Techniques

enjambment

• Definition: a sentence running over from one poetic line to the next without punctuation

• Effect: stimulates an uncontrolled rush of emotion, a chaotic stream of consciousness, or the unstoppable passage of time

caesura

• Definition: a deliberate, hard pause or break in the middle of a line of poetry (usually marked by a period, comma, or dash)

• Effect: creatively disrupts the rhythmic flow, forcing the reader to halt and confront a moment of sudden chock, grief, or realisation

positive/sibilant alliteration

• Definition: repetition of harsh “p, b, t, k” sounds (plosive) or soft “s, sh, z” sounds (sibilant

• Effect: plosives inject violent, aggressive energy into a line. Sibilance creates an eerie, sinister, or quietly intimate atmosphere

metaphor/simile

Effect: translates complex, abstract internal emotions into concrete, sensory experiences that the reader can instantly feel

personification/pathetic fallacy

• Definition: mirroring human emotions in nature/weather (pathetic fallacy)

• Effect: externalises a character’s psychological state onto their environment, making their internal mood feel inescapable

anaphora

• Definition: repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of consecutive sentences or lines

• Effect: builds driving rhythmic momentum and emotional intensity, overwhelming the reader or mounting persuasive force

juxtaposition

Effect: heightens the differences between them to sharply expose conflict, hypocrisy, or a profound shift in mindset

truncated sentences

• Definition: short, abrupt, structurally incomplete sentences

• Effect: stimulates anxiety, panic, or a sudden shock, drastically accelerating the textual pacing to mirror psychological tension

polysyndeton vs asyndeton

• Definition: Using excessive conjunctions like "and/or" (poly), or completely omitting them (asyn). 

• Effect: polysyndeton creates an exhausting, cumulative weight of experience. Asyndeton creates a rapid, chaotic rush of thoughts

pysma

used to overwhelm, challenge, or deeply engage an audience while establishing urgency and putting oponents on the defensive

sensory imagery: effect

Effect: immerses the reader’s physical body into the setting, making an alien or historical human experience feel intensely immediate and real

zoomorphism vs anthropomorphism

• Definition: giving animal traits to humans (zoomorphism), or literally turning non-human things into acting human characters (anthropomorphism)

• Effect: zoomorphism strips away human dignity, exposing raw, primal instincts (e.g. survival or fear). Anthropomorphism offers a highly symbolic critique of human behaviour and socio-political structures

anecdote: effect

Effect: humanises abstract political or social arguments, establishing instant, authentic rapport and emotional credibility with the audience

irony: definition + technique

• Definition: a stark contradiction between what is expected to happen and what actually happens, or saying the exact opposite of what is meant

• Effect: exposes the foolishness, unpredictability, or tragic limitations of human planning and control

vector lines: definition + technique

• Definition: invisible/visible lines created by objects or glances that direct your eyes around the page

• Effect: dictates reading path and establishes power dynamics between subjects

salience: definition + technique

• Definition: the component of the image that your eyes are drawn to first

• Effect: signals the absolute core thematic focal point of the visual narrative

chiaroscuro: definition + technique

• Definition: stark contrast between deep shadows and bright light

• Effect: visualises internal moral conflict, secrets, or intense psychological distress

gaze (demand vs offer): effect

Effect: demand forces a direct, empathetic confrontation with the viewer. Offer invites us to objectively observe the character’s private world

close ups vs long shots: effect

Effect: close-ups cultivate intense emotional intimacy. Long shots enforce isolation, vulnerability, or insignificance against a vast setting

words for sad tone

melancholic, somber

Effect: It establishes a heavy atmospheric weight that slows down the reader's cognitive pacing. It evokes deep empathy and a feeling of emotional containment, forcing the audience to directly confront the stark reality of human suffering, isolation, or grief.

words for thoughtful tone + effect

reflective, nostalgic

Effect: it closes the emotional distance between the persona and the reader. It invites the audience to pause, internalise the passing of time, and relate the character's personal memories to their own universal human experiences of growth, loss, or aging.

words for funny tone

satirical, cynical

Effect: It creates a critical, intellectual distance between the reader and the subject matter. Instead of making the reader cry or feel sad, it provokes thought by shocking or amusing them, stripping away illusions to expose societal flaws, hypocrisy, or institutional corruption.

words to reveal an emotion

externalises, manifests, evokes

words to challenge an idea

subverts, contradicts, destabilises, undermines

words to build tension

accelerates, heightens, amplifies, exacerbates

words to guide the reader

positions, compels, invites, confronts