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Question #1: In what ways could gun violence be represented in the literature of the classroom?

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Question #1: In what ways could gun violence be represented in the literature of the classroom?

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RI.11-12.2 Analyze informational text development

a. Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another.

b. Craft an informative abstract that delineates how the central ideas of a text interact and build on one another.

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Question #2: What is the canonical narrative that is spread about perpetrators of gun violence in America?

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Question #2: What is the canonical narrative that is spread about perpetrators of gun violence in America?

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RI.11-12.3 Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

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Question #3: How are victims and survivors of gun violence represented in literature and other media?

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Question #3: How are victims and survivors of gun violence represented in literature and other media?

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RI.11-12.6 Determine an author’s perspective or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.

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Elassar, A. (2023, September 23). Shadows in the valley. Www.cnn.com.  https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2023/09/us/umpqua-shooting-roseburg-oregon-cnnphotos/

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Nearly eight years after a shooting at Umpqua Community College left nine people dead, an Oregon city is still trying to heal

Story by Alaa Elassar, CNN
Photographs by Will Lanzoni, CNN
Published September 23, 2023

Roseburg, Oregon - Driving into Roseburg feels like entering a postcard.

The small city, tucked in the mountains of southwestern Oregon, sits inside the Umpqua Valley, where magnificent peaks tower over luscious pine forests and a maze of streams and waterfalls.

The main road winds alongside the Umpqua River, which stretches 111 miles and zigzags through downtown Roseburg. Byways lead to hidden fishing holes and cliffs, off which teens carelessly dive on blistering summer afternoons. Along the way, flower farms captivate the senses with notes of peonies and lavender.

The people of Roseburg are equally charming. They've worked hard to transform their community from an old timber town into a destination for nature lovers, and welcome visitors with open hearts and warm smiles.

If it weren't for the hidden - perhaps even silenced - trauma that lies just beneath the surface, Roseburg would be idyllic.

In 2015, Roseburg became the backdrop to a mass shooting so heinous and brutal it shattered the community's sense of safety. The slaughter of nine people at Umpqua Community College exposed vulnerabilities many weren't prepared to face.

"Communal PTSD permeates this place," says Al Jenkins, who's lived here all his life. Many remain paralyzed by pain, sorrow and fear, even if they don't - or can't - talk about it. It's a feeling shared by communities across the United States that have been traumatized by the scourge of gun violence. The US has experienced more than 3,900 mass shootings since the Umpqua tragedy, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Even in a city as lovely as Roseburg, a massacre "can't not change the way you look at things," he says.

Some have tried to heal. Others have buried their anguish and refuse to stir it up. But nearly eight years later, the city of Roseburg still lives in its shadow.

"You see the world in a different way," Jenkins says, "when tragedy comes that close."

The day that changed everything

Professor Jenny Friedman was in her office preparing for a writing class on the morning of October 1, 2015, when loud bangs suddenly rang out at Umpqua Community College.

At first, she thought it was the sound of a science experiment taking place in a nearby classroom. But the rush of frightened students pouring out of Snyder Hall revealed the grim truth.

Someone had opened fire in a classroom, and no one was safe.

Time appeared to slow down, in contrast to the panicked beating of her heart. A fleeing student ran so fast that he crashed into her office window, falling to the floor before hurrying away. A fellow professor, who was also in the office, closed the blinds and locked the door. The pair hid underneath their desks as the sounds of bullets and screams echoed through the building.

It was abject terror. Friedman lost her breath and began shaking uncontrollably. She could hear students begging for their lives. It would happen in bursts - muddled speech, cries for help and then gunfire.

The shooter, a 26-year-old student, was slow and methodical, asking some of the victims personal questions, including their religion, before executing them. A classmate, whom the killer dubbed " the lucky one," was spared to witness the carnage and deliver an envelope to police. It contained his writings, which detailed his frustrations in life.

After engaging officers in a brief shootout, the killer turned the gun on himself and died by suicide.

By the end of the rampage, a professor and eight students were dead. Nine students survived, though many of them had serious gunshot wounds to the head, abdomen or limbs.

The attack was over in minutes, but the trauma it inflicted would permanently reverberate throughout the Umpqua Valley.

As first responders evacuated Friedman from the building, she caught a glimpse of two survivors sitting on a bench.

"I thought they were painted for a football game - I couldn't understand what was on their faces," she says. "It's like my mind just could not grasp any of this."

They were drenched in blood.

The scars that linger, many of them invisible

Years later, physical evidence of the massacre still scars Roseburg, home to some 20,000 people. But you have to look closely to spot it.

Faded stickers on cars and businesses read "Roseburg Strong." Homes and the fire station display green metal signs in the shape of Oregon with a heart cutout marking Roseburg.

Synder Hall has been razed and replaced with Tapʰòytʰaʼ Hall. The name means "to prosper, to be blessed" in Takelma, the language of the local Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians.

The community college holds an annual Day of Remembrance. It also built a permanent memorial on campus overlooking the roaring Umpqua River. Nine illuminated metal globes made from cutout hearts perch atop stone columns to honor each of the slain. Students often lounge on the stairs leading to the memorial, reading, eating or lost in silent reflection.

Harder to spot are the emotional scars that run throughout the city.

Friedman, 56, recalls how quickly her mind unraveled after the shooting. Conversations sounded like gibberish, she says, and suddenly she couldn't remember how to do math.

"I would be driving and then suddenly be somewhere I had no intention of going," Friedman says. "I would make copies of materials for classes, go to class, have no materials, and never find the materials either. I have no idea if I dreamed of making copies; it's still a mystery to me."

She returned to Umpqua Community College just one week after the shooting but transferred after the school year ended, hoping a change of environment would bring relief. Things only got worse.

Days at work were spent crying and fighting a terrible urge to hide under her desk, Friedman says. She had panic attacks so severe they ultimately led her to stop teaching for two years while she focused on her mental health.

"Any echoes or loud noises sent me into a panic immediately," she says. "I was unable to look anyone in the eye. I had no idea how far from functioning normally I really was and just kept trying to go on. I did not talk about the shooting at all."

Memories from the first three years are sparse, she says. Her mind has erased moments she wishes she could remember but often reminds her of the ones she desperately wants to forget.

Years of therapy have helped fill some of the gaps. But like the darkest, whirling undercurrents of the Umpqua River, her trauma runs deep.

"I thought that I had early onset dementia and spent time planning who would be the guardian for my son," Friedman says. "I'm missing almost three years of my life - my memory is still coming back in bits and pieces."

The void that death leaves behind

Inside Janet Perkins' home, grief clings to the ceiling like a heavy fog, floating room to room, seeping through the crevices.

Among the students gunned down at Umpqua Community College was her son, Quinn Glen Cooper, a tall freshman with a bright smile and a penchant for silly jokes.

At just 18, Quinn seemed to have his whole adult life ahead of him. He enjoyed video games, cosplaying anime characters, mixed martial arts and ballroom dancing.

"I made it through so much in life that I couldn't believe I could survive," Perkins, now 55, says. "But when Quinn was killed, I felt that was it. I was so broken I thought I could never be fixed."

The void left by Quinn's death has swallowed nearly every inch of Perkins' home, from walls full of photographs to his old bedroom, which she rearranged and painted in a failed attempt to soften the impact of his loss.

