Have you ever started reading a horror novel and felt creeped out? Every time we read, we feel certain emotions connected to the kind of story it is. This is known as the mood. For example, if a story starts like “Harry was excited for his school trip to the zoo”, it will most likely have a fun and casual mood. Let’s learn more about mood in literature.

What is Mood in Literature?

Mood in literature refers to the feelings you take away from reading the story. The mood of a story affects your mood in real life! It is an important tool used by authors to make their stories more interesting and to give you a sense of what’s to come. A single book can have many different moods at different points.

Definition of Mood in Literature

Mood in literature is the general atmosphere and emotions the author wants the reader to feel while reading the book. A story’s mood is created with the help of the setting, imagery, the types of words used, and their tone.

Examples of Mood in Literature

Humorous: this mood contains funny incidents and hilarious situations that make you laugh. In Three Men In A Boat by Jerome K. Jerome, the characters experience several comical events and misunderstandings that make the story amusing.

Madness: this mood is chaotic and absurd. Random events take place and characters often do illogical things. In Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, Alice falls down a rabbit hole and finds herself in a weird world with a smiling cat, a talking caterpillar, playing-card soldiers, and several other strange creatures!

Mysterious: this mood is suspenseful and thrilling. It can also be scary and gripping, like in horror stories. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle features a puzzling, ominous mood as detective Sherlock Holmes tries to uncover the mysterious identity of a fearsome and supernatural hound.

Tone vs Mood

Tone refers to the author’s use of words and their writing style. It shows the author’s feelings towards a topic or a character. It’s different from the mood of the story since a mood is all about the reader’s feelings. 

The mood also might differ from reader to reader, but the tone of the author remains the same. On some occasions, the tone and mood of the story might be the same.

Elements of Mood

Setting

A story’s setting refers to when and where it takes place. It’s one of the first things an author describes and is important in creating the mood. For example, a story that takes place in a haunted house at night will likely create a scary, gloomy mood.

Tone

An author’s tone shows their attitude towards the story. The tone might complement the mood. For example, an author writing about something that frustrates them might use an angry tone, to create an angry mood for the reader as well.

The tone can also create contrast with the mood, to create suspense. For instance, in a horror novel, the main characters might be camping in the forest. While the tone of the passage might be lighthearted if the characters are having fun, the mood of the story might be frightening. 

Diction

The author’s choice of words and their style of writing sentences is called the diction of the story. For example, an author might use old English words like ‘thy’ and ‘thee’ instead of ‘your’ and ‘you’ to create a Shakespearean mood.

Subject Matter

Subject Matter refers to the main theme of a story or the plot of the story. Clearly, this has the most important role in forming the mood. For instance, a murder mystery will usually require surprising plot twists to create a suspenseful mood.

Imagery

Imagery refers to the way authors describe physical things in a story to create a mental picture in the reader’s mind. For instance, an author might create vivid imagery of a grand buffet by describing the various foods and smells, to create a bright and pleasant mood.

Mood vs Atmosphere 

Mood and atmosphere both refer to the emotional feelings inspired in a reader by literature. But there’s a slight difference between them. The atmosphere is generally linked to a specific place in the story and affects the mood of the characters as well as the audience. 

For example, if the hero of a novel finds himself in the villain’s secret lair, the atmosphere of the place would be mysterious and dark. This contributes to the story’s overall tense mood.

Adjectives Commonly Used to Describe Mood

The mood of a story can be described using many adjectives. Positive adjectives include amusing, calming, dreamy, energetic, hopeful, idyllic, inspiring, loving, nostalgic and satisfying. Negative adjectives include anxious, confused, depressing, embarrassing, frustrating, hopeless, irritating, and restless.

Purpose of Mood in Literature

Authors create different moods for various purposes. A well-developed mood allows the reader to be invested in the story emotionally. The reader can identify with the characters and feel happy or sad, scared or hopeful with them. 

It also brings out the main theme of the story. A novel about death will have a somber mood, but one about love will have a romantic mood. This adds depth to the story and makes it engaging.

Case Study

Let’s look at Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This play’s subject matter deals with the death of a loved one and the resulting grief. Thus the mood is somber. Shakespeare also establishes a dark and fantasy-laden mood using setting, imagery, tone, and diction. 

The play opens with guards outside a castle at midnight. It’s a dark setting. They see Hamlet’s ghost roaming the grounds. Shakespeare describes the sound of the ghost’s footsteps to create scary imagery. A guard first speaks, “Who’s there?”. This sets a curious tone for the scene. 

Shakespeare also uses diction with dialogues like “It harrows me with fear and wonder” to frighten the reader. Shakespeare continues to develop the mood of the play, but this scene defines the overall mood as one of excitement, suspense, and dread. To date, it is one of Shakespeare’s strongest opening scenes.

Mood Outside of Literature

Mood exists in other forms of media too. For movies, a similar term is mise-en-scene. This refers to the setting and atmosphere of the movie, which helps build the overall mood. Movies use sets, props, lighting, and other effects to contribute to the mood as well. Mood can also exist in music. Some song genres like hip-hop and rap can be fast-paced and thrilling, while genres like classical music are more calming and peaceful.

Exercise

Guess the mood in these passages:

The girl looked at the treasure map and tried to control her heartbeat, as she tried to find her way through the maze.

Calm or Exciting?

The man sat at the empty dining table and drank his single cup of tea. He looked outside his window at the dying tree in his backyard.

Lonely or Cheerful?

Do you remember the famous line that Neil Armstrong spoke when he landed on the moon and achieved the great feat? His words ‘that’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’ struck the minds and hearts of everyone. His line showed a sharp contrast between the two words. Can you identify them? 

The words small and giant have opposite meanings. This phrase used a figure of speech called antithesis. Antithesis means the direct opposite. It is a contrary opinion or a concept. The statement can include characteristics that are contrasting. Using antithesis can highlight and drive home an important point. 

Antithesis is found everywhere but it is used widely in films and literature. Using this makes the audience understand the point of the other person with more clarity.

What is Antithesis?

Antithesis is a rhetorical device that brings out the contrast in the statement. It contains two ideas in the phrase that are complete opposites of each other. They are used to strengthen an argument and make it easier for the listener or reader to remember. 

Antithesis is also used to make the reader feel a certain way. They persuade the other person to elicit a particular emotion that the writer wants to show.

The dictionary defines antithesis as the placing of a sentence or one of its parts against another to which it is opposed to form a balanced contrast of ideas. It means the direct opposite or contrasting ideas in the same sentence.

Antithesis examples:

Everyday examples-

Antithesis can be used in everyday speech as well. Many phrases spoken use this device. 

• Go home or go big- this is a phrase heard more in games.
• No pain, no gain.
• Speech is silver but silence is golden- this one would have been used by every teacher out there! 

Examples from famous speeches- 

• “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” – this was quoted by John.F.Kennedy during his inaugural speech as the 35th President of the USA.

• “We must all learn to live together as brothers – or we will all perish together as fools.” Martin Luther King Jr quoted this to highlight the contrast between two versions of the future.

Proverbs featuring antithesis- 

• Beggars can’t be choosers.
• One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.
• Hope for the best and prepare for the best.

