BY ATYHA RAHMAN

Practical Stylistics

Poetry

When we analyze a piece of poetry we usually look for the following things :

1. Pattern of the whole poem / the stanza / the piece given for analysis i.e.

rhyming scheme ( the type of rhyming scheme exploited ) i.e. , point out the form of each and every stanza .it can be a quatrain , a

Poetry

sonnet , a blank verse , an ode , a lyric ,an epic , a parody , a dramatic monologue etc.

It can be some totally new sort of composition , then we can take out its rhyming scheme ,and we can give it a name , as ABAB , ACAB , ABCB etc .there can be various forms of stanzas .

Poetry

2. Sound devices used in the poem :

rhythm ( the easiest and commonest thing is to judge the musicality in the poem ). It can be created by various devices ,i.e. ,internal rhyme ,end rhyme , alliteration , onomatopoeia , and parallelism .

Poetry

3. Portrayal in the poem The use of imagery /symbolism .what sort of

images the poet has used to create a particular scene ,or a particular effect .

Some can be without any imagery ,just simple description can be there ,and there can be different sorts of imagery in a single poem ,like in Keats ‘Ode to Nightingale .

Theme

4. The main purpose of the poet /the aim /the philosophy of life / the thought that poet wants to convey .it is the crux , the purpose of all fabrication , of selecting and using all stylistic devices . So how can we ignore the most important thing , the spirit of poetry , i.e., the theme

Poetry

5. The handling of the theme It is really very important that how has the

poet handled the theme . And this is what makes a poem different from others ,otherwise all the themes have been attempted hundreds of times ,by hundreds of poets .

“Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,Is the immediate jewel of their souls:Who steals my purse steals trash; ’tis something, nothing;’twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands;But he that filches from me my good nameRobs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed.”

Novel/ Drama

1. Theme : The writer’s purpose behind the fabrication

of the story. The message that he wants to convey

through concocting that story is the most important thing .

After all it’s the sole purpose of his/her portraying all the characters ,writing dialogues , and fabricating plot.

Theme

The theme is the main, underlying idea of a piece of literature. It is woven subtly into the fabric of the story rather than being lectured or preached by the author.

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2. Plot :Plot is the arrangement of incidents in the

story . It has great impact on the effect of the story ,and the way readers are impressed from the story of the novel.

Arranging the story in a particular way ,can have a particular effect , and in another way ,can reverse it totally.

Novel

The plot of a story is a series of interconnected events in which every occurrence has a specific purpose. A plot is all about establishing connections, suggesting causes, and showing relationships.

“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mockThe meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss,Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger:But O, what damnèd minutes tells he o'erWho dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly love”

A Dramatic or Progressive Plot: This is a chronological structure which first establishes the setting and conflict, then follows the rising action through to a climax (the peak of the action and turning point), and concludes with a denouement (a wrapping up of loose ends).

An Episodic Plot: This is also a chronological structure, but it consists of a series of loosely related incidents, usually of chapter length, tied together by a common theme and/or characters. Episodic plots work best when the writer wishes to explore the personalities of the characters, the nature of their existence, and the flavor of an era.

A Parallel Plot: The writer weaves two or more dramatic plots that are usually linked by a common character and a similar theme.

A Flashback: This structure conveys information about events that occurred earlier. It permits authors to begin the story in the midst of the action but later fill in the background for full understanding of the present events. Flashbacks can occur more than once and in different parts of a story.

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3. Characters :

characters are a tool of conveying and portraying the writer’s point of view /his philosophy of life . They are the tools of representing his “isms” .they are ,sometimes his spokesperson .they speak for him . The criteria for judging a character is that how much it seems real ,and how much it appeals

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types of characters :

Major or central characters are vital to the development and resolution of the conflict. In other words, the plot and resolution of conflict revolves around these characters.

Minor characters serve to complement the major characters and help move the plot events forward.

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Dynamic - A dynamic character is a person who changes over time, usually as a result of resolving a central conflict or facing a major crisis. Most dynamic characters tend to be central rather than peripheral characters, because resolving the conflict is the major role of central characters.

Static & Round

Static - A static character is someone who does not change over time; his or her personality does not transform or evolve.

Round - A rounded character is anyone who has a complex personality; he or she is often portrayed as a conflicted and contradictory person

Stock

Stock - Stock characters are those types of characters who have become conventional or stereotypical through repeated use in particular types of stories. Stock characters are instantly recognizable to readers or audience members .Stock characters are normally one-dimensional flat characters, but sometimes stock personalities are deeply conflicted, rounded characters (e.g. the "Hamlet" type)

Flat & Protagonist

Flat - A flat character is the opposite of a round character. This literary personality is notable for one kind of personality trait or characteristic.

