On Writing Literary Elements

On Writing Literary Elements

Genre

Memoir

Setting and Context

The book is mostly set in Maine in the United States

Narrator and Point of View

Through Stephen King's point of view

Tone and Mood

Solemn, Reflective, Practical, Triumphant, and Informative.

Protagonist and Antagonist

Because this is a non-fiction book, it doesn't really utilize a traditional protagonist-antagonist structure. However, the traumatic accident King went through is often portrayed in an antagonistic light.

Major Conflict

King's struggle to overcome his injury and start writing again (inner conflict), as well as his endeavor to teach people about the craft of writing (his purpose in writing the book).

Climax

Not applicable - this is a non-fiction book and doesn't have a narrative.

Foreshadowing

King foreshadows his return to being a prolific writer towards the end of the book.

Understatement

The profundity of this book, despite King's injuries, is understated throughout the entire book.

Allusions

Primarily to King's personal and family history, the geography of Maine, the English language, writing techniques, and rarely, religion and mythology.

Imagery

King utilizes rather intense and sometimes grizzly imagery to underscore just how bad his accident was.

Paradox

Prior to the publication of On Writing, King was exclusively known for his fiction. On Writing was thus paradoxical

Parallelism

King often parallels his book to "curriculum vitae" (school curriculum).

Metonymy and Synecdoche

N/A

Personification

The van which hit King is personified occasionally in the book.

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