How to write with Antithesis?

Antithesis is best used to add contrast. Concepts such as emotions and opposing elements of a setting use this. The concepts don’t need to be complete opposites but they should be distinct. Antithesis creates a lyrical quality so one should keep in mind the rhythm and wording to be similar. Overuse should be avoided since the impact will sound duller and make writing seem forced.

Why do writers use Antithesis?

• Writers use antithesis to create a contrast and present a choice between two different things.
• Placing opposites together gives more clarity and attention to its characteristics.
• It allows the expression of strong emotions and conveys range.
• It also allows the text to be more memorable for the reader or listener. 

Read this article to get more information on Literary Syntax.

Difference between Antithesis and Juxtaposition:

Antithesis often gets confused with other literary terms. Juxtaposition is one such literary device that is mistaken in place of antithesis. Juxtaposition places two things next to each other for an interesting effect. This is done to bring attention to their similarities or differences. The juxtaposition does not always compare or contrast, unlike antithesis. Antithesis could be a juxtaposition but vice versa cannot be told as the same.

Difference between Antithesis and Oxymoron:

Oxymoron is another literary device that gets confused with antithesis. Oxymoron is a combination of contradicting words placed next to each other. For example, living dead, making haste slowly, the only choice, etc. 

The idea of an oxymoron focuses on contradiction while antithesis is more based on opposites. Antithesis doesn’t function with only a few words and is not placed next to each other. Pretty easy to identify them!

You can get more information about Anaphora in this article.

Difference between Antithesis and Foil:

A foil is a literary character that highlights attributes and reveals information in another character through opposing traits. It is used to draw attention to the other person’s qualities. This can get confused with antithesis. While the character can have opposing qualities, it does not mean it is a bad character. This is a foil character. If the main character is a hero, then antithesis will mean being the villain and foil will mean being a sidekick of the hero.

Antithesis and Parallelism:

Parallelism is a literary device in which parts of a sentence are the same. They can be grammatically the same or at least similar in construction. This makes it a great persuasion tool as people find it a pattern and rhythm more memorable. 

The easiest example to understand this device would be Martin Luther King Jr’s speech- 

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today…”. 

Although anyone would not be able to remember the whole speech, the part that uses parallelism sticks to the mind. This shows the power parallelism holds in making a bigger impact.

Antithesis uses parallelism in many cases. It can involve parallel elements of the sentence which can be verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc. An example that has both antithesis and parallelism in it is from the book The Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens- 

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness;

Origins of Antithesis:

Antithesis originates from the Greek word Antitithenai which means set against. It comes from two words ‘anti’ meaning ‘against’ and ‘tithenai’ meaning ‘to place’. The earliest usage of this as a literary device is known from the 16th century.

Antithesis in Literature: 

Antithesis is a favorable device that a lot of authors use. Some of Shakespeare’s best works use this.

• Othello by Shakespeare- 

“This is the night

That either makes me or fordoes me quite.”

The antithesis in this is quite clear as the antagonist uses it to differentiate between the two potential outcomes.

• Julius Caesar by Shakespeare- 

There is a subtle use of antithesis here. The author uses it to show the contrast between the characters Markus Brutus and Marc Anthony. The former being a noble, honorable man and the latter being evil but honorable.

Antithesis in poetry:

• Paradise Lost by John Milton-

“Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav’n.”

There is the use of double antithesis here. One between heaven and hell and the other one between ruling and serving. The poet justifies that it is better to rule even in hell than be a servant, even if it is heaven.

• Fire and Ice by Robert Frost-

             Some say the world will end in fire,

           Some say in ice.

           From what I’ve tasted of desire

           I hold with those who favor fire.

           But if it had to perish twice,

          I think I know enough of hate

          To say that for destruction ice

          Is also great

         And would suffice.

      Antithesis is used to contrast fire and ice as opposing yet destructive forces. The fire represents desire while the ice represents hate. There is the literal and figurative meaning used by the poet.

Antithesis in popular culture:

• In the song ‘My Girl by the Temptations’ (1965)

I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day

When it’s cold outside I’ve got the month of May.

The singer uses antithesis to express joy in contrasting conditions.

• In the movie ‘Beauty and the Beast’ by Disney-

The movie uses antithesis on its characters. While Belle is the epitome of beauty, the beast is a stark contrast by being ugly. Yet, they find their way to each other which makes it a heartfelt union.

Syntax in literature defines the arrangement of words and sentences that are placed together. It determines how words from different parts of speech can be put together to convey a thought. Syntax also defines the way in which sentences are supposed to be composed to give complete meaning.

 What is Syntax in Literature?

The rulebook of literature is known as grammar. It tells us where to include punctuations, capitalize proper nouns and so forth. Syntax however is the proper utilization of these rules in literature.

Syntax is the grammatical placement of words and phrases to form meaningful sentences. It is a set of rules that helps a person understand and make sense of a sentence. Sentences can be composed in a variety of ways. The arrangement of sentences in literature can change the way in which they are interpreted.

 For example:

‘She continued dancing gracefully.’

‘Gracefully, she continued dancing.’

These two sentences have a slight difference. The syntax in each case however gives a different meaning and perhaps, a different image. 

Hence, the usage of sentences and words in literature can convey different meanings based on the way they are arranged. In many cases, the usage of words in a sentence in a particular way gives meaning to it. It may not be the case when we change the placement of the words.

Syntax in a Sentence:

Usually in sentences, the syntax follows a simple subject-verb-object format. However, it is also used by authors to create different effects in sentences depending on the requirement. Syntax is an important tool used to create rhythmic, rhetoric or questioning effects in sentences.

 In sentences, we often use clauses. A clause is a group of words that consists of a verb and a subject. This verb and subject have a relation. This relation may or may not allow the clause to behave as an independent sentence. There are two types of clauses. They are independent and dependent clauses. The syntax of a clause states that it can form a complete sentence if the clause is independent. A dependent cannot do so.

For example:

‘More than ice cream, he likes to eat pastries.’

In this sentence, ‘he likes to eat pastries’ is an independent clause. On the other hand, ‘more than ice cream’  is a dependent clause.

Simple sentences:

The syntax of simple sentences follows a simple basic structure. It is in the form of subject-verb-object. A subject is a person or thing that is being discussed. A verb is an action that is being performed by the subject. An object is a person or thing that is receiving the action.

For example:

• He goes to college.
• She is going to the mall.
• He likes to eat food.

All these sentences follow the pattern of subject, verb, and object.

Compound sentences:

A compound sentence is a sentence made up of two independent clauses. When the sentence is broken down, the clauses make a complete meaning on their own. In a compound sentence, these clauses are joined together by coordinating conjunctions. These could be ‘and, but, or, nor, yet, so’ etc. They could also be connected by a comma or a semicolon.

For example:

• He went to bed late yet he still got up before me.
• She went to play but she lost her ball.
• He came home tired and he went to sleep.

Complex sentences:

A complex sentence is a sentence that is a combination of both dependent and independent clauses. This is a type of sentence that is improved from the simple subject-verb-object format. The dependent clause provides an extra bit of information to the sentence.

