Stylistic devices based on different compositions of parts of the utterance (parallelism, chiasmus, climax, anticlimax)

_{19. Parallel construction, Chiasmus, Climax}

_{Parallel construction}_{is a device which may be encountered not so much in the sentence as in the macro-structures}

_{The necessary condition in parallel construction is identical, or similar, syntactical structure in two or more sentences or parts of a sentence in close succession}

_{Parallel constructions are often backed up by repetition of words (lexical repetition) and conjunctions and prepositions (polysyndeton). Pure parallel construction, however, does not depend on any other kind of repetition but the repetition of the syntactical design of the sentence. Parallel constructions may be partial or complete. Partial parallel arrangement is the repetition of some parts of successive sentences or clauses,}

_{Complete parallel arrangement, also called balance, maintains the principle of identical structures}

_{Parallel construction is most frequently used in enumeration, antithesis and in climax, thus consolidating the general effect achieved by these stylistic devices.}

_{Parallel construction is used in different styles of writing with slightly different functions. When used in the matter-of-fact styles, it carries, in the main, the idea of semantic equality of the parts, as in scientific prose, where the logical principle of arranging ideas predominates. In the belles-lettres style parallel construction carries an emotive function. That is why it is mainly used as a technical means in building up other stylistic devices, thus securing their unity}

_{In other cases parallel construction emphasizes diversity and contrast of ideas.}

_{Chiasmus b}_{elongs to the group of stylistic devices based on the repetition of a syntactical pattern but it has a cross order of words and phrases, The structure of two successive sentences or parts of a sentence may be described as reversed parallel construction, the word-order of one of the sentences being inverted as compared with that of the other.}

_{Chiasmus is sometimes achieved by a sudden change from active voice to passive or vice versa.}

_{This device is effective in that it helps to lay stress on the second part of the utterance, which is opposite in structure}

_{It must be remembered that chiasmus is a syntactical, not a lexical device, i. e. it is only the arrangement of the parts of the utterance which constitutes this stylistic device.}

_{Like parallel construction, chiasmus contributes to the rhythmical quality of the utterance, and the pause caused by the change in the syntactical pattern may be likened to a caesura in prosody.}

_Climax_{is an arrangement of sentences (or of the homogeneous parts of one sentence) which secures a gradual increase in significance, importance, or emotional tension in the utterance}

_{A gradual increase in significance may be maintained in three ways: logical, emotional and quantitative.}

_{Logical climax}_{is based on the relative importance of the component parts looked at from the point of view of the concepts embodied in them. This relative importance may be evaluated both objectively and subjectively, the author's attitude towards the objects or phenomena in question being disclosed.}

_{Emotional climax}_{is mainly found in sentences, more rarely in longer syntactical units. This is natural. Emotional charge cannot hold long. As becomes obvious from the analysis of the above examples of climatic order, the arrangement of the component parts calls for parallel construction which, being a kind of syntactical repetition, is frequently accompanied by lexical repetition. Here is another example of emotional}

_{Finally, we come to quantitative climax. This is an evident increase in the volume of the corresponding concepts}

_{What then are the indispensable constituents of climax? They are:}

_{a) the distributional constituent: close proximity of the component parts arranged in increasing order of importance or significance;}

_{b) the syntactical pattern: parallel constructions with possible lexical}

_repetition;

_{c) the connotative constituent: the explanatory context which helps the reader to grasp the gradation, as no... ever once in all his life*, nobody ever, nobody,}

_{Climax, like many other stylistic devices, is a means by which the author discloses his world, outlook, his evaluation of objective facts and phenomena. The concrete stylistic function of this device is to show the relative importance of things as seen by the author (especially in emotional climax), or to impress upon the reader the significance of the things described by suggested comparison, or to depict phenomena dynamically.}

Anti-climax (оr: Bathos). The device thus called is characterized bу sоmе authors as 'back gradation'. Аs its very nаmе shows, it is the opposite to climax, but this assumption is not quite correct. It would serve nо рurpose whatever making the second element weaker than the first, the third still weaker, and sо оn. А real anti-climax is а sudden deception of the recipient: it consists in adding оnе weaker element to оnе or several strong ones, mentioned before. The recipient is disappointed in his expectations: he predicted а stronger element to follow; instead, some insignificant idea follows the significant one (ones). Needless to say, antiсlimах is employed with а humorous aim. For example, in It's а bloody lie and not quite true, we sее the absurdity of mixing uр аn offensive statement with а polite remark.

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