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Syntax
Sept 25, 2015 0:45:28 GMT
Post by katecavallo on Sept 25, 2015 0:45:28 GMT
Syntax is important to note in all of the stories, but is especially worth examining in The Accident by Dave Eggers. In The Accident, the narrator ("you", because of the second person POV) comes off as morbid and possibly a bit unstable, qualities we can assume belong to the narrator because of the sentence structure used in his/her thought process.
In the beginning of the story, very short and choppy sentences are used. This conveys a nonchalant and almost mechanic air to what the narrator is saying. This is part of what creates a slightly disturbing tone in the short story, because in a situation where people’s lives are at risk (like a car accident) the typical response is one full of emotion. Without that strange tone created from the syntax, the audience wouldn’t get that uneasy feeling about the narrator right off the bat. Completely contrasting the beginning paragraph is the last few sentences of The Accident. The long, flowing sentences reflect a peaceful personality; the tone at the end is thankful and at one with the dangerous circumstances that took place. The syntax at the end gave off a morbidly happy mood (see “…can lean against one another like tired lovers, so thankful for a moment of peace”).
The sharp contrast in the sentence structures and word choices in The Accident are part of what makes it so troubling; the wide range of emotions conveyed somehow doesn’t cover the natural response to a near-tragedy. Can anyone else think of how syntax was used to create a mood or tone in the other stories?
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gmiades
New Member
I love English Class
Posts: 10
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Syntax
Sept 25, 2015 1:13:56 GMT
Post by gmiades on Sept 25, 2015 1:13:56 GMT
Can anyone else think of how syntax was used to create a mood or tone in the other stories?
In the story A&P, syntax was used in order to give it a "relatable" tone. Updike wanted the reader to be able to completely visualize the scene he was portraying. His use of borderline slang terms combined with incredible detail let him do that. In other words, his word choice gave the sense that he was standing right in front of me telling the story.
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Syntax
Sept 25, 2015 4:17:19 GMT
Post by Teresa Dinh on Sept 25, 2015 4:17:19 GMT
As I read A&P, the syntax was definitely something that jumped out. Updike described the girls' appearances and the store in full detail in a way that it almost seemed like he was rambling. For example, not only does he tell the reader what aisles the girls walk by, but he also lists off the items that those aisles were stocked with. These details aren't significant regarding the theme or meaning of the story, but they do create a unique syntax. Updike's slow rambling makes the story's pace/mood seem casual and relaxed.
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Syntax
Sept 25, 2015 7:39:34 GMT
Post by tmehta on Sept 25, 2015 7:39:34 GMT
This is part of what creates a slightly disturbing tone in the short story, because in a situation where people’s lives are at risk (like a car accident) the typical response is one full of emotion. Without that strange tone created from the syntax, the audience wouldn’t get that uneasy feeling about the narrator right off the bat. I completely agree with you, Kaitlin! The syntax in The Accident makes the overall story seem eerily calm, something you wouldn't expect when the speaker has just been in a car crash. When I first read this story, I just noticed the short, staccato sentences and the overall morbidity of the story. Once I realized something was amiss about this speaker, I went back and reread more closely, and I came upon some even more striking observations. The syntax was really important in keying me into the subtleties of this story. While I don't find the syntax in the other two stories quite as important as it is in The Accident, I think it's still worth mentioning. The syntax in The Interlopers contributes a lot to the atmosphere. The sentences are long and flowing, reminiscent of the time period this story was written in (early 20th century). When Ulrich von Gradwitz and his foe George Znaeym are settling their differences later on in the story, they also speak in a very formal manner, as if they have a certain air to them. What the reader would imagine a stereotypical rich landowner to sound like in the 1910s is clearly evident in both Gradwitz and Znaeym’s construction of sentences. However after the shift in the story, towards the end, the sentences become short and sharp. Georg asks questions about the approaching figures in the woods and is met with one-word replies and ironic laughter from his newfound friend. This conveys the urgency in the last lines of the text; as both men realize that they are being surrounded by vicious forest animals, they go into a state of shock and are unable to fully grasp the situation. The syntax in The Interlopers adds a lot of depth to the story by enhancing the atmosphere.
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Syntax
Sept 27, 2015 17:20:40 GMT
Post by owenleber on Sept 27, 2015 17:20:40 GMT
I agree with everything that you guys are saying regarding syntax in "The Accident". But, I also feel that syntax helps build the story of "The Interlopers" just as well, if not better than it does in "The Accident". Saki uses syntax in his story to convey the theme of civilized vs savagery, and he does this very well by changing his diction at different points throughout the story. One example of this is how in the beginning he says "In a forest of mixed growth somewhere on the eastern spurs of the Karpathians" and how later on in the story Saki says "as boys they had thirsted for one another's blood". This sharp contrast in Saki's choice of words displays the civilized side of him in comparison to the savagery within him. Saki fought for Britain in the war, so this could have influenced his writing, in terms of comparing civilized vs savagery. He lived two different lives, one of savagery and war and the other of ordered and civilized life, which may have influenced his diction in "The Interlopers".
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