For example:

• They went to school and wrote their exams.
• The sky looks beautiful, especially during sunset.
• We got drenched in the rain, hence fell ill the next day.

In all the above sentences, the dependent clause provides additional information. It provides support to the statement of the independent clause. 

Compound-Complex sentences:

A compound-complex sentence is a sentence that comprises at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses. It is like a mixture of both a compound and a complex sentence.

For example:

• Even though they left early for college, they arrived late and were not allowed in class.
• He got caught eating a bar of chocolate, hence he received punishment and never did it again.
• We went on a road trip but the road was blocked and hence, had to return. 

Syntax Examples:

Here is an example of the difference in sentence formation due to syntax.

• The boy jumped happily.
• The boy happily jumped.
• Happily, the boy jumped.

In each of these cases, the position of one word changes the tone of the sentence. Although each sentence is grammatically correct, the image that each sentence provides is different. This is usually done to make the writing more interesting. It is also used to emphasize certain points. This makes the writing more colorful and reader-friendly.

Many times, changing the position of words in a sentence doesn’t give rise to a meaningful sentence. In fact, the sentence becomes meaningless.

For example:-

1.

•  He drinks water from a bottle.
•  The water bottle drinks from him.

    2.       

•  You are riding a cycle.
•  The cycle is riding you.

In both these cases, just by changing the position of the words, the second sentence becomes meaningless.

•  In other cases, syntax can also affect the meaning of a sentence and change it completely.

            For example:-

•   ‘Either you run the day or the day runs you.’

The first part of this sentence says that you should be in control of your day-to-day activities. You should be the one to decide what to do with your time.

The second part replicates the fact that you go with the flow of your work. It says that you do not control what you are doing. It is often associated with people having a lot of work that does not have enough time in the day. It shows that you do the work ‘given’ to you and do not choose the work you ‘want’ to do. In such a situation you are being controlled by the work you receive in a day.

• In terms of punctuations and their usage, the syntax tells us how the person wants to say his or her dialogue. It often tells us how the person feels. The expressions that punctuations give can also tell the readers about the mood of a character and their personalities. 

            For example:

• ‘The ocean is so beautiful ! I will definitely visit it again.’ 
•  ‘The ocean is beautiful I will definitely visit it again.’

The second case gives us a sentence where the required punctuation is not used. It makes the statement rushed and vague. The sentence over here seems dull. The impact should have on the reader also reduces. 

• Often using words that are not suitable in a given condition, conveys a message that has a different meaning. In such cases, the syntax tells us which words to use. This depends on the type of sentence you want to form. Such a condition can arise due to the following situations-

1. Unnecessary use of words with connotations and meanings
2. Misuse of words
3. Usage of pronouns when readers can’t tell to whom it is referring.
4. Usage of the same terms repeatedly. 

Let us see a simple error caused due to word choice through an example:

• My cousin Harry apologized to Larry even though he doesn’t like him very much.
• My cousin Harry apologized to Larry even though Harry doesn’t like Larry very much.

In the first case, it is not clear as to ‘who doesn’t like whom very much’. Thus utilizing pronouns unnecessarily can create confusion. This will not allow the words of the writer to reach the readers.  

Thus the syntax plays an important role in the message that a sentence conveys to the reader.

Syntax with Active Voice and Passive Voice:

A literary syntax helps us in understanding whether a sentence is in active or passive voice.

In active voice, the ‘subject’ performs the action on the ‘object’  and is mentioned first. It follows the sequence of the subject, then the action, and lastly the object.

For example:

• ‘The parents left their children at home.’
• ‘We ate the food.’
• ‘They played a game.’

Most sentences use an active voice when written.

In passive voice, the sentence is restructured in such a way that the ‘subject’ is receiving the action. Taking the cases from above, let us write the sentences in passive voice.

• ‘The children were left at home by their parents.’
• ‘The food was eaten by us.’
• ‘The game was played by them.’

We don’t prefer using the passive voice as much because its usage sometimes leads to confusion.

However, there are certain instances where passive voice is used. It could be for the following reasons: 

1. To emphasize the action being performed rather than the subject.
2. To place a condition where the subject is unnamed or remains unknown.
3. To create an authoritative tone.

How to improve Syntax:

To understand a given sentence, the reader must process, store and combine a variety of syntactic and word meaning information. The ability to monitor relations between words in a sentence is known as ‘Syntactic awareness.’ To build syntactic awareness, we need enough exposure to both oral and written language. This helps in improving the quality of syntax used in sentences.

The syntax can also be improved if the quality of language used is increased. Better usage and quality of the language used will greatly improve the syntax. Hence, this will increase the ease with which a reader can comprehend sentences.

 Significance of Syntax in Literature:

Syntax is an essential part of literature. It allows writers to take liberty in the way they want to form sentences. It allows them to play with the position of words in a sentence to bring out different expressions. 

Moreover, syntax itself has changed over time. What was once commonly used is now hazy and unclear. Words like ‘thou’, ‘art’, and ‘wert’ are not used anywhere anymore. Instead, we use ‘you’, ‘are’, and ‘were’. 

Literature has thus helped linguists understand the course of change that syntax has undergone through history. This can help understand how people think. It has also helped in understanding the syntax used in different cultures.

Examples:

• “People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.”

(To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee)

• The syntax of this line follows a pattern of repetition. Lee also repeated “for” at the end of each clause, giving the sentence a rhetorical character.

• “It is the easiest thing in the world for a man to look as if he had a great secret in him.”

(Moby-Dick by Herman Melville)

• Simple syntax often reveals an everlasting motto. Even a simple structure can sometimes create a phrase that becomes a statement of wisdom. 

Syntax in Poetry:

The general syntax of an English sentence follows the order of subject, verb, and then object. However, due to the freedom provided by syntax in literature, the order can be shifted to create artistic effects. These could be due to the following reasons:

1. To produce a rhythm or melody in the lines.
2. To put more emphasis on certain words.
3. To heighten the relation between two or more words.

Examples:

• Love will not be constrain’d by mastery.

            When mast’ry comes, the god of love anon

            Beateth his wings, and, farewell, he is gone.

            Love is a thing as any spirit free.

            (The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer)

• Even though this text is modernized, it still contains hints of the Middle English syntax. For instance, it shows the agreement of the subject god of love and the verb ‘beateth’. The last line as well uses an unusual syntax, “Love is a thing as any spirit free”. Over here, he says that love is as free as a spirit. However, with the change in syntax, it sounds more poetic.

• I CELEBRATE myself, and sing myself,

            And what I assume you shall assume,

            For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. I loafe and invite my soul,

            I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.

            (Song of Myself by Walt Whitman)

• In this poem, Walt Whitman has bent the rules of a straightforward syntax to create more interesting lines. The third line of this poem uses interesting word order. Of course, the poet means that for every good atom belonging to him, there are good atoms belonging to you as well. However, just by changing the sentence structure, the line stands out.

 Syntax vs Diction:

Syntax and diction are closely related to one another. Diction refers to the choice of words used in a particular situation. Syntax on the other hand determines how these words will be used to form a meaningful sentence. It is quite often to see a complex diction requiring a complex syntax to use in a sentence. Hence the combination of both of these elements helps develop a  tone, mood, and atmosphere in a poem or text. This brings out the interest in readers to understand a sentence by improving the language used.

