposite of what a character expected? Does the author's choice of words support the atmosphere of a literary text? Do certain scenes make you feel nervous or scared? Is an author's choice of words markedly different from modern language, placing the reader in another time period? Does the author use the words literally or is there a non-literal sense in the words that the reader is meant to infer? We identify and analyze the structure in Hymn, chapter 2, part 2. Read this excerpt from the text: We saw one of these men burned alive in the Town Square. And it's been a show that has stayed with us over the years, and haunts us, follows usand it gives us no respite. We were children then, we were ten years old. And we were in the large square with all the children and all the men of the city, sent to see the fire. They brought the Transgressor to the square and led them to the pyre. Their tongue had been torn out, so much so that they could no longer speak. The Violators were young and tall. They had golden hair and eyes as blue as the morning. They walked towards the pyre and their step did not falter. And of all the faces on that square, of all the faces screaming and screaming and spitting curses at them, theirs was the calmest and happiest face. Before this paragraph, Equality 7-2521 reflects on the Unnameable Times, the Evil Ones and the Unspeakable Word. The chronological sequence of events brought him to this current moment in the narrative and his particular thoughts. However, when he thinks of the Unspeakable Word, Equality 7-2521's memory is triggered, and here the author uses a flashback. Equality 7-2521 recalls a past event and the narrative briefly takes us back to the past. But why? What does this flashback offer you and other readers? Flashback can be a sophisticated way to provide exposition: in this case, background information about the story and the world that Equality 7-2521 lives in. At this point in the story, you know that Punishments for disobeying laws are severe, and some infractions are considered worse than others. Through this flashback, the reader learns how scary and cruel the world of the story can be, and how fear of punishment - and even fear for one's life - plays a large role in how people are controlled. But is there any reason Rand placed this flashback here in chapter 2? Could it have gotten to the beginning of chapter 1, before you know Equality 7-2521 is writing this text or what is life like for kids growing up in this dystopian future? The author likely thought carefully about the best time to incorporate this information into the narrative. He wants the reader to understand the extreme harshness of this world early, but not so early that they are unprepared and find the event described outlandish or included for its shock value. Rand has already provided enough information in Chapter 1 to show readers that this world is harsh and unforgiving. Now that you've analyzed the structure, what about the style? Let's look at an excerpt from "The Monkey's Paw, Part 1," which you read in lesson 6. The man from Maw and Meggins, Herbert's employer, has just told Mr. and Mrs. White that Herbert was trapped in the machinery; now they realize he is dead. What style element does WW Jacobs use here? “I wanted to say that Maw and Meggins disclaim all responsibility,” continued the other. “They do not admit any liability, but in exchange for your son's services, they wish to present you with a certain sum as compensation.” White let go of his wife's hand and, rising to his feet, looked in horror at his visitor. His dry lips formed the words, "How much?" “Two hundred pounds,” was the reply. Unaware of his wife's cry, the old man smiled faintly, stretched out his hands like a blind man, and fell, a senseless heap, to the floor. In this scene an unexpected event occurs. It's actually not what you expect at all. When Mr White made a wish on the monkey's paw for two hundred pounds, he expected to magically receive the money, with no strings attached. Naturally he receives the exact amount he wanted, but at a much higher price of two hundred pounds. He lost his son. This is irony, and one of the best-known examples in literature. A seemingly innocuous wish goes horribly wrong so that the wisher can receive exactly what they want. It's a classic.