How to Control the Progression of Your Writing through Literary Devices

Caroline Edinger
11-11-13
English 104-201 Prof. Tim Emerson
“How to Control the Progression of Your Writing through Literary Devices” When sitting down to write a short story, an author must consider exactly which literary device will hold the most significance throughout their writing. Making this decision may be forced, may come naturally, and may even happen as an outcome through the progression of their narrative. After analytically reading various short stories by famous authors one can quite obviously interpret the strength of any specific literary device within a particular story. Literary constructions can be consistent throughout an author’s script, however, when they are placed and left in specific points in the story; the reader can clearly tie these constructions to the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution of the narrative. Finding the right literary device to fit one’s interpretation of a specific moment in the story is half the battle, nonetheless, once the reader has analyzed the story they can then go back and pick the best literary construction. Every story has a natural progression, starting at the base of a mountain, the climb to the top, the view from the peak, the pounding hike down, and finally, once they get there, the ending rest at the base. As readers, ascending and descending this literary alp, it is crucial to assign setting and symbols, character development, plot, and theme to these progressions throughout the climb. Using several short stories to develop this progression through a variety of literary devices the reader can then designate significance to their reading journeys. Hemmingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants uses vivid setting and symbolism to define the exposition, O’Brien depicts the rising action through detailed character development, in “A Rose For Emily” by Falkner, plot structure help to illustrate the climax, and lastly, Galsworthy’s “The Japanese Quince” determines the falling action and resolution through theme.
In Hemmingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” it is clear that Hemmingway’s intent for the setting was to portray a sense of very uncomfortable and very heated tension between the characters. This uncomfortable heat is depicted through phrases like “there was no shade and no trees at the station” and “there was a warm shadow”. These phrases drop the reader right into an incredibly hot and dry atmosphere. Also, the more obvious aspect of this setting is Hemmingway’s use of geography; “The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white.” One can only imagine the overwhelming heat that exudes from the Ebro River valley in Spain. Not only can this heat be translated into the tension, heat, that the characters are experiencing at this time, but the landscape represents an even bigger part of Hemingway’s main theme throughout “Hills Like White Elephants”. Hemmingway’s use of landscape in this short story so obviously defines the main problem the characters are having. The American’s girlfriend repeatedly brings attention to the distant hills looking like white elephants. The white elephants, of course, symbolize her conflicting pregnancy. One can assume that maybe the use of the color white portrays a desire, from the woman, for a fresh start with an innocent new baby in her life. An elephant, being round and bulbous can also very obviously symbolize the exact shape of the girlfriend’s soon to be very pregnant belly, if she decides to keep it. Designating these examples of setting and symbolism towards the exposition can guide the reader to a better understanding of the progression of the story that Hemmingway had in mind while writing “Hills Like White Elephants”.
Authors and readers need to rise, or climb, after their time in the exposition. In “The Things They Carried” O’Brien uses immense detail to develop his characters in order to bring his readers up the rising action of their literary mountain. O’Brien determines his rising action through detailed development of three characters- Jimmy Cross, Mitchell Sanders, and Kiowa. Jimmy Cross is described as a somewhat overconfident sophomore in college who carelessly signs up for the Federal Reserve, unknowingly leading himself into front line combat in Vietnam. As readers, we have no remorse for Cross, nevertheless as we venture upwards to the climax, O’Brien drags out a strong sense of empathy from the reader for this character. Jimmy Cross will soon bring the reader to tears when they find out about the vast amount of guilt he’ll carry as he takes full responsibility for the death of his fellow soldier, Ted Lavender. “The Things They Carried” also includes a marvelous depiction of a character called Mitchell Sanders. O’Brien defines Sanders as a storyteller with a great sense of humor, loyalty and justice. It seems O’Brien gives Sanders an incredible amount of dedication and devotion to the importance alone of the experience of an event when storytelling and not necessarily the moral of that particular story. As the reader becomes more accustomed to this character it is evident they are getting closer to the climax. Kiowa is described as a practical soldier. This character brings perspective to the other characters in this story because he has the ability to reconcile any conflicts the other soldiers might be having internally. It is at Kiowa’s death that O’Brien brings his reader to get a glimpse that the peak, or climax, of the story is just around the next bend.
