Prose Writing Techniques

1st person point of view

uses pronouns" I/we/us" etc. - narrator is a character within the story

2nd person point of view

uses pronoun "you"; draws the reader into part of the story-- very rarely used

3rd person limited point of view

uses the pronouns "he/she/they" etc. - narrator is outside of the story and focuses on the thoughts of ONE character

3rd person omniscient point of view

uses the pronouns "he/she/they" etc. narrator is outside of the story and focuses on the thoughts of MORE THAN ONE character

allusion

a specific reference to something from literature, history, popular culture, etc. most people would know. Examples are "May the Force be with you," Herculean strength, Garden of Eden

archetype

A character type, setting, or symbol that occurs frequently in literature and myth and is thought to appeal in a universal way to the unconscious and to evoke a response Examples of character: hero, villain, mentor Examples of setting: forest, garden, kingdom Examples of symbols: golden ring, mirrors, trees, the ocean

connotation

the emotional or cultural association with that word rather than its dictionary definition. Example: the meaning of "home" differs from that of "house"

details

specific words, incidents, images, or events an author uses to establish characterization, theme, etc. Example: "Her fingernails were gaudily painted, but badly bitten and not clean. Her lovers were a silent young photographer with a sullen laugh and two older men, brothers, who owned a small printing establishment across the street."

dichotomy

divides a thing into two equal and contradictory parts or between two opposing groups. Examples: good/evil, light/dark, young/old, life/death

diction

word choice that establishes tone, creates imagery, and establishes ideas. Types include formal, informal, colloquial, childlike, etc.

extended metaphor

a comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences in a paragraph or lines in a poem. Example: "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts."

hypophora

question asked then answered. Example: "How are we to survive? Solemnity is not the answer, any more than witless and irresponsible frivolity is. I think our best chance lies in humor, which in this case means a wry acceptance of our predicament."

imagery

descriptive language that can function as a way for the reader to better imagine the world of the piece of literature by drawing on the five senses, namely the details of taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound. Example: "Outside, even through the shut window-pane, the world looked cold. Down in the street little eddies of wind were whirling dust and torn paper into spirals, and though the sun was shining and the sky a harsh blue, there seemed to be no colour in anything, except the posters that were plastered everywhere."

irony

a contrast of absolute opposite expectations for a situation versus reality. This can be a difference between the surface meaning of something that is said and the underlying meaning. It can also be a difference between what might be expected to happen and what actually occurs. It differs from coincidence in that it is a mockery of the appropriate result and often establishes theme and/or characterization. Example: In The Little Mermaid, Ariel gives up her voice to be with Eric, but it is her voice that he falls in love with.

juxtaposition

two unlike ideas are placed side by side to highlight their differences. Example: "All's fair in love and war"

metaphor

comparison, or writing/speaking about one thing as if it were another thing. Example: "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

metonymy

type of metaphor that relies on associations with words rather than using the word itself Examples: The White House = Government; We pledge allegiance to the crown = Royalty

motif

A recurring big idea, image, or symbol that helps to reinforce theme. Example: A motif in Romeo and Juliet is light and dark. Throughout the play, Romeo refers to Juliet as a light source. The night (moon) is no match for Juliet's beauty. Juliet, too, says Romeo lights her. The lovers are "stars" that light the dark sky. Their love is compared to a flash of lightning. The idea of light and dark is repeated-- not just as a dichotomy-- but to reinforce a theme.

narrative perspective

refers to the what we learn from the person narrating. Must consider if the narrator reliable? Bitter? Judgmental? Naïve?

paradox

a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth. Example: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

personification

giving human characteristics to something nonhuman. Example: justice is blind

repetition

repeating a word, phrase, or sentence to add emphasis, unity, and/or power

rhetorical questions

not asked, and are not understood, as ordinary information-seeking questions, but as making some kind of claim or assertion. Example: What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?

satire

a work written to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society by using humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule. Examples: The Onion, Pride and Prejudice

simile

using "like" or "as" in a comparison. Example: "The Radley Place fascinated Dill. In spite of our warnings and explanations it drew him as the moon draws water..."

stream of consciousness

writing in a way that mimics or parallels a character's internal thoughts and often the style incorporates the natural chaos of thoughts and feelings that occur in any of our minds. Example: "Gibraltar as a girl where I was a Flower of the mountain yes when I put the rose in my hair like the Andalusian girls used or shall I wear a red yes and how he kissed me under the Moorish wall and I thought well as well him as another..."

symbolism

giving objects or actions a certain meaning that is different from their original meaning or function in that it establishes theme and/or characterization. Examples: Harry Potter's scar and wand, the mirror and apple in Snow White, Odysseus's journey

synecdoche

type of metaphor in which a part is used to reference the whole. Example: There are hungry mouths to feed.

syntax

how sentence structure (such as length, variety, and types of sentences) helps reinforce characterization, big ideas, and/or tone.

title

Punctuation: novels and plays are underlined; poems and short stories are in quotation marks. Meaning: often has significance

tone

author or narrator's attitude towards characters and/or subjects of their work. Diction, imagery, details, language, and syntax are used to help establish this. Examples include morbid, playful, melancholy, critical, etc.