HOW TO ANALYZE stylistics devices

HOW TO ANALYZE stylistics devices

By Gilbert C. Biñas

Assistant Professor II

NIPSC Batad Campus

SY 2012-2013

Hello everybody and welcome to our stylistics class. Our lesson composes of how to analyze stylistics  devices used in different literary texts.

First how do you analyze a figure of speech or a stylistic device. Step 1 is of course to 1. Identify the stylistics device or the definition of it. The seond step is to explain how it works in your particular context, so you take your general information and put it over your particular information and then explain how it works. And step 3 is to explain its function and the effect on the reader.

So analysis of stylistic devices falls into three steps.

Let’s have a look at an example. In Sheakespeare’s Macbeth there’s a point where lady Macbeth says to her husband

Lady Macbeth: “Look like the innocent flower, but the serpent under it.”

 

The stylistic device that we want to analyze now is already highlighted in red. This is what a complete analysis could look like.

Step 1

 

Step 2

 

Step 3

Functions of stylistic device

Let’s continue. I’ll give you some functions of stylistics devices which are the most important. Stylistic devices:

1.     Catch the reader’s attention / arouse the reader’s interest / don’t abuse this function because this is sometimes very general.

2.     Create a vivid mental image / personification, metaphor, symbol,  comparison / simile

3.     Make the reader smile / is meant to be funny / irony, exaggeration....

4.     Make the reader think / ellipsis, paradox

5.     Emphasize / put emphasis on a certain aspect / fact / repitition / alliteration

6.     Focus the reader’s attention on a certain fact. /repitition, anaphora

7.     Express criticism / criticize / irony, hyperbole

8.     Express the author’s opinion. / Irony, exaggeration

9.     Entertain the readers / title

These are parts of common stylistics devices as analyzed:

Part 1. Basic Information

Part 2. Images – simile, metaphor, symbol and personification

Part 3. Sound – alliteration, onomatopoeia

Part 4. Structure – anaphora, parallelism, enumeration, antithsis and ellipsis

Part 5. Miscelaneous – rhetorical question, paradox, exaggeration, understement,

             irony, and euphemism

Part 2. Images

So let’s start with an image. Let’s start with a comparison or simile . Here’s an example.

	Cris was an excellent runner and as fast as a speeding bullet.

 

Step 1. Definition

A simile uses the words “like” or “as” to show how similar two things are.

Step 2. How it works

The qualities of a speeding bullet is transferred to Cris.

Step 3.Function

It creates a vivid metal image.

 Metaphor

Now let’s have the metaphor. I’ve actually rephrased the sentence and made a metaphor out of it.

	Cris, the speeding bullet, raced along the street.

 

Step 1. Definition

A metaphor is a comparison without the words “like” or “as”.

Step 2. How it works

The qualities of a speeding bullet is transferred to Cris.

Step 3.Function

It creates a vivid metal image and arouses the reader’s interest.

 

Personification

Now let’s continue with the personification.  Let’s start with an example.

	The sun shone brightly as if she were shing for me alone.

 

Step 1. Definition

Animals or inanimate objects are represented as if they are humans / are given human qualities.

Step 2. How it works

The sun is depicted as if it had a will /  was capable of intent / “she” is used instead of “it”.

Step 3.Function

It creates a vivid metal image and arouses the reader’s interest.

 Symbol

And now we have the symbol. Let’s first start again with a couple of examples:

	red rose = love winter = death white dove = peace

 

Step 1. Definition

A symbol is something concrete that stands for an abstract idea.

Step 2. How it works

The meaning goes beyond the literal. Red rose there is a concrete thing and its meaning “love” is an abstract idea.

Step 3.Function

It creates a vivid metal image and arouses the reader’s interest. And makes the readers to  think.

 

Part 3. Sound

Let’s start with an alliteration and let’s start with an example.

	Britain is broken Rain races, ripping like wind.

 

Step 1. Definition

An alliteration is a repitition of consonant sounds at the beginning of two or more words.

Step 2. How it works

Britain is broken. So the letters “b” is repeated here. In the second sentence the letters “r” and “p” are also repeated.

Step 3.Function

To emphasize or put emphasis to a particular aspect. In this case maybe on the aspect that Britain is broken.

 

Part 4. Repitition of a Sound

Here’s an example.

	With steely insistence, he repeatedly asked the police....

 

            When you have the repitition of a sound you basically have a choice of two stylistic devices:

             

Step 1. Definition

Consonance – repitition of a consonant sound. It’s not at the beginning of the word, because it would be an alliteration. Assonance – repitition of a vowel sound.

Step 2. How it works

The vowel sound /i/ is repeated here in the sentence.

Step 3.Function

It focuses the reader’s attention on an aspect. In this case maybe on the aspect of insistence repeated how he often asked the police.

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia also works with sound. Let’s have a couple of example to start with.