"That's my baby," Perkins says, staring at her favorite photo of Quinn hanging on the brown living room wall. In it, he's wearing boxing gear, smiling with one arm up, ready to hit a punching bag.

Alongside it hangs a photo of Perkins sitting on a bench by his grave.

Down the hall, her elder son, Cody Glen Perkins, has transformed a mahogany dresser in his bedroom into a shrine for Quinn. It's covered in photos and other cherished memories.

Since Quinn's death, Cody and his mother have struggled with mental and physical health conditions they believe were brought on or exacerbated by grief. They're both in therapy, which is a work in progress, Cody says.

"You'll have good days, maybe even good weeks, but then you hear something or see something that will remind you of them, and - poof - all that progress is gone," he says.

After Quinn died, Perkins lost most of her hair, including her eyebrows and eyelashes. It's only in the past year that they finally started growing back.

"My body has really deteriorated since we lost Quinn, and I've learned a lot about what grief can do to you, not just mentally but physically," she says, pointing to her walker. "It was like our bodies were carrying so much, too much, and they just couldn't take anymore."

If Quinn were alive today, he'd probably be somewhere in Germany, his older brother says. Cody closes his eyes and smiles as tears streak down his cheeks. For a blissful moment, he imagines his brother living abroad as he had always dreamed, trying new food, perfecting a foreign language.

"Yeah, he'd definitely be in Germany," says Cody, now 31 - the age gap between the two now only ever-widening.

As he opens his eyes, the smile disappears.

The outpouring of love that soon turned cold

Right after the shooting, the nation's attention turned to Roseburg. Reporters swarmed the city, covering every angle to the story, while politicians and advocacy groups reignited debate over gun control.

When then-President Barack Obama arrived to meet with grieving families, protesters lined a street denouncing what they called his " anti-gun agenda." Days earlier, he had delivered a statement on the tragedy in which he lamented how routine mass shootings had become in the country and called for stricter gun laws.

Meanwhile, the Roseburg community rallied together like never before. Neighbors made signs, hosted fundraisers and took turns checking in on survivors and victims' families. Nearly everyone contributed in their own unique way.

James Walls, owner of Jackson Street Tattoo, cleared his schedule for an entire day and spent it giving locals $50 tattoos - either an outline of the state or "Roseburg Strong" - with all the money going to help victims.

About 12 hours of nonstop work and nearly 100 tattoos later, Walls and his team raised $13,000 from tattoos and additional donations. "That's what this town is," he says, standing arms crossed in front of his shop in downtown Roseburg all these years later. "That's why I want to be here."

The love and support of neighbors helped sustain Perkins and Cody at the darkest moment of their lives, especially when community leaders fell short, Cody says.

"My friend owned a hair salon, and I'd go to get my hair done, and I'd cry, I'd laugh, I'd sob, I'd joke," Perkins says. "It was a safe space for me, where I wasn't judged or looked at funny. People cried with us."

But as time passed, the city seemed to move on, leaving those most directly impacted by the shooting to grieve and process what had happened on their own.

Perkins recalls the day a local coffee shop took down the "Roseburg Strong" sign that hung in its window for years. When Perkins asked why, an employee told her a customer had complained "it was too depressing."

"It felt like there wasn't space for our sadness anymore, like everyone just wanted to forget it happened," Perkins says.

Even city officials began talking less and less about the tragedy. They honored the dead but did not provide long-term resources to help community members heal from the trauma, she says.

Roseburg's mayor, city council and police chief did not respond to repeated requests from CNN for comment. Suzanne Hurt, a communications specialist for the city, declined to comment, citing concerns that doing so could reopen old wounds. She also rebuffed attempts to speak with firefighters, telling CNN those who did would be fired.

Similarly, multiple calls and emails to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Board of Commissioners, Public Affairs Office and Local Public Safety Coordinating Council went unanswered. An Umpqua Community College spokesperson also declined to comment.

By staying silent, the city may keep its distance from the agony of the shooting, and the fear and loss churned up by its wake. But they also do residents a great disservice, says Lance Colley, Roseburg's city manager at the time of the shooting.

"You can't ignore what happened, especially when people are still dealing with the aftermath years later," he says.

Colley, who now works for community wellness group Thrive Umpqua, believes the shooting left the Roseburg community with permanent damage, and that officials' lack of long-term support may have made matters worse.

"We have to acknowledge the trauma and accept that for people who responded, people who were on campus, people who saw what that did to us, it will never go away, not now or in seven years," he says.

The city that learned to live around the pain

Roseburg is not a sad place. Moments of joy and kindness are abundant. On a quiet July evening at the Safeway grocery store, a cashier embraces a customer in a warm hug. An hour earlier at the local McMenamins, two families seated at tables on opposite sides of the restaurant decide to join each other.

In the middle of Stewart Park, live music reverberates throughout the field as friends and strangers find each other's hands and dance as one. Nearly eight years earlier, shocked and heartbroken neighbors gathered on the same field for a candlelight vigil.

It feels like everyone here is family - and families don't abandon each other when tragedy strikes. But even among kin, words unspoken, feelings left unexpressed can fester and transform into great pain.

That's what happened here, says Jenkins, the lifelong Roseburg resident.

The retired therapist treated community members after the shooting. Some, like Friedman, Perkins and Cody, got regular mental health care. But others suppressed their feelings, self-medicated with drugs or alcohol, or just left.

While sifting through a collection of newspaper and magazine articles about his work piled on the kitchen table, Jenkins pauses to reflect on the case of a community member whose inconsolable grief led to suicide. "It's heartbreaking," he says.

Citing his own experience working with survivors and victims' families, Jenkins, 60, believes Roseburg is experiencing a mental health crisis. Many folks, including former Umpqua Community College staff and students, can no longer work or function in the community due to their insufferable anguish, he says.

Even worse, they suffer in silence.

"It's very much a 'put-up-or-shut-up' environment," Jenkins says. "You're weak if you have to talk to someone about your problems. You're not strong, you're not a man."

He attributes that machismo to Roseburg's tough timber town roots and favorite past times, including hunting and fishing. It's a community where many people aren't comfortable lying on couches talking to therapists.

Local shop owner Janice Quist, 64, says their collective trauma is more complex than that.

"It's definitely not forgotten...it's not a secret," she offers up, before conceding that most people just don't seem to want to talk about the shooting anymore.

Quist, owner of The People's Goods, is teaching her great-niece Montana how to ring up customers on the cash register. The small, quirky shop, located down the street from Jackson Street Tattoo, sells items sourced from local vendors, farmers and artists.

Montana, 12, says Quist and her store full of homemade crafts and knick-knacks is the coolest, and wants to follow in her great-aunt's footsteps. Alicia Kutz, her mom, stands close by watching with a smile on her face.

But when the conversation turns to the aftermath of the shooting and how community members dealt with their pain, Kutz, 45, strikes a somber tone. "It was very traumatic," she says, adding that the city still hasn't fully healed.

It's especially difficult to move on when every new mass shooting forces the community to relive its trauma, Kutz adds, tears welling in her eyes. Recent attacks, like those in Parkland, Florida; Uvalde, Texas; and Buffalo, New York, are a "sad, ugly reminder of what it did to us."