Have you ever read a horror story and felt very spooked? Or felt a fuzzy feeling while reading the buildup of a romance novel? The place where the story takes place always adds to the atmosphere and mood the writer wants to show. This place is called the setting of the story. 

The setting is not only used in stories but also in films, plays, novels to name a few. It is usually introduced at the beginning of the narrative or stories. It is introduced alongside the characters at the start. The setting in essence defines the ‘when’ and ‘where’. 

What is the setting of a story?

The setting is an element of literature used to state time and place. It is the main backdrop of what happens in a story.  It gives context to where the story takes place. There are many components in the setting of the story that describes the mood and the plot. They even add to the development of the character.

The setting can have a varied range. It can be anything from a fictional world to real-time periods and geographical regions. Settings also include landscapes, climate, social environment, cultural backgrounds. It can even be individual locations that the characters visit or frequent. 

The three types of settings

Settings are primarily divided into three types- temporal, environmental, and individual. 

Temporal setting

In simple words, it means when the story is taking place. It is the period when the action unfolds. Here, the time can be historical or modern. It can also be the time of the day, month, or year and it can be the change in seasons as well.

Environmental setting

The setting of the story can be subjected to change. Environmental settings mean the geographical location such as a particular area, country, or world. It can be set in a fictitious world too. Forces of nature such as weather and climatic conditions affect the setting as well. The environment also includes the social and cultural setting. If the story is set during war times, it will include the somberness and suffering during those times.

Individual setting 

Individual setting relates to the characters. This is the setting that surrounds the mood and the life of the characters. If the character is poor, then they will be set in a run-down house.

Story setting examples from Literature

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Written by Sir Arthur Conan Dyle, this story is set in the moors of Baskerville halls in Dartmoor, Devonshire. A classic mystery novel featuring Sherlock Holmes and Watson, it is different than the usual set of London like the other novels. Away from his home in Baker Street in London, he attempts to solve the mysterious howls and deaths. The place seems more ominous and isolated and provides the perfect setting for horror. 

Harry Potter

The setting of this fantasy novel takes place in a fictional world where magic exists. The author, J.K.Rowling sets the story in the magical school of Hogwarts of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The story starts in the setting of a tiny room below the staircase in a house.

The protagonist Harry is introduced to living with relatives who treat him unfairly. He then finds out his true origins and shifts to attending Hogwarts. The main story of his adventures begins from there. 

Significance of the Setting of a Story

Without the setting in the story, the readers will be lost. They wouldn’t have an idea of where and when the story takes place. The setting is important for them to visualize how the events unfold. 

The setting is the background of the story. It deeply influences the characters and the plot. It contributes to their personality and often provides the reason why they act a certain way. The setting has a tremendous impact on the people and their reactions in the story. The setting brings out an emotional response among the readers.

The development of the story very much depends on the setting. It connects the elements and metaphorically links the theme to the story. 

How to use the Setting of a Story for best results

The setting of the story should fit the plot and serve its purpose. The setting should be such that the readers should be able to place it along with the plot. It should make sense to the readers. If the plot for the story is related to horror, then the setting should be someplace spooky and isolated. 

The setting should fit the actual story as well. The objects, people, and events should not feel out of place. It wouldn’t make sense for them to not be following the time and place. If the story is set in the middle ages, then the clothes and hairstyles should also see fit. It would be improper to make the character wear modern clothes in that setting.

The setting should fit with the character as well. Since the setting influences the mood of the character, it should align with them. If the main character is a lone wolf, then he/she will not have many friends and will be seen alone all the time.

What to include in a story setting? 

Knowing what to add to the story setting is very important since it influences every part of the plot. The core parts of the setting are the time, place, mood, and context.

• Choosing the setting and getting the unique details right makes a lot of difference. 
• Using symbolism and evoking all five senses of the reader.
• Deciding the period which fits the story the best.
• The atmosphere needs to be portrayed well.
• All the elements of the story are necessary to be incorporated into the setting.
• In a fictional setting, drawing a map will be helpful.

How to research the setting of the story?

While researching the setting of the story, there are various sources to take help from.

• Doing online research through Youtube and National Geographic channels.
• Using computer programs such as Google Earth to give an idea about the appearance of the earth.
• Encyclopedias, newspapers, and photos are a great way for first-hand research.
• Visiting the place in person always gives the best idea for the ideal setting.

The setting is an important literary device that moves the story along. Using key details in the setting makes it interesting and pulls on the reader’s mind. Without the setting, the plot would seem boring.

The two terms connotation and denotation, describe the overall implicit and explicit meanings of a word, respectively. They signify the gravity a word or a phrase possesses in the given context.

In short, they highlight and give color to the meaning that words have.

 Both denotation and connotation stem from the Latin word notāre, meaning “to note.”

Connotations

Connotations are a wide array of positive and negative emotions or associations that most words carry with themselves. Any other meaning associated with the word other than the literal meaning signifies a connotation. Connotations give the word or phrase a secondary meaning. They are often used as something that is suggested or implied by a word or thing. In simple terms, a connotation brings out the hidden meaning of a word. 

For example:

                      The word ‘snake’ brings up a feeling of something similar to facing fear or danger. A person instinctively senses these emotions when hearing the word ‘snake’. 

The connotation of the word ‘snake’ suggests these hidden emotions. They do not give the exact meaning of the word ‘snake’ but the inner meaning.

Similarly, the word ‘beautiful’ can mean different things. It can signify something other than the known meaning of something looking nice and wonderful. The connotation in this case can mean that a poem has been written with a lot of expressions. It can suggest that a piece of art has been made with a lot of skill and so on.

Significance of connotations

Connotations are used in poems that signify the various aspects of nature. They are also used as strong morals on which stories are written. People use connotations in advertisements and on the news as well.

The word connotation comes from the Latin term ‘con’ which means “together; with,”. It makes us understand that the connotation of a word works with or alongside its more explicit meaning or denotation.

Types of connotations

There are three types of connotations:

• Positive,
• Negative 
• Neutral.

These three types are necessary to understand the meaning that connotations have in a language.

Neutral connotations- These types of connotations are used to suggest or state facts that do not hold a negative nor a positive emotion in general. For example:

                         The word  ‘old’ is used to suggest that something is aged. It doesn’t hold any positive or negative elements within it.

Positive connotations- As the name suggests, these types of connotations hold a positive remark. For example:

Two positive connotations of the word ‘old’ are ‘vintage’ and ‘matured’ like ‘vintage records’ or ‘matured cheese’.

Words like ‘childlike’ and ‘brilliant’ highlight the positive personalities in a person.

Negative connotations-In the same way as positive connotations, negative connotations suggest a negative remark or trait.For example:

Words like ‘childish’ and ‘nerdy’ give a negative impact. They highlight the negative personalities.

In this way, connotations are used to improve the quality of language used and change the words’ impact and meaning.  