When discussing climax and suspense, Falkner’s “A Rose For Emily” uses an important literary device, plot structure, to bring the reader just over the crest and through the turning point. Even though this story seems all jumbled up chronologically, the climax comes roughly in the middle of the story. According to Faulkner, Homer was a bit of a rat, a rat that Miss Emily would have felt perfectly alright to exterminate. However, she also wanted to keep her dream that she might have a normal life, with love and a family. When she sees that everybody – the townspeople, the minister, her cousins, and even Homer himself – is fine with ruining her plans, she has an extreme reaction. Faulkner follows a traditional plot structure, at least in terms of the story of Emily and Homer. Emily buys the arsenic, and at that moment the information is transported into the brains of the townspeople. This is one of the nastiest sections because the town is in suspense over whether they are married, soon will be, or never will be. Their reactions range from sympathetic, to angry, to annoyed. The reader also learns that Homer Barron was last seen entering the residence of Miss Emily Grierson on the night in question. So, one can quite obviously be in suspense about what happened to him. Although by the time the reader can appreciate that this is something to be suspenseful about, they already know what happened. This climax, as anticlimactic as it may seem sets the audience up for an easy ride down the falling action.
Galsworthy brings about the falling action and resolution through one of the most important literary constructions of all, theme. “The Japanese Quince” is a short story which portrays the agony of a monotonous life. Galsworthy depicts this theme by walking the reader through an incredibly banal morning routine of a well off business man living in the financial center of London. One of the first tastes of dialogue in this story is "Half an hour to breakfast," he thought (Mr. Nilson); "I'll take a turn in the Gardens.” An interesting phrase, that clearly indicates the man’s very regimented schedule, already making his morning stressful; having to worry about the time constraints he must keep in mind. Throughout “The Japanese Quince” the reader’s attention is drawn to a blackbird perched on Mr. Nilson’s tree. The blackbird is a blatant symbol of this man’s ominous daily routine that hangs over him, constantly reminding him that he must keep up the strength to continue on with his career. As we are brought through these short thirty minutes, with Mr. Nilson and the blackbird perched on the tree, it becomes apparent that the blackbird’s song grows louder and louder while his time runs out. As his time in the blossoming garden runs out, the agony of his monotonous routine hangs heavy on his heart. Not only has the blackbird brought Nilson’s subconscious to realize the stress of his limited time to enjoy his lush garden, but the mere sight of his neighbor, Mr. Tandram, drives him immediately back to this agonizing monotony. ‘The sound of a cough or sigh attracted his attention. There, in the shadow of his French window, stood Mr. Tandram, also looking forth across the Gardens at the little quince tree. Unaccountably upset, Mr. Nilson turned abruptly into the house, and opened his morning paper.’ This final excerpt from “The Japanese Quince” completely envelopes Mr. Nilson’s neglect to realize the power his regimented routine has over his mind and his thirst for adventure in life. Nilson will promptly go back to his high up financial job, ultimately leaving him empty and clueless as to what truly makes him happy. Using theme to represent this story’s falling action and resolution is crucial when understanding Galsworthy’s point. The theme of agonizing, clueless, lifeless monotony can drag your soul to the darkest depths of depression by the slyest means possible; Galsworthy can take you there in one simple short story.
To progress means to evolve. Evolving is not something we, as readers, have much control over. An author has all the control in the world to have an impact on the evolution, or progression of their narrative. Hemmingway, O’Brien, Falkner and Galsworthy took their readers on four extremely different journeys using distinctive literary devices to bring out specific stages in their story. When it comes down to it, an author could be the creator of an outstanding story using strong setting and symbols to accentuate the exposition. Developing characters in such a way that the reader is brought to tears during their climb, the rising action, up their literary hike. Then, by structuring their plot in such a way that their audience is encapsulated by suspense for an outrageous climax. And finally, by generating such a moving theme that the reader cannot make another thought without considering the impact it has had on them. To do all of these in one story would be a catastrophe. The simple fact alone, that an author and reader, united, can discover a means of interpreting a story through literary constructions in order to define a beautiful written moment, truly describes the elegance of literature.