Noticing tears, Montana shuffles over to her mom's side and takes her by the hand.

The time passes, but the shadows remain

Across town, on the stairs of the Umpqua Community College memorial, Amadeus Pirrotta sits eating a bowl of Campbell's soup and staring into the mighty Umpqua River. Most students are home for the summer, but he's on campus to register for the fall semester.

As a freshman, he wasn't anywhere near campus at the time of the shooting. In fact, he was attending a high school in Florida.

Still, he can't help but be curious about it. The few times he's asked faculty members about their experience, they didn't say much. "It's obviously an uncomfortable topic," he says.

For the most part, Pirrotta, 25, says he feels safe on campus. But it's difficult to ignore that something horrible happened here.

"Every now and then I'll walk past that building and it hits me, nine people died right here," he says, pointing to the recently constructed Tapʰòytʰaʼ Hall. "It's a weird feeling you can't ignore."

Pirrotta leans in, raising his voice to ensure he's heard over the sound of the river and strong winds blowing branches overhead.

He comments on how there's not a single person in sight. Moments later, the sun breaks through the canopy of trees and illuminates the memorial, casting nine large shadows on the ground.

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you and your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. En Español: Linea de Prevencion del Suicidio y Crisis: 1-888-628-9454.

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Nearly eight years after a shooting at Umpqua Community College left nine people dead, an Oregon city is still trying to heal.

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Glover, D. (2018). Childish Gambino - This Is America (Official Music Video) [Music Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY

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Childish Gambino - This Is America (Official Video)

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Joaquin's First School Shooting Children's Book

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Joaquin's First School Shooting Children's Book

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Oliver, P. (n.d.-a). A children’s book to explain gun violence to childish politicians. A Children’s Book to explain Gun Violence to Childish Politicians. https://www.myfirstschoolshooting.com/

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A Children’s Book to explain Gun Violence to Childish Politicians.

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American politicians funded by pro-gun organizations either refuse to acknowledge the urgent need for stricter gun control laws.

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Numb to This: Memoir of a School Shooting, by Kindra Neely

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Numb to This: Memoir of a School Shooting, by Kindra Neely

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Neely, K. (2022). Numb to This: Memoir of a School Shooting. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

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Sandy Hook Promise: Signs of Gun Violence

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Sandy Hook Promise: Signs of Gun Violence

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Sandy Hook Promise: Gun violence warning signs. (2016). [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qyD7vjVfLI

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Sandy Hook Promise: Gun violence warning signs

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Swift, T. (2020). Taylor Swift - Only The Young (Featured in Miss Americana / Lyric Video). In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJU-S1t2r1M

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Taylor Swift - Only The Young (Featured in Miss Americana / Lyric Video)

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Ten Gun Violence Facts about Black, Indigenous and People of Color. (2022, May 13). Sandy Hook Promise. https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/blog/gun-violence/ten-gun-violence-facts-about-black-indigenous-and-people-of-color/

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Gun Violence Facts about Black, Indigenous and People of Color

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Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) are disproportionately impacted by gun violence and mass shootings. Get the facts from Sandy Hook Promise.

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The Truth About Mental Health and Gun Violence

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The Truth About Mental Health and Gun Violence

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The Truth About Mental Health and Gun Violence. NAMI California. (2021, March 26). https://namica.org/advocacy/criminal-justice-advocacy/the-truth-about-mental-health-and-gun-violence/

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Whenever we hear about another tragedy involving gun violence, we grieve along with our fellow citizens and community members impacted by it.

NAMI sees gun violence as a national public health crisis that impacts everyone.

Every time we experience a tragedy involving guns, people with mental illness are drawn into the conversation. The truth is that the vast majority of violence is not perpetrated by people with mental illness. Statements to the contrary only serve to perpetuate stigma and distract from the real issues. Far too often, we hear stigmatizing comments and generalizations about people with mental illness being violent, which simply isn't true. This kind of misinformation comes as a punch in the gut to those of our family and community members living with mental health conditions.

The overwhelming majority of people with mental illness are not violent. Most people with mental health conditions will never become violent, and mental illness does not cause most gun violence. In fact, studies show that mental illness contributes to only about 4% of all violence, and the contribution to gun violence is even lower.

Research shows an increased risk of gun violence comes from a history of violence, including domestic violence; use of alcohol or illegal drugs; being young and male; and/or a personal history of physical or sexual abuse or trauma. Mental illness alone is not a predictor of violence.

We need to be careful that the response to these tragedies does not discourage people with mental health conditions from seeking treatment. Stigma far too often prevents people from getting the help they so desperately need. "When people unfairly connect mass shooters with mental illness, it stigmatizes the millions of people living with mental health struggles who are not violent," said NAMI's National Director of Advocacy and Public Policy, Kimball Angela.

While the relationship between mental illness and gun violence is very low, we need reasonable options. This includes making it possible for law enforcement to act on credible community and family concerns in circumstances where people are at high-risk.

We need to have an honest and productive national conversation about all the factors that play into this type of violence and what we can do to prevent these tragedies. Only then can we find meaningful solutions to protecting our children and communities.

More on the Subject

NAMI National statement on mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.

NAMI California and NAMI Ventura statement on Thousand Oaks shooting.

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The Truth About Mental Health and Gun Violence - NAMI California

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Every time we experience a tragedy involving guns, people with mental illness are drawn into the conversation. The truth is that the vast majority of violence is not perpetrated by people with mental illness.

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Warga, J. (2021). The Shape of Thunder. Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

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"Do We Know How to Grieve" by Francine Wheeler

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"Do We Know How to Grieve" by Francine Wheeler

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Wheeler, F. (2022, October 26). The Moth | Do We Know How To Grieve. The Moth. https://themoth.org/storytellers/francine-lobis-wheeler

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Francine Lobis Wheeler is an actor, singer, songwriter, teacher, wife and mother to three boys. She spent 15 years performing Off-Broadway and in regional theaters, and has sung with swing bands, ballroom orchestras, and major recording artists, including Natalie Merchant, Peter Yarrow, Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky, Livingston Taylor, Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright-Roche. In 2005, Francine became a founding member of the Dream Jam Band, whose first record was named by NPR as one of the top children's albums of 2007. On December 14, 2012, her son, Benjamin, was murdered in his first-grade classroom at Sandy Hook School in the worst elementary school shooting in U.S. history to date. In the months following, Francine became a vocal advocate for common sense gun reform, and in April 2013, at the request of President Obama, Francine became the first civilian to read the President's weekly radio address, during which she lobbied for American support of a universal background check bill. Francine is the Creative Director of Ben's Lighthouse, a nonprofit promoting
empathy and compassion for children and she regularly performs with the bluegrass and swing band, The Flagpole Radio Cafe Orchestra.

Francine is currently developing her original project Just Five Minutes. Book and music by Francine, this is her journey through grief and trauma as a mother whose son was murdered in his first-grade classroom. Francine is also creating a children's TV series The Isle of Skoo which is a puppet and children's program she created through her non-profit Ben's Lighthouse, whose characters come to life in a lighthouse community. Original puppets are complete & were designed by David Cole Wheeler, Francine's husband. Francine leads each episode, and wrote all the original music and text for The Isle of Skoo.

