Aside from the comment on my last Mockingjay post telling me to stop reading while I can, I'm going to continue reading because this is one of the few books that I have actually held on too and haven't given up on. Yes, this book is pretty fast moving and can get confusing but by going back and reading a passage again...I easily get past the confusion. Mockingjay is filled with syntax. An example of punctuation that Suzanne Collins uses is a dash at the end of a sentence; this indicates a pause or someone being interrupted. "People of District Two, this is Katniss Everdeen speaking to you from the steps of your Justice Building, where-" (Collins 213). Collins also uses ellipsis as punctuation to symbolize a pause between reading. "That's why I killed Cato... and he killed Thresh...and he killed Clove... and she tried to kill me." (Collins 215) An example of polysyndeton is "A flame blooms inside the station- one of the trains must actually be on fire- and a thick, black smoke billows against the windows." (Collins 214) The use of the polysyndeton is to emphasize one of the trains. There are also examples of rhetorical questions. "Mind? How can I mind when she was almost tortured to death by Snow after the Quarter Quell?" (Collins 219) These are rhetorical questions because there is no answer. There are multiple of these throughout the chapters. The diction in Mockingjay is very informal and that is shown through many telegraphic and short sentences such as 'No kidding, brainless." (Collins 219) Overall Mockingjay is a little predictable, but still has an intense factor which I enjoy.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Syntax in "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Aside from the comment on my last Mockingjay post telling me to stop reading while I can, I'm going to continue reading because this is one of the few books that I have actually held on too and haven't given up on. Yes, this book is pretty fast moving and can get confusing but by going back and reading a passage again...I easily get past the confusion. Mockingjay is filled with syntax. An example of punctuation that Suzanne Collins uses is a dash at the end of a sentence; this indicates a pause or someone being interrupted. "People of District Two, this is Katniss Everdeen speaking to you from the steps of your Justice Building, where-" (Collins 213). Collins also uses ellipsis as punctuation to symbolize a pause between reading. "That's why I killed Cato... and he killed Thresh...and he killed Clove... and she tried to kill me." (Collins 215) An example of polysyndeton is "A flame blooms inside the station- one of the trains must actually be on fire- and a thick, black smoke billows against the windows." (Collins 214) The use of the polysyndeton is to emphasize one of the trains. There are also examples of rhetorical questions. "Mind? How can I mind when she was almost tortured to death by Snow after the Quarter Quell?" (Collins 219) These are rhetorical questions because there is no answer. There are multiple of these throughout the chapters. The diction in Mockingjay is very informal and that is shown through many telegraphic and short sentences such as 'No kidding, brainless." (Collins 219) Overall Mockingjay is a little predictable, but still has an intense factor which I enjoy.
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You showed some really good examples. This will help me for my CNF!
ReplyDeleteNice post Landon! You gave lovely examples of syntax! They were advanced and directly corresponding to the types of syntax you had given. Keep up the good work!!!
ReplyDeleteThese are really good examples of syntax and diction in that book. I read that book a while ago and I totally agree with everything you said.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you gave examples of syntax. I have never read Mockingjay but it is interesting that there are so many good examples of syntax.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your analysis of the syntax techniques used by Collins in Mockingjay. I’ve been meaning to read the entire Hunger Games series, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. It seems as though Collins writing style is one I would enjoy. It’s not too complex, but the writer’s craft is elevated enough to challenge me. Thanks for writing a post that exemplifies Collins as an author.
ReplyDeleteI think that Colin's does a fairly good job in her writing however the hunger games series just went downhill after the first book for me. I don't think that she planned to write the second two books at first, the story stopped being interesting for me, I can't even remember if I finished the last chapter or two.
ReplyDeleteGreat job finding all of those different syntactical techniques in your writing. I haven't read Mocking Jay but I read The Hunger Games. I love Collins' ability to draw her readers in. The book was definitely better than the movie (as usual) but I can wait to see the last film!
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis of syntax and it does sometimes make the book confusing but it also confusing in general which is something that makes me angry about mockingjay because I hate rereading paragraphs.
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
ReplyDeleteI think he gave good input on what he was thinking! I also liked the detail he gave. Very good analysis as well!
ReplyDeleteYou did a really good job of making a mundane prompt seem interesting by using voice in your post.
ReplyDelete