Denotations

The denotation of a word or a phrase gives its straightforward meaning. It highlights the direct dictionary meaning of the word. A denotation gives the exact definition of the word or phrase. A connotation is used based on the direct meaning of the word. Thus, a connotation is used along with a denotation to give the word its meaning.

.

For example: ‘I like watching movies.’ This sentence means that the person likes watching movies.

Some more examples are: 

•  Let us go to play.
• We are preparing for a meeting.

 These sentences have no inner meanings hidden behind the words. 

Denotations do not have different categories like connotations because the words are used only to have a simple dictionary definition and nothing more. Words that have a negative, positive or neutral emotion are used as is without the need for their secondary meaning.

Denotations VS Connotations

If we want to discuss the meaning of a word, it helps to know the difference between denotation and connotation. These two terms are easy to confuse because they describe related concepts.

In a way, denotations and connotations are like two sides of the same coin.

They give a word a variety of meanings. There is a significant difference between the two so they are often confused. For example, the denotation of the word “pale” is having a lighter color or shade. Whereas, its connotation can be understood as inferior or unimpressive. Read the following sentence to understand better-

The walls of our house have a pale color.

We understand that the word pale in the above sentence has been used in its denotative meaning. They suggest that the walls in the house have a light color. On the contrary,

The taste of these cookies is pale in comparison to the ones that are made at home.

This suggests that the taste of the cookies is not as good as the ones made at home. This highlights the connotative meaning of the word pale.

There are many instances where two words have the same denotations but differ in their connotations. For example:

Walk and stroll- Both of these words in a denotative meaning give out the same meaning as that of walking. Their connotations are different though. The meaning of walking doesn’t give us a clear idea of how fast or slow a person is moving. The connotation of “stroll” tells us that the person is leisurely or calmly moving. This also informs us that the person is not in a hurry and walking slowly.

Exercise: Mention the Connotation and Denotation

Mention in the sentences where the word used is a connotation or denotation 

1. ILL

• Are you feeling ill?
• He is an ill-mannered boy.

2. CHEAP

• The quality of cars nowadays is very cheap.
• The items in this store are cheap.

3. SHOCK

• He received a shock when he touched the wire without gloves.
• She was in shock when she found out that he met with an accident.

Answers

1. Sentence 1- denotation

Sentence 2- connotation

Denotation: being sick

Connotation: poorly or badly

2. Sentence 1- connotation

Sentence 2- denotation

Denotation: little worth

Connotation: low in price

3. Sentence 1- denotation 

Sentence 2- connotation

Denotation: an electric shockConnotation: sudden upsetting or surprising event

What is the meaning of Antecedent? 

The Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘Antecedent’ as “someone or something existing or happening before, especially as the cause or origin of something existing or happening later.” This word has Latin origins. ‘Ante’ in Latin means ‘before’. ‘Cedere’ in Latin means ‘to go’. Put together, ’Antecedent’ means ‘to go before’ something or someone. 

Merriam Webster defines an antecedent broadly as “a word or phrase replaced by a substitute”. When we use an antecedent, we do not need to repeat what or who we were talking about. 

The definition of an antecedent is something that goes before other things. It means a word that describes situations or things that precede others. Antecedent should not be confused with Precedent. 

Precedent refers to an event or thing that happened before others. The difference is that precedent is a guide for following things. An antecedent is simply a thing that exists before the other things in the same context. 

Examples of Antecedents 

To understand this concept easily, let’s look at a few simple examples. 

1. Lily reads a lot. Her knowledge about literature is very vast.
   Here, we’re talking about Lily. We refer to her reading in the first sentence. In the second sentence, we refer to her knowledge. The reason we did not have to repeat her name, is because we already used it in the first sentence. The use of her name earlier is the antecedent. Hence, we don’t need to repeat it.
   
2. Joey told me he loves baseball.
   In this example, we mention Joey’s name only once. When we talk about his love for football, we know his name already. Thus, we don’t need to repeat it. ‘He’ refers to Joey. His name is the antecedent. When we refer to him in the second part of the sentence, we don’t need to repeat his name.
    
3. The flowers are blooming because they love bright sunshine.
   We have established that we are talking about flowers. After the word ‘because’, we don’t need to say ‘the flowers’ again. This is because we have already made it clear that we are talking about the flowers. In this example, ‘the flowers’ is an antecedent. It tells us what we’re talking about. 

In all these examples, the main thing that we talk about is not just a noun. When we refer to it again in the sentence or context, it becomes an antecedent. This means that there is no need to repeat that word or phrase again. In Example 2, ‘Joey’ is not just the subject or proper noun. It is also the antecedent to ‘he’. 

Let’s see what happens when there are no antecedents. 

If you’re at school, and your teacher says “Quiet, children. She’s coming.”, would you know who’s coming? Your teacher did not tell you who’s coming. The teacher does not specify who she is referring to. 

‘She’ could mean anyone. It could be your principal. It could be your mom. It could be the First Lady of the USA. Since there is no clue as to who ‘she’ is, there’s a lot of confusion. Antecedents prevent that cinfusion. When there is an antecedent, it becomes clear who or what is being referred to. 

Your teacher can say, “Quiet, children. I just spoke to the First Lady. She’s coming.” These sentences give you a clear picture of what’s happening. Now you know that the First Lady of the USA is visiting your school! ‘The First Lady of the USA’ is the antecedent to ‘she’. 

Rules to follow while using Antecedents

Your teacher was very confusing in the first example in the above section. You were confused because you did not know who she was talking about. We must avoid vague pronoun references. Vague references do not give us any information. 

• Always keep in mind that a pronoun and its antecedent have to be in agreement. If you have a singular pronoun, the antecedent must be singular too. If we skip this rule, our sentences will not make any sense.
  

Wrong: The watermelons are home. It is very fresh and sweet. 

Correct: The watermelons are home. They are very fresh and sweet. 

• The pronoun or phrase must be in agreement with its antecedent when it comes to gender. There can be no mismatch. A sentence becomes very odd if we do not follow this rule. 

Wrong: Joey said he loves football. 

Correct: Joey said she loves football. 

• Some indefinite pronouns take plural antecedents. Others can also take singular antecedents. Pronouns that take plural antecedents are both, few, several, etc. Pronouns that take singular antecedents include neither, either, somebody, anyone, something, nothing, no one, everything, and so on.
  
  Example 1: There are very few students today. They are all celebrating.
  Here, ‘few students’ is the indefinite pronoun. It is followed by ‘they’.
  
  Example 2: Each of the students has his or her favorite book.
  In this example, we have to keep in mind that ‘Each’ is an indefinite pronoun antecedent. For this indefinite pronoun, we use ‘his’ or ‘her’ to indicate who we are talking about.

However, there can be some exceptions to this rule. The words almost, some, any, and none take referents based on the context. They can be singular or plural. 

Example 1: All the boys packed their bags.

Example 2: All the wheat is in its sack.

There are many grammar rules for antecedents. We have now discussed the basic and important ones. 

When we use antecedents, we must always remember to check the agreement in a sentence. If we do not keep this in mind, our sentences become grammatically incorrect. The antecedent will change according to the type of pronoun. It can be an indefinite or a definite pronoun. Even in these two categories, there are exceptions to the rules. 