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The Moth | The Art and Craft of Storytelling

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The Moth is a nonprofit organization that builds empathy through live and virtual storytelling shows, open-mic storytelling events, The Moth Radio Hour, The Moth Podcast and storytelling workshops.

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U2. (2009). U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM4vblG6BVQ

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Sunday Bloody Sunday (Live From Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Colorado, USA / 1983 / Remastered 2021)

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"Sunday Bloody Sunday: The Story Behind U2's Most Political Song"

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"Sunday Bloody Sunday: The Story Behind U2's Most Political Song"

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The Legends Of Music. (2018, December 14). Sunday Bloody Sunday: The Story behind U2’s most political song. Medium. https://medium.com/@thelegendsofmusic/sunday-bloody-sunday-the-story-behind-u2s-most-political-song-f3fd719e1009

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Since the 15th Century, Western Europe has played host to one of UK's most bloody and traumatic wars, which is the enraging conflict between Northern Ireland and England. From all the bloodshed and violence, which has occurred since then there is one period, which stands out. Simply, labeled "The Troubles" it tells a bloody tale of a three decade conflict, which took place between Irish nationalists and Irish unionists from the 1960's till the 1990's. Although this bloody conflict was ended with the "Good Friday Agreement", it's legacy was so traumatic that it helped influence some of the biggest protest songs to have come out of the music industry.
Bloody Sunday
"Bloody Sunday" was a term given to an incident to an incident, which took place on 30th January 1972 in Derry, Northern Ireland where British Soldiers shot 28 unarmed civilians who were peacefully protesting against Operation Demetrius. Out of all the people who lost their life that day; Thirteen were killed outright, while another man lost his life four months later due to injuries. Many of the victims who were feeling the scene were shot at point blank range, while some who were helping the injured were shot. Other protesters were injured by rubber bullets or batons, and two were run down by army vehicles.

This massacre is reported to have the highest number of people killed in a single shooting incident during the conflict. The first person to have addressed these events musically was John Lennon who composed "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and released it on his third Solo album " Sometime In New York City". His version of the song directly expresses his anger towards the massacre, which also shows his political viewpoints in the complexity of the longstanding problems that exist between the Irish & British. When music critics tore his song apart and said that it wasn't strong enough to address the problem at hand he was quoted saying to NME Journalist Roy Carr

"Here I am in New York and I hear about the 13 people shot dead in Ireland and I react immediately. And being what I am I react in four-to-the-bar with a guitar break in the middle. I don't say "My God, what's happening? We should do something." I go "It's Sunday Bloody Sunday and they shot the people down." It's all over now. It's gone. My songs are not there to be digested and pulled apart like the Mona Lisa. If people on the street think about it, that's all there is to it." [1]
U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday
Although U2's version of the song arrives as a single precisely 11 years, 1 month, 21 days since the incident, the catalyst that inspired the band to pay tribute to the fallen with this song came because of a confrontation with IRA (Irish Republican Army) supporters in New York City.

U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" version of the song is designed to transport the listener into 1970's war-torn Ireland where your present watching the horror unfold as an observer. Their version of accounts are instead inspired by their passive-aggressive approach to the situation with verses like "How long must we sing this song?", which signifies their anger towards the authorities approach to the situation. However, that verse is immediately followed by 'Cause tonight, we can be as one, Tonight", which signifies that the door is still open for a peace treaty.

They also draw inspiration from the world famous picture of Edward Daly being spotted protecting a group of survivors attending to an injured boy by waving a blood stained handkerchief in the peace.
Song Structure
The success of the song can also be attributed to the structure, which is a simplistic 4/4 time signature that's driving the tempo of the song (2). The song begins with a militaristic drum-beat that was composed by Larry Mullen Jr., which was recorded in a staircase of their Dublin recording studio because producer Steve Lillywhite was trying to get a full sound with a natural reverb. The beat is closely designed to resemble a military band due to the synchronisation of the drum pattern, snare drum & electric violin (2). This is further accompanied by The Edge's stellar guitar work, which comprises of a

distinctive descending guitar riff, with repeating arpeggios. Rolling Stone later described this riff as the "bone-crushing arena-rock riff of the decade" (3). The minor-chords used in this riff is a Bm-D-G chord progression, which helps establish the passive character of the song so far.

As the song progresses, the aggression is released as Bono declares "How long? How long must we sing this song?", which is matched as The Edge's switches to a more aggressive major-chord pattern. The aggressiveness of the song is further cemented with an aggressive bass-drum that appears on every beat before launching into the chorus where Adam Clayton's bass guitar joins in. As this is happening The Edge provides stellar backing vocals by communicating "Sunday Bloody Sunday" to the listener via a harmonic imitative echo. As the song further progresses into the next section, the snare drum is muted along with the guitars, which draws it's inspiration from the raw aggression seen in the song's verses and gives the song a more uplifting structure.
Lyrics
The lyrics of the song both reference either Bloody Sunday event that took place in 1920 & 1970 respectively but focus more on the observer who is horrified by the cycle of violence and is inspired to act. This change in approach is a drastic change from an early version of the song, which contained lyrics like "Don't talk to me about the rights of the IRA, UDA.". Instead the band decided to change the lyrics to showcase the atrocities of war without taking sides. Instead they chose an opening line, which would resonate highly with young people who would know nothing about these troubles. There is one biblical verse, which is put forward in the lyrics, which is Matthew 10:35 ("mother's children; brothers, sisters torn apart") and bring a twist to 1 Corinthians 15:32 ("we eat and drink while tomorrow they die", instead of "let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die").

Finally the song finishes by declaring to the Irish that they need to stop fighting each other and just claim the victory "Jesus won...on [a] Sunday bloody Sunday."
Live History
The song has been played more than 600 times by the band since it's inception in 1982 (4). Due to misinterpreted lyrics Bono had to clarify the meaning to the audience by stating "This is not A Rebel Song, This song is Sunday Bloody Sunday". While this song has been a live staple for the band they omitted it from their set-list for a while because of one such performance where the true emotion of the song came out and they knew they could never replicate that emotion ever again. This happened while they were shooting their 1998 rockumentary " Rattle And Hum" on 8th November 1987 at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado. On this version Bono goes on a rant mid-song to condemn the Remembrance Day Bombing that had occurred earlier that same day in the Northern Irish town of Enniskillen. The rant went as follows:

"And let me tell you somethin'. I've had enough of Irish Americans who haven't been back to their country in twenty or thirty years come up to me and talk about the resistance, the revolution back home...and the glory of the revolution...and the glory of dying for the revolution. Fuck the revolution! They don't talk about the glory of killing for the revolution. What's the glory in taking a man from his bed and gunning him down in front of his wife and his children? Where's the glory in that? Where's the glory in bombing a Remembrance Day parade of old age pensioners, their medals taken out and polished up for the day. Where's the glory in that? To leave them dying or crippled for life or dead under the rubble of a revolution that the majority of the people in my country don't want. No more!"
References
(1) Blaney, J. (2007). Lennon and McCartney: together alone : a critical discography of their solo work. Jawbone Press. pp. 65, 68. ISBN 9781906002022.

(2) Commercial sheet music for "Sunday Bloody Sunday." Universal-Polygram International Music Publishing. Distributed by Hal Leonard Publishing. ISBN 0-7119-7309-1. Retrieved 12 December 2006.

