understanding and writing anecdotes; the use of diction in description Flashcards
is a much-used narrative form. An anecdote may be embedded in a speech, an essay, or a biography, but it can be a unit in itself and stand alone as an interesting story.
anecdote
intends to inspire the readers or listeners. It includes anecdotes that explain a person’s struggle, the kind of obstacles they had to deal with, and how it altered their lives for the better.
inspirational anecdote
Anecdotes, like fables, are those that provide the audience with a moral or a lesson. They can be included in speeches or even be part of everyday conversation.
cautionary anecdotes
are commonly found in literary works. They can help portray a character and understand the various facets of the character.
characterizing anecdotes
is meant to provide a sense of nostalgia. These anecdotes also focus on practices or aspects that no longer exist.
A reminiscent anecdote
is meant to lighten the mood. It acts as a stress reliever and helps boost the aura of the entire audience. It need not necessarily have a lesson or a takeaway.
Humorous Anecdotes
Qualities of a Good Anecdote:
- It is BRIEF.
- NECESSARY DETAILS only.
- there is an element of SUSPENSE
- follows a DEFINITE PATTERN.
First, it gives the setting and the characters. Second, it creates suspense using complication. Third it interposes a sentence of two to increase the suspense. And fourth, it gives the point of the anecdote and then promptly stops.
is simply the words the writer chooses to convey a particular meaning.
diction
use of diction in desc
Effective –-diction is shaped by words that are clear, concrete, and exact. Good writers avoid words like pretty, nice, and bad because they are not specific enough. Instead, they rely on words that invoke a specific effect in order to bring the reader into the event being described.
example of diction
The dry autumn leaves fall on me, they rustle as I walk alone, wishing I was with you.
The autumn leaves danced in the breeze as they rustle while i walked alone the streets wishing i was with you.
Diction depends on the subject, purpose, occasion, and audience.
Subject
The subject often determines how specific or sophisticated the diction needs to be.
Diction depends on the subject, purpose, occasion, and audience.
purpose
Whether to persuade, entertain, or inform.
Words chosen to impart a particular effect on the reader reflect the writer’s purpose.
occasion
Formal diction is reserved for scholarly writing and serious texts. Informal diction is often used in narrative essays and newspaper editorials.
Colloquial diction and slang are typically used to capture the language of a particular time frame or culture.
audience
An author who uses sophisticated diction knows he is writing for an intelligent audience. An author who uses more informal diction knows he is writing for an audience of varied intelligence.
narrative structure of anecdote
should have a clear beginning middle and end
- exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution
relevance
they capture attention of the audience by connecting interest experiences and concerns. when story alligns w context they are more likely to be engaged in what u have to say
technical considerations
- use narrative tensed
- rely on adjectives n adverbs to enrich speech
- add sequencing words
creativity in writing, create suspense
intrigue viewers
add rhetorical questions to build up interest
add some emotional appeal
An anecdote should connect with the reader on an emotional level, making them feel what the writer or the characters felt. The writer should use emotional words, expressions, and tone to convey the mood and atmosphere of the story. The writer should also use humor, conflict resolution, and surprising twists to elicit different emotions in the reader, such as curiosity, suspense, joy, sadness, anger, or relief.
provide a clear ending
When you’re about to finish an anecdote, it is necessary to ensure that your readers know where the story ends. You have to make some conclusions like “and they lived happily ever after”. If your purpose was to warn people with a real-life example, you can proceed to the next content block with words like “I hope I got my message across”.