Make sure you check your grammar and follow all the rules given in this article. All the best!

Summary 

• An antecedent is something that comes before the other thing
• Antecedents must agree with the rest of the sentence
• The meaning of antecedent comes from Latin
• There are some simple rules to be followed while using an antecedent

Have you ever come across poems that repeat certain words when you read them? I’m sure you would have wondered why these poems have the same words repeating over and over again. You might have gotten the impression that the poet may not have known many words and may have had to repeat them.

But that is not the case. It is a deliberate move by the poet. These repeating words are a poetic device. The poet uses them to make sure their message is being conveyed loud and clear. To be more specific, these repeating words are Anaphora. 

Anaphora is not only used for poems, but also prose, speeches, and writings. It is a rhetoric device used at the beginning of the lines. They add a more dramatic effect and hold the attention to what the person wants to say. Rhetoric devices, in general, use a lot of emotion to affect the feelings of the public and persuade them. 

What is Anaphora

Anaphora is a repetition of a word or a sequence of words at the beginning of clauses and poetic lines. The repetitiveness of the words makes them easier to remember. The purpose of using repetitive words is to emphasize the meaning behind the writing. This allows the reader to invoke strong emotions by the lines. 

Anaphora examples

Anaphora is more often used in speeches and occasionally used in poems and prose. It is a powerful device that brings a sense of rhythm to the lines. It makes the message more appealing and persuasive to the readers. 

Anaphora from the Bible

Anaphora is one of the oldest literary devices to exist. It is in the Biblical Psalms used to emphasize particular phrases and words. In the King James Version of the Biblical Psalms, it says

Oh Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot pleasure.

Have mercy upon me, Oh Lord; for I am weak: Oh Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, Oh Lord, how long?

Here, the anaphora is Oh Lord and is repeatedly used. 

Anaphora from Literature

Literature has many examples of the usage of Anaphora. Charles Dickens extensively used anaphora in his books. His book ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ gives a good example of anaphora,

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

Aside from books and prose, anaphora is also used in political speeches. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill gave an iconic speech during WWII that used anaphora to deliver hope and unity among the soldiers against an invasion, 

We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be.

Anaphora in poetry

Poetry also uses anaphora. Allen Ginsberg’ poem ‘Howl’ sees the use of anaphora of a name as a metaphor to compare a city to a monster,

Moloch whose eyes are a thousand blind windows! Moloch whose skyscrapers stand in the long streets like endless Jehovahs! Moloch whose factories dream and croak in the fog! Moloch whose smokestacks and antennae crown the cities!

Anaphora in popular culture

The use of anaphora is not limited to only poems and prose. It has extended to being used in music and movies as dialogues for entertainment. Rock band Linkin Park makes very good use of anaphora in their lyrics, 

Why I never walked away

Why I played myself this way

Now I see you’re testing me pushes me away

Why I never walked away

Why I played myself this way

Now I see you’re testing me pushes me away 

Good Will Hunting is a movie that has dialogues that make use of anaphora. The character Sean Mcguire says this, 

“So if I asked you about art, you’d probably give me the skinny on every art book written….If I asked you about women, you’d probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites….And I’d ask you about war, you’d probably throw Shakespeare at me, right….I’d ask you about love, you’d probably quote me a sonnet.”

Anaphora Definition

Anaphora is defined as ‘repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect.’

Why do writers use anaphora?

Writers use anaphora to make their writing more heartfelt. They want the message to be more compelling through the use of anaphoras.

The repeated words strike familiarity and focus on the importance of the message. This allows for a powerful deliverance of the words. It also makes it more memorable since the words are said many times.

The reader’s attention becomes fixed on the words making them catchy and notable. 

Anaphoras add a rhythm and make it more pleasant to read. It also generates various emotions among the audience and readers.

Writers use anaphora to link ideas more clearly. They also use it to compare and contrast two different things. 

Anaphora vs Epistrophe

Epistrophe is the counter of Anaphora. Anaphora depicts repetitive words at the beginning but epistrophe depicts repetitive words at the end. 

Epistrophe is also called Epiphora. The nature of these two rhetorical devices is the same except for their positions in the sentence. 

To give more clarity, a speech said by Abraham Lincoln used epistrophe,

And that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.

Anaphora+Epistrophe= Symploce

You must be wondering if a sentence can have both Anaphora and Epistrophe. When there is a combination of these devices found in the same sentence, it is called Symploce. Symploce is a repetitive word at the beginning of the line and another one at the ending of the line.

A clearer example would help set this straight. Bill Clinton, a former US President used symploce in his speech,

“When there is talk of hatred, let us stand up and talk against it. When there is talk of violence, let us stand up and talk against it.”

Anaphora History and Etymology

Anaphora has its roots originating in ancient times. The word was first found to be used in the late fourteenth century by English speakers.

It originated from Ancient Greek. It came from the combination of two Greek words, ‘ana’ meaning repeat or back and ‘pherein’ meaning to carry. The word anaphora translates to carry back, which implies the reader to carry the words with them. 

Summary

• Anaphora is the use of repetitive words or phrases at the beginning of a sentence or line.
• The use of anaphora has been in practice for a very long time, from the Bible to poems, lyrics and, dialogues.
• Anaphora stresses particular themes that the writer wants the reader to focus on.
• Epistrophe is the use of repetitive words at the end of a sentence or line.
• When Anaphora and Epistrophe are used together, it is called Symploce. 

The English language has many words that sound the same, but have different meanings. They are homophones. It can get tricky if we do not know where to use the right one. The meaning of the sentences can get very weird and the conversation could go for a toss!

One of the easiest words in English that can go wrong are the words’ their, there and they’re. They are often used that it is important to know where and how to use the correct form. I’m using them to write this as well!

They all sound so similar that it is difficult to differentiate between them while speaking. Phew, only pronouncing them in one go is an obstacle cleared! Without the right context, they can sound very confusing and wrong. Let’s test it out with this example,

‘They’re fighting over there because their ideas don’t match.’

If someone came up to you and said the above sentence without any context, you would be very puzzled. It is difficult to understand this sentence if you don’t know their respective usage.

But no worries, let’s learn more about them so you can never go wrong with their use. 

Their

‘Their’ is a possessive pronoun. A possessive pronoun shows ownership. It means that the particular thing or object belongs to someone. It is the possessive form of the word ‘they’.

‘Their’ is a plural pronoun. It is used to indicate groups rather than a single person. But nowadays it is used in singular form also. 

Few examples would help form better clarity- 

• The kids were looking forward to their new clothes.
• I had no idea that it was their van.
• The siblings forgot their books at school.
• The cats left their litterbox outside in the rain.

There

‘There is an adverb of place. Adverbs of the place tell the location of the verb taking place. ‘There’ indicates a particular place or a position. 

‘There’ has double uses and can be used in an abstract form as well. It is used as a pronoun to introduce a statement or a sentence. 

Giving examples would help clear any confusion-

• Kate placed her homework there and ran out to play.
• The art supplies are over there by the old table.
• There are no eggs left to make omelets for your breakfast tomorrow.
• There was no class yesterday so you did not miss anything important.