(3) Connelly, Christopher (19 January 1984). "Under A Blood Red Sky Review: U2: Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 19 April 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2010.

(4) U2-Vertigo-Tour.com. "U2 on Tour - played songs: Sunday Bloody Sunday

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Sunday Bloody Sunday: The Story behind U2's most political song

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Since the 15th Century, Western Europe has played host to one of UK's most bloody and traumatic wars, which is the enraging conflict between Northern Ireland and England. From all the bloodshed and...

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"Why You Need to Watch Childish Gambino's 'This is America' Twice"

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"Why You Need to Watch Childish Gambino's 'This is America' Twice"

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Radhakrishnan, R. (2018, June 11). Why You Need to watch Childish Gambino’s “This is America” twice. Godyears. https://www.godyears.net/2018/06/watch-childish-gambino-song-this-america-twice.html

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The first time I watched Childish Gambino's "This is America", I honestly did not get what all the hype was about. The song seemed good (not great) and the video seemed average, shot on a low budget in some empty car park - warehouse place with some weird, almost choreatic dance steps and even some violence at times.

I did not get it. Then I read up about the song. And I watched the video again. And I got it.

I got why this video has 248 million views in just one month and why it is being hailed as a masterpiece and one of the most meticulously crafted music videos of this decade.

I want you to watch this video first before we continue. I know you will shrug and say, I'll read the article and then watch the video but seriously, humour me this one time. Trust me. It matters.

Seen the video? (I hope you did)
Do you agree with the assessment I made in the first paragraph of this article? Seems to be an okay video depicting gun violence in America, right? And yet, here I am, writing an article about this video instead of all the superb music videos we have seen by our favourite stars over the years.
So what gives?

Sit back and watch closely. You are about to witness the power of art.

Let us begin dissecting this video, shall we?

Invisible in a White Man's world
As the video begins, we see an empty car park. There is actually a black man, Childish Gambino (the very same adorable Donald Glover we loved from the show 'Community') present but he is covered by the white beams, in a visual that is also principally white.

The song begins on a very pleasant note as a black man sits on the chair and plays the guitar.

As the singer walks up to him, you can see his 'dance moves' are arrhythmic and out of sync to the song in the background. We will get back to this.

The tone of the video changes dramatically as the singer stands behind the guitarist (now cuffed and with a bag over his head) and assumes a strange, awkward pose as he whips out a gun.
Two points jump out here.

The guitarist had an identity and a face as long as he was entertaining people with his music. As a black victim of gun violence, he is now nobody special. Just another black man killed.

That pose by the singer closely resembles 'Jim Crow'. Who, you ask?

In the early 1800s, when African Americans were considered mere slaves, there was a classic illustration used to depict them. It was an image of a black man in an awkward pose who was portrayed as dumb, lazy and less than human. That character was called 'Jim Crow' and the term 'Jim Crow' would be used for generations to describe racial segregation laws in America.

Note what happens as soon as the black man is shot.

The first thing you see is a man come up to safely take away the gun used for the murder.

This is a finger pointed at America as it is today in 2018, where in spite of the insanely high incidents of gun violence, efforts to curb easy access or even ban firearms are staunchly opposed by people quoting a 220 year old amendment allowing them the right to own firearms.

It is no coincidence that the cloth used to protect the murder weapon is red, depicting the Republican party that is forever opposed to stringent gun laws.

On the other hand, the victim gets dragged away like a sack of grain. There is more dignity given to the gun than the dead man.

The murder takes place right in the middle of your screen. And yet, our singer/killer is not going to be interrupted/chased by the police here. Do you know why? Believe it or not, it has to do with his pants and shoes.

No, really. Those unique buttoned pants and yellow shoes are a direct take on the dress worn by Confederate soldiers, who had a numbing history of brutality against African Americans.
That is why the police don't come (yet) chasing after him... he's not (representing) a black man here. He is the modern day equivalent of a white confederate who can get away with murdering a black man in broad daylight.

Those weird dance moves and facial expressions are not random either. Back in the time when African Americans were slaves, they used to mock the dignified mannerisms of the upper class white people by exaggerating their versions of dance.

Unaware that the blacks were mocking them, white slave owners mistook it as a traditional form of dance and even held slave dance competitions for this.
The winning prize would be a cake.

This dance is called 'the cake walk'. That is what you are watching Childish Gambino and the children perform in this video.

Tamir Rice
In the picture above, there is a child on top of a car in the background, shooting money out of a toy gun. In real life, in 2014, 12 year old Tamir Rice was shot dead by the police while he was playing with a toy gun in the park.

Video footage showed the police waited four minutes before offering first aid.

Instead, they handcuffed and arrested his 14 year old sister who ran towards her dying brother.

In 2015, a court decided not to indict the police officers who shot the child with the toy playing in the park.

Charleston church massacre

The black choir church group offers a peaceful twist to the song and our 'white man' seems to be enjoying it. Until he's not.

Then he just kills them all. This shooting sequence is a direct callback to the 2015 Charleston church massacre where 21 year old white supremacist Dylann Storm Roof killed nine people in church, hoping to start a race war as he confessed later.

The gun used is an AK-47 which along with AR-15, is a statistically proven weapon of choice in mass shootings. And is still available over the counter in America, as though it were lozenges.

Don't worry. The gun is safely cared for and taken away in a plush red cloth while nobody comes to tend to the massacre victims.

Instead, note the people running in the background now, armed with sticks. The riots because of these racial hate crimes have begun.

NOW the police have come. And again, they are not targeting our singer/ killer. He walks calmly past the police car as the cops chase the black rioters.

The lyrics as he moves away from the crime are telling. As the children come back to dance with him, he sings 'Look what I'm whipping now' and the children do exactly that, following his dance steps.

You can see rioters and policemen running behind and even in front of them but with his song and dance, he has successfully distracted the youth from what matters. They are too busy dancing to his tunes to care about what is happening around them.

Watch carefully before the camera pans away and you can even see a young kid jump off the top in an apparent suicide. But nobody cares. Just another statistic.

The lyrics go - 'This is a celly, that's a tool.'

Instead of engaging in what matters, the children are all lost with taking pictures on their cellphones and living in an alternate reality via social media.

The position - placing them enclosed up there - is their way of staying away from anything that matters in the real world.

The cellphone could have been a tool for capturing evidence of crimes but instead it is used to distract the youth. Watch me dance.

We are well and truly in riot mode with cars on fire. But nobody cares. We are too distracted. Keep watching me dance.

Death on a Horse

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse:
and his name that sat on him was Death,
and Hell followed with him.
And power was given to them
over the fourth part of the earth,
to kill with sword, and with hunger,
and with death, and with the beasts of the earth."

Not my words. This is verse 6:8 in the Book of Revelation, the last book in the New Testament.
That is Death, indeed.

I love the subtle yet significant transformation between these next two pictures. Watch closely.

Mere milliseconds apart, in the first one, the children are all happy and dancing around him just as they were earlier, after he killed people with a real gun.

Yet now, when he pretends to make an imaginary gun with his fingers, they are all scared and run away. Why? Look closely.

You no longer see his pants. And without those distinctive Confederate symbols, Childish Gambino is nothing more than a black man all of a sudden. He is now someone to be scared of even when he has nothing in his hands.

