Anthem Literary Devices

1. Anthem Literary Devices

2. Anachronism • Something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time, esp. a thing or person that belongs to an earlier time: • The sword is an anachronism in modern warfare. • Wearing a top hat, using a quill pen or using a typewriter in modern times • An error in chronology in which a person, object, event, etc., is assigned a date or period other than the correct one: • To assign Michelangelo to the 14th century is an anachronism. • In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar The character Brutus says, “Peace! Count the Clock.” There were no clocks in the Roman times.

3. Allusion A reference to a well known work of art, music, literature, or history. If you were trying to instill confidence in a friend and said, “Use the force,” that would be an allusion to Stars Wars. The verb form of allusion is to allude. Romeo and Juliet “At lovers’ perjuries, they say Jove laughs.” (Act II, Sc. 2) • Jove is another name for Jupiter, the Roman King of the Gods.

4. Satire • Literary technique of writing/art that exposes the follies of it’s subject to ridicule, often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change. • Ex: individuals, organizations, or states • Some works are subtle enough that they still seem believable and satire is lost on the public. • Many T.V. shows use satire • The Simpsons and South Park

5. Motifs A motif is a recurrent device, formula, or situation that often serves as a signal for the appearance of a character or event. The following motifs are present in Anthem. • The use of darkness and light • The presence of ignorance and knowledge • The idea of transgression and damnation

6. Motifs (cont’d) • Fear • Fear in Anthem characterizes those social lepers who do not have enough sense of themselves to understand that each individual is the center of his or her universe. • Naming • In the society in Anthem, naming is a form of identifying one’s possessions as one’s own. For this reason, Equality 7-2521 names the Golden One on two separate occasions, names himself, and searches relentlessly for the word “I.” • Shapelessness • Like fear, shapelessness in Anthem connotes evil because it illustrates a lack of willingness or ability to believe in something and to stand behind it.

7. Others to keep in mind • Setting • When and where a story takes palces • Point of view • 1st • 3rd limited • 3rd omniscient • Theme • The CENTRAL IDEA of a story. • It usually contains some insight into the human condition. The theme can be stated directly or implied by the events and actions in the story. • Theme is the reason the author wrote the story!!!