They’re 

This is a contraction of two words– ‘they’ and ‘are’. Writing ‘they’re’ is the same as writing ‘they are.’ It is a combination of two words, where some letters are removed and an apostrophe is added. The meaning remains the same.

They’re is in plural form. It can be used for both living and non-living objects. Examples- 

• They’re planning to go on an overseas trip.
• I think they’re going to move away to another country next summer.
• They’re the biggest art pieces the gallery owns.
• Don’t you think they’re the most difficult papers we have written this year?

Rules of use

The use of these three words can sometimes confuse a native English speaker to make a mistake too. But fear not, once you go through the rules of their use, the rest will seem like a breeze!

The word there can be used in different settings. It can be used as a pronoun, as a noun, as an adverb, and as an adjective. 

1. There as a pronoun

• Are there enough apples to make the apple pie?

2. There as a noun 

• We went to the amusement park and we loved all the rides there.

3. There as an adverb

• Do you see the scary house over there?

4. There as an adjective

• The instructor is there to help you learn to swim.

The word their is used as a possessive adjective that indicates it belongs to two people or more. Their is usually followed by a noun.

1. Their as a possessive adjective 

• They left their car with us so they could go on a hiking trip.
• The students left their phones with the teacher while they took an exam. 

The word they’re is used as a contraction between two words, they and are. They can only be used in a situation where ‘they are’ can be substituted with they’re.

1. They’re as a contraction

• I think they’re planning a Halloween party this year.
• They’re yet to give a reply whether they will be able to make it or not.

Hint from the spellings

An easy to way differentiate between them is to check their spellings.

If you look closely at the word there, you will see that it has the word here in it. Here is an adverb of place, meaning it talks about a particular location or place.

Similarly, their has the word heir in it. Heir indicates possession.

They’re is a contraction, meaning they have an apostrophe. An apostrophe indicates that there are two words. If you substitute the contraction with two words and it retains the original meaning, then you are using the right word!

What are homophones?

Homophones are two or more words that have the same pronunciation but different origins, spellings, and meanings. They can get confusing if the meaning and context are not known. The best example is the one we’ve learned about- there, their, they’re. 

Other examples – to and two, weather and whether, bare and bear, cent-scent-sent, etc.

Exercise 1: Is the usage correct?

1. Is there too much salt in the food?
2. Their eating too many desserts.
3. Are you sure there fine with you driving their new car?
4. Please take a seat over there.
5. Let’s go over to look at their new dog.

Answers

1. Yes.
2. No.
3. No.
4. Yes.
5. Yes.

Exercise 2: fill in the blanks

1. Can you take a look at _____ dishwasher?
2. _____ are too many outfits to choose from.
3. I like the design of ____ house.
4. _____ from Japan.
5. _____ putting up _____ antique clocks for sale.

Answers

1. Their.
2. There. 
3. Their.
4. They’re.
5. They’re, their.

Best tips to master there, their and they’re:

• Try creating different examples to practice. It can be in any form, be it on paper or through conversations.
• Reading aloud helps beginners grasp the concept better. Try to read as much as you can. Reading books, blogs, newspapers, materials will help to realize how the words are used.
• Listening also helps a lot. Listening to different people and various things will help identify the context and make it easier to use the words in the right setting. 

Summary

• There, their and they’re are homophones that are used in the basics of sentence formation.
• There shows location or place, their shows ownership and they’re is a contraction of the words they and are.
• You can differentiate between them by their spellings and the context they are used in.

Hey, did you know the sentences we speak divide into three different parts? A sentence has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Similarly, everything has a beginning, middle, and end. The end part is what we call a conclusion. 

A conclusion is the final result of something. It is also called the closing part. It sums up the previous things in the case and makes the final comment.

The main use of the conclusion is to recap all the points and present the important idea in a few words. It is also used to bring out the final thoughts and views of the person. Their opinions also add as part of the conclusion. 

What is a conclusion?

A conclusion is the last, end part of a writing or an argument. It is a stop sign for all the explanations and time to reach a final decision. It summarizes all the main points of the argument or gives a final judgment. 

Precise definition

‘The definition of a conclusion is the last part of something or an opinion reached after some thought’.

Examples of Conclusions

We form conclusions for almost everything to reach a decision. We use the conclusion to end a research paper or a thesis paper. Chemistry experiments use conclusions to give the findings of the discussion and methods used.

Conclusions find their way in books to give an ending to the stories. People infer mentally about every simple thing around themselves. 

Got a feeling that you are still confused? No worries, let’s go through some examples to understand better- 

• We have a bottle of oil and a bottle of water. We pour both of them into a glass. We see that after a while, the oil tends to float at the top of the glass and the water stays at the bottom of the glass. What do we conclude from that?

Conclusion: We find that oil is less dense than water and thus, floats at the top.

This is an example of how conclusions form from the results of a science experiment.

• I had an art class today. I woke up late and rushed over to the school. In the rush, I forgot to bring my art supplies with me. 

Conclusion 1: I couldn’t take part in the art class today.

Conclusion 2: I had to inconvenience my friend and borrow her art supplies. 

Here, the conclusion can be different as the outcomes can be many. You can choose the one that feels more appropriate. 

• Kate bought a pudding for herself and put it in the fridge to eat it later. When she went to eat it an hour later, she found it missing from the fridge. She saw the empty pudding cup in her mother’s room. 

Conclusion: Kate concluded that her mother ate the pudding. 

The conclusion is inferred from the observation of the surrounding. You have to conclude from the events that have unfolded. 

Also, read more about The Setting of A Story by Cool Kid Facts.

History and Etymology of Conclusion

The word Conclusion (Middle English) was first recorded in the late 14th century. It comes from the Latin word conclusionem, the past particle of the word conclūdere.

The word conclūdere comes from combining two words, con meaning ‘completely’ and claudere meaning ‘to shut’. Other meanings from the 14th century are the end, termination, final result, outcome, etc. 

Synonyms of Conclusion

Synonyms for Conclusion are- 

• End 
• Close
• Finish
• Outcome 
• Decision
• Agreement 
• Opinion 
• Judgment

Words from Conclusion

The word conclusion is a noun. It has various forms of use.

• The verb form of conclusion is concluded, concluding. 

• The adverb form of conclusion is conclusively. 
• The adjective form of conclusion is concluding, conclusive.

Words near conclusion:

Conciliation, concision, concave, conclude, conclusion, conclusive, concoction, concomitance, concord.

Exercise 1:  Write a Conclusion

Write a suitable conclusion for the following lines-

1. My parents told me to wash the dishes after everyone finished eating dinner. I  fell asleep before my brother finished his dinner.

In conclusion: _________________________________________

2. I pulled an all-nighter to finish an essay and woke up late the next morning. I reached the bus stop five minutes later than usual. I did not see anyone waiting at the stop.

In conclusion: _________________________________________

3. It was very cold in the morning. I had to go for an early conference and I did not want the chilly wind to aggravate my cold. I looked into my wardrobe.

In conclusion: _________________________________________

Answers- 

1. I did not wash the dishes and they piled up the next morning.
2. I missed the usual bus and had to take the next one.
3. I took out my sweater and wore it to the conference.