Stoneman Douglas High School shooting

What follows next is 17 seconds of silence as the singer whips out a joint to smoke.
In Feb 2018, 17 people, including 14 children were shot dead in Stoneman Douglas High School, Florida by a 19 year old with an AR-15 assault rifle.
There are no coincidences in this video. 17 victims, 17 seconds of silence.

Dancing on top of the car

The scene with Childish Gambino dancing on top of the car actually has multiple interpretations. A curious link goes back decades to when another popular music icon (and someone Childish Gambino adores) did the same at the end of one of his music videos. Deemed violent, that dance routine was removed from the song when it aired on television.
The singer? Michael Jackson.
The song - Black or White (There are no coincidences...)

Why are the car models all so old? Is it a sign of the poverty of the black man? Is the scene meant to depict the white man trampling the black man's dreams? I honestly don't know.

This ending also calls back to Childish Gambino being able to get away with doing anything now that he is 'white again' (note his Confederate identity is visible once more).

Most of the car doors are open. This is a taunt at the rampant racism in the American police force, where black drivers are forced to pull over while driving by the police at a far higher rate than white folk.

The screen turns to black and then lights up again, briefly. His pants and shoes are indistinctive as he runs in the darkness. Without it, Childish Gambino is a black man once more in the real world. A world that does not appear as bright now.

He is running for his life, chased by police in riot gear, a crazed look in his eyes as he struggles to survive, his surroundings dark instead of the pristine white world that he showcased throughout the video.

It is the same bright car parking spot we watched throughout the video and yet, now it almost appears as though he is being chased through dark woods as he seeks to escape, much like the African American slaves from two centuries ago, does it not?

Think carefully. What crime did you see 'the black man' do? He smoked a joint.
He is being chased by the police for smoking a joint while 'the white man' sang and danced past the police after committing murder. The lyrics in the background as he runs?
"You just a Black man in this world , you just a barcode..."

***

'This is America' had the whole nation rewinding, pausing and jotting down points and then theorizing and debating at a level that would have made Inception nervous. Director Hiro Murai, a longtime collaborator of Childish Gambino, has a history of tackling civil rights issues head-on, aimed at forcing a dialogue about sensitive topics like racism and gun violence. Like with a wondrous painting, Childish Gambino's video requires multiple viewings to grasp the layers within layers depicted. You need to understand the nuances and symbols and then read up on history and current events.

To the eye which does not know, this is just an average music video. Armed with knowledge though, you see Childish Gambino's 'This is America' for what it is - the music video equivalent of one of the strongest political statements ever made by a musician in the 21st century.

There is only one thing left for me to do - ask you to watch the video again now.

And see it this time, knowing in your mind what each movement in the background and foreground truly stands for.

Authors note:

These are my #MondayMusings (technically, at least two Mondays have passed as I jotted down and refined this post, I guess!) You can read those of other bloggers here.

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why you need to watch childish gambino's 'this is america' twice

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godyears: why you need to watch childish gambino's 'this is america' twice

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Godyears: Why You Need to watch Childish Gambino's 'This is America' twice

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Childish Gambino's 'This is America' is the music video equivalent of a magic trick and one of the most political statements ever made by a musician.

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"Taylor Swift Lends 'Only The Young' to New Political Ad"

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"Taylor Swift Lends 'Only The Young' to New Political Ad"

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Blistein, J., & Blistein, J. (2020, October 30). Taylor Swift Lends “Only the Young” to New Political Ad. Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-lends-only-the-young-to-new-political-ad-1083987/

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Taylor Swift has allowed a super PAC fronted by California Democratic representative Eric Swalwell to use her song "Only the Young" in a new political ad.

The spot from Remedy PAC is aimed at boosting voter turnout, especially among young people, and opens with a quote from vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, wondering why so many powerful people are making it so difficult to vote. The rest of the ad boasts a montage of chaotic and hopeful scenes from the past four years, soundtracked by 2020's "Only the Young," from Swift's documentary Miss Americana.

The new ad marks the first time Swift has allowed her music to be used in a political ad, although over the summer her cover of Tom Petty's "American Girl" was featured in a video package during the Democratic National Convention. Swift has not shared a statement specifically about the "Only the Young" spot and a representative did not return Rolling Stone 's request for comment.

On Twitter, Swalwell thanked Swift for letting Remedy PAC use the song, as did Harris, who wrote, "Thank you @TaylorSwift13 and my friend @EricSwalwell for showing young people what's at stake in this election."

Thank you @TaylorSwift13 and my friend @EricSwalwell for showing young people what's at stake in this election. https://t.co/T5EQO1GLnC

- Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 30, 2020

Swift, who was wary of expressing her political views publicly for a good chunk of her career (she faced criticism after declining to endorse a presidential candidate in 2016), has become significantly more vocal over the past two years. In 2018, she endorsed Tennessee's Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen (although he lost to Republican Marsha Blackburn) and this year, she endorsed Joe Biden and Harris in V Magazine.

"Everyone deserves a government that takes global health risks seriously and puts the lives of its people first," Swift said. "The only way we can begin to make things better is to choose leaders who are willing to face these issues and find ways to work through them... I will proudly vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in this year's presidential election. Under their leadership, I believe America has a chance to start the healing process it so desperately needs."

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Taylor Swift Lends 'Only the Young' to New Political Ad

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Taylor Swift has allowed a super PAC fronted by a California Democratic representative to use her song "Only the Young" in a political ad.

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11 Common Literary Devices: Definitions, Examples, and Exercises

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11 Common Literary Devices: Definitions, Examples, and Exercises

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Glatch, S. (2020, September 22). 11 Common Literary Devices: Definitions, Examples, and Exercises. Writers.com. https://writers.com/common-literary-devices

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Common literary devices, such as metaphors and similes, are the building blocks of literature, and what make literature so enchanting. Language evolves through the literary devices in poetry and prose; the different types of figurative language make literature spark in different ways.

Consider this your crash course in common literary devices. Whether you're studying for the AP Lit exam or looking to improve your creative writing, this article is crammed with literary devices, examples, and analysis.

Let's start with the basics. What are literary devices?

What are Literary Devices?

Literary devices take writing beyond its literal meaning. They help guide the reader in how to read the piece.

Literary devices are ways of taking writing beyond its straightforward, literal meaning. In that sense, they are techniques for helping guide the reader in how to read the piece.

Central to all literary devices is a quality of connection: by establishing or examining relationships between things, literary devices encourage the reader to perceive and interpret the world in new ways.

One common form of connection in literary devices is comparison. Metaphors and similes are the most obvious examples of comparison. A metaphor is a direct comparison of two things-"the tree is a giant," for example. A simile is an indirect comparison-"the tree is like a giant." In both instances, the tree is compared to-and thus connected with-something (a giant) beyond what it literally is (a tree).

Other literary devices forge connections in different ways. For example, imagery, vivid description, connects writing richly to the worlds of the senses. Alliteration uses the sound of words itself to forge new literary connections ("alligators and apples").

By enabling new connections that go beyond straightforward details and meanings, literary devices give literature its power.

What all these literary devices have in common is that they create new connections: rich layers of sound, sense, emotion, narrative, and ultimately meaning that surpass the literal details being recounted. They are what sets literature apart, and what makes it uniquely powerful.