	The steaks sizzled / a hacking and wheezing coughs / croaking frogs

 

Step 1. Definition

Onomatopoeia – imitation of the sound in the spelling / pronunciation of a word.  In our case the sound of the sizzling steak is produced.

Step 2. How it works

The sound the steaks make in the pan is picked up in the verb “sizzled”.

Step 3.Function

 

Part 5. The Structure

Let’s start with anaphora. As always we start with an example.

	A man without ambition is dead. A man without love is dead. A man .....

 

Step 1. Definition

            The stylistic device highlighted in blue here is an anaphora.

Anaphora – repitition of a sequence of words at the beginning of neighboring clauses.

Step 2. How it works

A sequence of the repeated words “ A Man” which always starts at ehe beginning of neighboring clauses at stated above.

Step 3.Function

Focuses the attention on the content of the passage and highlight its importance.

Parallelism / Repitition

Let’s have a look at an example here.

	The brats who broke her window, mocked her daughter, beat up her son, and invaded her garden, ......

 

Step 1. Definition

            The phrases in blue here are in parallelism.

Parallelism– a certain sentence structure is repeated in neighboring sentence.

Step 2. How it works

Verb + her + object – this is your sentence structure and it’s in the neighboring parts of the sentence.

Step 3.Function

The unifrom structure creates clarity. You can also capture the content faster.

Enumeration

Let’s continue with the enumeration with an example here.

	You shouldn’t have to be black, Muslim, gay or disabled to expect protection from vandalism, threat and mockery.

 

Step 1. Definition

            Enumeration– a list of items, also separated by structural words; first... second.... third....

Step 2. How it works

            Just list all the needed items in the sentence.

Step 3.Function

            To emphasize a certain aspect / focus the reader’s attention on the passage.

Antithesis

So much for the enumeration. We’ll start with antithesis and here is an example.

	Many are called, few are chosen. Give me liberty or give me death.

 

Step 1. Definition

            Antithesis–  putting contrasting ideas next to each other, usually with the same sentence structure.

Step 2. How it works

            “Many” and “few”, “liberty” and “death” are contrasting ideas that put next to each other.

Step 3.Function

            Highlights contrasting ideas. Focuses attention on the content of the passage.

Ellipsis

Let’s have to look at an example of ellipsis here.

	More often than not, it is clothes that wear us, and not we, them.

 

Step 1. Definition

            Ellipsis–  deliberately out parts of the structure.

Step 2. How it works

            “and it’s not we that wear them” is shortened. Words are omitted.

Step 3.Function

            Making the reader pause and think. Focusing the reader’s attention. Allowing the reader to fill the gap.

Part 6. The Miscellaneous

The Rhetorical Question

Let’s have to look at an example of rhetorical question here.

	Was there really nothing they can do about it?

 

Step 1. Definition

            Rhetorical question–  a question to which the answer is obvious both to the reader and the writer.

Step 2. How it works

            Not a real question. Writer doesn’t want to know anything.

Step 3.Function

            The writer wants to influence the reader to come to a certain conclusion. It might also be a provocation.

The Paradox

So much for the rhetorical question. We’ll start with the paradox and here is an example.

	The closer we are together, the further we are apart.

 

Step 1. Definition

            Paradox–  a statement which seems nonsensical but may make sense at a deeper level.

Step 2. How it works

            The sentence is read as nonsensical but in any case it has a deeper meaning.

Step 3.Function

            It makes the reader pause and think of the meaing of the passage .

Exaggeration or Hyperbole

Exaggerations are easy to find in any texts. We’ll start with the hyperbole with an example.

	Do I have to die to get your attention? I have told you a thousand times. I will be waiting for you for eternity.

 

Step 1. Definition

            Hyperbole–  is a strong overstatement.

Step 2. How it works

            Nobody wants to die to get an attention..

Step 3.Function

            It may have a comic effect . It also expresses the author’s opinion and it draws attention to the message.

Understatement

We’ll start with an example.

	We may have slightly different opinions on this topic.

 

Step 1. Definition

            Understatement–  a statement is deliberately weakened.

Step 2. How it works

            The difference in opinion, is of course, enormous. We don’t agree at all.

Step 3.Function

            May have a comic or ironic effect  . It also expresses the author’s opinion.

Irony

Let’s continue with the example of irony.

	“You look so good today.”

 

Step 1. Definition

            Irony–  saying one thing and usually meaning the exact opposite. The harsh hurting form is sarcasm.

Step 2. How it works

            “Ugly bastard.”

Step 3.Function

            Making fun without openly doing so. Making the reader think, smile and expressing criticism.

Euphemism

Let’s continue with the example of euphemism.

	“I’m busy.” Adult entertainment Between jobs

 

Step 1. Definition

            Euphemism–  replacement of an unpleasant word by a more agreeable term.

Step 2. How it works

            “Get the hell outta here.”

Step 3.Function

            Not to cause shock of fear. To avoid the unpleasant reality. To amuse.