Exercise 2: Draw a Conclusion

Draw a conclusion from the following sentences- 

1. Johns school has sports day next week. He bought new running shoes last week. He has been practicing extra every morning.

          Conclusion – ___________________________________________

2. Today is the due date to return the book you have issued from the library. You need to write a book review on that book for an assignment that is due next week. You have not finished reading it at the moment.

Conclusion: ____________________________________________

3. Benjamin has fish as pets. He has not changed the water of the tank for over a month. He sees his fish looking very pale and inactive compared to before.

Conclusion: ____________________________________________

Answers- 

1. John is participating in the running races conducted during the sports day in his school.
2. You have to reissue the same book at the library today.
3. Benjamin has to change the water of the tank regularly so the health of his fish is not affected.

Summary

• The conclusion is the closing part of any writing. 
• It is the final part that summarizes the main points of the whole writing and includes a personal opinion.
• Since the conclusion is the last thing read or heard, it prioritizes the main point or theme of the piece.
• A good conclusion should review, remind of the important topics and add the writers’ point of view.
• Conclusions have various settings that help in decision-making.

If you’ve paid attention to your English teacher, you might have heard the word: Irony. Irony is when something appears to be different from what is reasonably expected. Examples of irony are present in books, plays, TV shows and movies, even songs!

One type of irony is Situational Irony. But what does it mean? Situational Irony refers to situations where something unexpected happens. You must have seen it happen in Mystery Movies!

As you’re watching, you think you know who the murderer is. But when the actual killer gets revealed, it’s someone you never imagined! This is an example of Situational Irony.

Situational Irony Definition

Sometimes, the outcome of an event is different from what would normally occur. It might even be the complete opposite of what people suppose will happen. This is called Situational Irony.

Suppose you go to a dentist to get your teeth looked at. But it turns out the dentist is on leave because he is suffering from tooth decay! A dentist having problems with his teeth is an ironic situation.

Situational Irony does not have to take place in the real world. It can be used by writers in stories also. Authors put their characters in ironic situations to make the plot of their novel funny or interesting.

Three Main Types of Irony

Along with Situational Irony, there are two other forms of irony: Verbal and Dramatic Irony. Verbal Irony is when someone says one thing, but means something else. If it starts raining heavily outside, and you say “What a sunny day!” – that is an example of Verbal Irony.

In Verbal Irony, the speaker wants other people to know they don’t mean what they’re saying. A common form is sarcasm – when someone uses Verbal Irony to mock people. Like if a person falls while walking and someone sarcastically says, “You have great balance!”, to make fun of them.

Dramatic Irony is when a story tells the reader something that the characters have no idea about. Authors use it to create suspense in their stories. In this case, the audience knows more than the characters.

We can take the example of the movie ‘Titanic’ to understand this further. In the movie, everyone thinks that the Titanic is an unsinkable ship. But the ship hits an iceberg in the ocean and sinks! This is Situational Irony.

But when you see the Titanic has hit the iceberg, the main characters in the movie are still partying! This is Dramatic Irony. The audience knows that the ship is going to sink, but the characters do not.

And if after watching the movie you jokingly say to your friend, “The Titanic was such a strong ship!” – that would be Verbal Irony!

Types of Situational Irony

Cosmic Irony

Cosmic Irony is also called the ‘irony of fate’. In this, the ironic situation arises because of the actions of a higher power, such as God, ghosts, or even aliens!

For example, the Genie in Aladdin turns Aladdin into a handsome prince so he can marry Princess Jasmine, but she still rejects him! Here the Genie is the higher power, whose magic causes Situational Irony.

Poetic Irony

Poetic irony is when an evil person gets unexpectedly punished for their crime! In Edgar Allan Poe’s story The Tell-Tale Heart, a man kills an old man and buries him in his room.

But later he is haunted by his crime. He keeps hearing the beating of the man’s heart and starts feeling crazy. He ends up confessing to the murder, and poetic justice is served!

Structural Irony

Structural Irony is when the narrator of a story turns out to be lying to the audience! Such a narrator is called an unreliable narrator. In this case, the entire story is based on an ironic situation.

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry thinks an escaped prisoner is after his life. But in the end we find out it’s his father’s best friend, trying to look after Harry! Thus Harry’s innocence causes structural irony.

Historical Irony

Historical Irony is a very real form of Situational Irony! It refers to events in our history that become ironic due to something happening later. Historical Irony can take place in fiction as well.

For example, William Bullock created an improved printing press and changed the entire industry. But 4 years later, while fixing one of his presses his leg got caught in the machine! He died because of this accident, thus being killed by his own invention.

Situational Irony Examples

1. A robber steals valuables from a policeman’s house. This is ironic because a policeman is supposed to catch thieves but gets robbed himself.
   
2. A pilot who has a fear of heights. This is ironic because a pilot’s job is to fly an airplane at great heights.
   
3. You wake up and get dressed quickly for school only to realize it’s a holiday. This is ironic because you were trying not to get late when you can’t even go to school.
   
4. The smartest student in a class is caught cheating in a test. This is ironic because you would think the smartest student would have studied for the test beforehand.
   
5. A bookstore owner who doesn’t like to read books. This is a situational irony since you would expect a person who spends so much time around books to also like to read.

Situational Irony in Literature

1. In the Tortoise and the Hare, a tortoise challenges a hare to a race. The speedy hare is expected to win. But he takes a break in the middle of the race and falls asleep. The tortoise keeps moving slowly and wins!
   
2. In The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, a poor couple decides to buy anniversary gifts. The wife sells her hair so she can buy a chain for her husband’s watch. Later, the husband tells her that he sold his watch to buy a comb for her hair! So both of them end up with useless gifts.

Situational Irony in Film and TV

1. In The Sixth Sense, a doctor meets a boy who says he can talk to dead people. The doctor does not believe him at first. But by the end of the movie, we find out the doctor was a ghost himself!
   
2. In The Good Place, the characters happily believe they are all in Heaven after their deaths. However, as the show progresses, it is slowly revealed that they have actually been in Hell the entire time!

Situational Irony in Pictures

This man is eating fast food at Subway, while he reads a book about fasting! How ironic!

This car which got into an accident right next to a sign which thanks people for driving carefully, is also a good example.

Exercise: Which of the following is an example of Situational Irony?

1. The rat ran away from the cat.
2. She said, “It’s such a sunny day!”
3. The doctor has taken a sick leave.
4. The apple has worms in it.

Answer: You would expect a doctor to stay healthy and fit! So if she’s taking a sick day, that’s Situational Irony!

Summary:

• Situational Irony is when an unexpected situation takes place, different from what you think would happen.
• For example, you call your friend but get a busy dial tone because your friend is also calling you. The situation is ironic because even though both of you want to talk to each other, you can’t because you’re calling at the same time.
• There’s also Verbal Irony when people say something they don’t mean, and Dramatic Irony where the audience knows more than a story’s characters.
• Cosmic, Poetic, Structural and Historical Irony are different types of Situational Irony.
• Situational Irony is used in stories, movies and shows to make them interesting, funny or thrilling.