Read on for an in-depth look and analysis at 112 common literary devices.

Check Out Our Online Writing Courses!

Literary Devices List: 14 Common Literary Devices

In this article, we focus on literary devices that can be found in both poetry and prose.

There are a lot of literary devices to cover, each of which require their own examples and analysis. As such, we will start by focusing on common literary devices for this article: literary devices that can be found in both poetry and prose. With each device, we've included examples in literature and exercises you can use in your own creative writing.

Afterwards, we've listed other common literary devices you might see in poetry, prose, dialogue, and rhetoric.

Let's get started!

Metaphors, also known as direct comparisons, are one of the most common literary devices. A metaphor is a statement in which two objects, often unrelated, are compared to each other.

Example of metaphor: This tree is the god of the forest.

Obviously, the tree is not a god-it is, in fact, a tree. However, by stating that the tree is the god, the reader is given the image of something strong, large, and immovable. Additionally, using "god" to describe the tree, rather than a word like "giant" or "gargantuan," makes the tree feel like a spiritual center of the forest.

Metaphors allow the writer to pack multiple descriptions and images into one short sentence. The metaphor has much more weight and value than a direct description. If the writer chose to describe the tree as "the large, spiritual center of the forest," the reader won't understand the full importance of the tree's size and scope.

2. Simile

Similes, also known as indirect comparisons, are similar in construction to metaphors, but they imply a different meaning. Like metaphors, two unrelated objects are being compared to each other. Unlike a metaphor, the comparison relies on the words "like" or "as."

Example of simile: This tree is like the god of the forest.
OR: This tree acts as the god of the forest.

What is the difference between a simile and a metaphor?

The obvious difference between these two common literary devices is that a simile uses "like" or "as," whereas a metaphor never uses these comparison words.

Additionally, in reference to the above examples, the insertion of "like" or "as" creates a degree of separation between both elements of the device. In a simile, the reader understands that, although the tree is certainly large, it isn't large enough to be a god; the tree's "godhood" is simply a description, not a relevant piece of information to the poem or story.

Simply put, metaphors are better to use as a central device within the poem/story, encompassing the core of what you are trying to say. Similes are better as a supporting device.

Does that mean metaphors are better than similes? Absolutely not. Consider Louise Gluck's poem " The Past. " Gluck uses both a simile and a metaphor to describe the sound of the wind: it is like shadows moving, but is her mother's voice. Both devices are equally haunting, and ending the poem on the mother's voice tells us the central emotion of the poem.

Learn more about the difference between similes and metaphors here:

Simile vs. Metaphor vs. Analogy: Definitions and Examples

Simile and Metaphor Writing Exercise: Tenors and Vehicles

Most metaphors and similes have two parts: the tenor and the vehicle. The tenor refers to the subject being described, and the vehicle refers to the image that describes the tenor.

So, in the metaphor "the tree is a god of the forest," the tenor is the tree and the vehicle is "god of the forest."

To practice writing metaphors and similes, let's create some literary device lists. grab a sheet of paper and write down two lists. In the first list, write down "concept words"-words that cannot be physically touched. Love, hate, peace, war, happiness, and anger are all concepts because they can all be described but are not physical objects in themselves.

In the second list, write down only concrete objects-trees, clouds, the moon, Jupiter, New York brownstones, uncut sapphires, etc.

Your concepts are your tenors, and your concrete objects are your vehicles. Now, randomly draw a one between each tenor and each vehicle, then write an explanation for your metaphor/simile. You might write, say:

"Peace, like an uncut sapphire, gleams with labor."

Have fun, write interesting literary devices, and try to incorporate them into a future poem or story!

3. Analogy

An analogy is an argumentative comparison: it compares two unalike things to advance an argument. Specifically, it argues that two things have equal weight, whether that weight be emotional, philosophical, or even literal. Because analogical literary devices operate on comparison, it can be considered a form of metaphor.

For example:

Making pasta is as easy as one, two, three.

This analogy argues that making pasta and counting upwards are equally easy things. This format, "A is as B" or "A is to B", is a common analogy structure.

Another common structure for analogy literary devices is "A is to B as C is to D." For example:

Gordon Ramsay is to cooking as Meryl Streep is to acting.

The above constructions work best in argumentative works. Lawyers and essayists will often use analogies. In other forms of creative writing, analogies aren't as formulaic, but can still prove to be powerful literary devices. In fact, you probably know this one:

"That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet" - Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare

To put this into the modern language of an analogy, Shakespeare is saying "a rose with no name smells as a rose with a name does." The name "rose" does not affect whether or not the flower smells good.

Analogy Writing Exercise

Analogies are some of the most common literary devices, alongside similes and metaphors. Here's an exercise for writing one yourself.

On a blank sheet of paper: write down the first four nouns that come to mind. Try to use concrete, visual nouns. Then, write down a verb. If you struggle to come up with any of these, any old word generator on the internet will help.

The only requirement is that two of your four nouns should be able to perform the verb. A dog can swim, for example, but it can't fly an airplane.

Your list might look like this:

Verb: Fall
Nouns: Rain, dirt, pavement, shadow

An analogy you create from this list might be: "his shadow falls on the pavement how rain falls on the dirt in May.

Your analogy might end up being silly or poetic, strange or evocative. But, by forcing yourself to make connections between seemingly disparate items, you're using these literary devices to hone the skills of effective, interesting writing.

4. Imagery

Is imagery a literary device? Absolutely! Imagery can be both literal and figurative, and it relies on the interplay of language and sensation to create a sharper image in your brain.

Imagery is what it sounds like-the use of figurative language to describe something.

Imagery is what it sounds like-the use of figurative language to describe something. In fact, we've already seen imagery in action through the previous literary devices: by describing the tree as a "god", the tree looks large and sturdy in the reader's mind.

However, imagery doesn't just involve visual descriptions; the best writers use imagery to appeal to all five senses. By appealing to the reader's sense of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, your writing will create a vibrant world for readers to live and breathe in.

The best writers use imagery to appeal to all five senses.

Let's use imagery to describe that same tree. (I promise I can write about more than just trees, but it's a very convenient image for these common literary devices, don't you think?)

Sight imagery: The tree spread its gigantic, sun-flecked shoulders.
Sound imagery: The forest was hushed, resounding with echoes of the tree's stoic silence.
Touch imagery: The tree felt smooth as sandstone.
Taste imagery: The tree's leaves tasted bitter, like unroasted coffee beans.
Smell imagery: As we approached the tree, the air around it smelled crisp and precise.

There are two other, less discussed types of imagery: organic and kinesthetic imagery. Organic imagery refers to descriptions of internal sensations-things happening within the body. Kinesthetic imagery is imagery of motion and movement-think of the sensations one might feel when running against the wind.

Organic imagery: The tree felt its xylem collapse at the news. (This is also an example of personification, since trees can't "feel" the way people feel.)

Kinesthetic imagery: The tree cooled down as its own leaves rushed against its bark.

Notice how these literary device examples also used metaphors and similes? Literary devices often pile on top of each other, which is why so many great works of literature can be analyzed endlessly. Because imagery depends on the object's likeness to other objects, imagery upholds the idea that a literary device is synonymous with comparison.