Protagonist - The protagonist is the central person in a story, and is often referred to as the story's main character. He or she (or they) is faced with a conflict that must be resolved.

Antagonist

Antagonist - The antagonist is the character(s) (or situation) that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend. In other words, the antagonist is an obstacle that the protagonist must overcome. Anti-Hero - A major character, usually the protagonist, who lacks conventional nobility of mind, and who struggles for values not deemed universally admirable.

Foil

Foil - A foil is any character (usually the antagonist or an important supporting character) whose personal qualities contrast with another character (usually the protagonist). By providing this contrast, we get to know more about the other character.

Symbolic character

Symbolic - A symbolic character is any major or minor character whose very existence represents some major idea or aspect of society. For example, in Lord of the Flies, Piggy is a symbol of both the rationality and physical weakness of modern civilization; Jack, on the other hand, symbolizes the violent tendencies (the Id) that William Golding believes is within human nature

Direct presentation

Direct presentation (or characterization) - This refers to what the speaker or narrator directly says or thinks about a character. In other words, in a direct characterization, the reader is told what the character is like. When Dickens describes Scrooge like this: "I present him to you: Ebenezer Scrooge....the most tightfisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!" - this is very direct characterization!

Indirect presentation

Indirect presentation (or characterization) - This refers to what the character says or does. The reader then infers what the character is all about. This mimics how we understand people in the real world, since we can't "get inside their heads". In other words, in an indirect characterization, it's the reader who is obliged to figure out what the character is like. And sometimes the reader will get it wrong

Ways to reveal a character

a. By psychological description.b. By physical description.c. By probing what s/he thinks.d. By what s/he says.e. By how s/he says it.f. By what s/he does.g. By what others say about him or her.h. By his or her environment.i. By her reaction to others.j. By his reaction to himself.

Setting

The setting refers to the time, the geographical locations, and the general environment and circumstances that prevail in a narrative. The setting helps to establish the mood of a story.

Types of setting

Integral Setting: the setting is fully described in both time and place, usually found in historical fiction.

Backdrop Setting: the setting is vague and general, which helps to convey a universal, timeless tale. This type of setting is often found in folktales and simply sets the stage and the mood. For example, "long ago in a cottage in the deep woods" and "once upon a time there was a great land that had an Emperor."

Internal narrator

Internal Narrator (First-person Narrator; the narrator uses "I" to refer to himself/herself): the narrator is a character in the story, often, but not necessarily, the protagonist. This narrative point of view allows for a very personal touch in the story telling

Omniscient narrator

Omniscient Narrator (multiple points of view; the narrator is "all-knowing"): the narrator is not a character in the story but knows everything about the story. The omniscient narrator can show the thoughts and experiences of any character in the story. It permits the writer the broadest scope.

Limited narrator

Limited Narrator (External Subjective Narrator; the 3rd person point of view): the narrator is not a character in the story but looks at things only through the eyes of a single character. This type of narrative permits the narrator to quickly build a close bond between the protagonist and the reader, without being confined by the protagonist’s educational or language restrictions

Conflict

Common types of conflicts:The Protagonist against AnotherThe Protagonist against SocietyThe Protagonist against NatureThe Protagonist against Self

Conflict

A single story may contain more than one type of conflict, although one often predominates. The conflict provides the excitement and makes possible the growth and development of the protagonist’s character.

Style

1)  Word Choices2) Writer’s tone 3)  Sentence Length and ConstructionShort sentences best convey suspense,

tension, and swift action. Longer sentences work best when

explanations and descriptions are needed.

Rhythm

Prose has rhythm just as poetry does. Its rhythm can be produced by the juxtaposition of sounds, the use of repetition with a slight variation of patterns, and the varied length of sentences.

Tone

Tone refers to the author’s mood and manner of expression in a work of literature. The tone can be serious, didactic, humorous, satirical, caustic/sarcastic, passionate, sensitive, sentimental, zealous, indifferent, poignant, warm, agitated, and so on.

Humor

Incongruity is the foundation of humor. We laugh at the tension resulting from something out of the ordinary.

Humor is elusive. Humor tends to be age specific.  Humor can be either sympathetic or

negative. One prerequisite is that the victim must seem to deserve the fate or the harm must not be critical.

Dialogues

Characters’ conversation among themselves is called dialogues .

Dialogues are a realistic and convincing way of defining character.

Serious Prose

Elements to be stylistically analyzed in serious prose :

1. Style ,including word choices ,sentence length , tone

2. Theme /philosophy of life 3. Any deviation ,or stylistic devices ,if they

have been used4. Through which techniques ,the writer has

used distinction .5. The topic explored .