Imagery Writing Exercise

Want to try your hand at imagery? You can practice this concept by describing an object in the same way that this article describes a tree! Choose something to write about-any object, image, or idea-and describe it using the five senses. ("This biscuit has the tidy roundness of a lady's antique hat." "The biscuit tastes of brand-new cardboard." and so on!)

Then, once you've written five (or more) lines of imagery, try combining these images until your object is sharp and clear in the reader's head.

Imagery is one of the most essential common literary devices. To learn more about imagery, or to find more imagery writing exercises, take a look at our article Imagery Definition: 5+ Types of Imagery in Literature.

5. Symbolism

Symbolism combines a lot of the ideas presented in metaphor and imagery. Essentially, a symbol is the use of an object to represent a concept-it's kind of like a metaphor, except more concise!

Symbols are everywhere in the English language, and we often use these common literary devices in speech and design without realizing it. The following are very common examples of symbolism:

A few very commonly used symbols include:

"Peace" represented by a white dove

"Love" represented by a red rose

"Conformity" represented by sheep

"Idea" represented by a light bulb switching on

The symbols above are so widely used that they would likely show up as clichés in your own writing. (Would you read a poem, written today, that started with "Let's release the white dove of peace"?) In that sense, they do their job "too well"-they're such a good symbol for what they symbolize that they've become ubiquitous, and you'll have to add something new in your own writing.

Symbols are often contextually specific as well. For example, a common practice in Welsh marriage is to give your significant other a lovespoon, which the man has designed and carved to signify the relationship's unique, everlasting bond. In many Western cultures, this same bond is represented by a diamond ring-which can also be unique and everlasting!

Symbolism makes the core ideas of your writing concrete.

Finally, notice how each of these examples are a concept represented by a concrete object. Symbolism makes the core ideas of your writing concrete, and also allows you to manipulate your ideas. If a rose represents love, what does a wilted rose or a rose on fire represent?

Symbolism Writing Exercise

Often, symbols are commonly understood images-but not always. You can invent your own symbols to capture the reader's imagination, too!

Try your hand at symbolism by writing a poem or story centered around a symbol. Choose a random object, and make that object represent something. For example, you could try to make a blanket represent the idea of loneliness.

When you've paired an object and a concept, write your piece with that symbol at the center:

The down blanket lay crumpled, unused, on the empty side of our bed.

The goal is to make it clear that you're associating the object with the concept. Make the reader feel the same way about your symbol as you do!

6. Personification

Personification, giving human attributes to nonhuman objects, is a powerful way to foster empathy in your readers.

Personification is exactly what it sounds like: giving human attributes to nonhuman objects. Also known as anthropomorphism, personification is a powerful way to foster empathy in your readers.

Think about personification as if it's a specific type of imagery. You can describe a nonhuman object through the five senses, and do so by giving it human descriptions. You can even impute thoughts and emotions-mental events-to a nonhuman or even nonliving thing. This time, we'll give human attributes to a car-see our personification examples below!

Personification (using sight): The car ran a marathon down the highway.

Personification (using sound): The car coughed, hacked, and spluttered.

Personification (using touch): The car was smooth as a baby's bottom.

Personification (using taste): The car tasted the bitter asphalt.

Personification (using smell): The car needed a cold shower.

Personification (using mental events): The car remembered its first owner fondly.

Notice how we don't directly say the car is like a human-we merely describe it using human behaviors. Personification exists at a unique intersection of imagery and metaphor, making it a powerful literary device that fosters empathy and generates unique descriptions.

Personification Writing Exercise

Try writing personification yourself! In the above example, we chose a random object and personified it through the five senses. It's your turn to do the same thing: find a concrete noun and describe it like it's a human.

Here are two examples:

The ancient, threadbare rug was clearly tired of being stepped on.

My phone issued notifications with the grimly efficient extroversion of a sorority chapter president.

Now start writing your own! Your descriptions can be active or passive, but the goal is to foster empathy in the reader's mind by giving the object human traits.

7. Hyperbole

You know that one friend who describes things very dramatically? They're probably speaking in hyperboles. Hyperbole is just a dramatic word for being over-dramatic-which sounds a little hyperbolic, don't you think?

Basically, hyperbole refers to any sort of exaggerated description or statement. We use hyperbole all the time in the English language, and you've probably heard someone say things like:

I've been waiting a billion years for this

I'm so hungry I could eat a horse

I feel like a million bucks

You are the king of the kitchen

None of these examples should be interpreted literally: there are no kings in the kitchen, and I doubt anyone can eat an entire horse in one sitting. This common literary device allows us to compare our emotions to something extreme, giving the reader a sense of how intensely we feel something in the moment.

This is what makes hyperbole so fun! Coming up with crazy, exaggerated statements that convey the intensity of the speaker's emotions can add a personable element to your writing. After all, we all feel our emotions to a certain intensity, and hyperbole allows us to experience that intensity to its fullest.

Hyperbole Writing Exercise

To master the art of the hyperbole, try expressing your own emotions as extremely as possible. For example, if you're feeling thirsty, don't just write that you're thirsty, write that you could drink the entire ocean. Or, if you're feeling homesick, don't write that you're yearning for home, write that your homeland feels as far as Jupiter.

As a specific exercise, you can try writing a poem or short piece about something mundane, using more and more hyperbolic language with each line or sentence. Here's an example:

It was a brutally hot 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The April spring sun boiled blood and sent birds exploding. I'm sorry that I'm mowing my lawn on THE SURFACE OF THE SUN. (...and so on!)

A well-written hyperbole helps focus the reader's attention on your emotions and allows you to play with new images, making it a fun, chaos-inducing literary device.

8. Irony

Is irony a literary device? Yes-but it's often used incorrectly. People often describe something as being ironic, when really it's just a moment of dark humor. So, the colloquial use of the word irony is a bit off from its official definition as a literary device.

Irony is when the writer describes something by using opposite language. As a real-life example, if someone is having a bad day, they might say they're doing " greaaaaaat ", clearly implying that they're actually doing quite un-greatly. Or a story's narrator might write:

Like most bureaucrats, she felt a boundless love for her job, and was eager to share that good feeling with others.

In other words, irony highlights the difference between "what seems to be" and "what is." In literature, irony can describe dialogue, but it also describes ironic situations: situations that proceed in ways that are elaborately contrary to what one would expect. A clear example of this is in The Wizard of Oz. All of the characters already have what they are looking for, so when they go to the wizard and discover that they all have brains, hearts, etc., their petition-making a long, dangerous journey to beg for what they already have-is deeply ironic.

Irony Writing Exercise

For verbal irony, try writing a sentence that gives something the exact opposite qualities that it actually has:

The triple bacon cheeseburger glistened with health and good choices.

For situational irony, try writing an imagined plot for a sitcom, starting with "Ben lost his car keys and can't find them anywhere." What would be the most ironic way for that situation to be resolved? (Are they sitting in plain view on Ben's desk... at the detective agency he runs?) Have fun with it!

9. Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition refers to the placement of contrasting ideas next to each other, often to produce an ironic or thought-provoking effect. Writers use juxtaposition in both poetry and prose, though this common literary device looks slightly different within each realm of literature.

In poetry, juxtaposition is used to build tension or highlight an important contrast. Consider the poem " A Juxtaposition " by Kenneth Burke, which juxtaposes nation & individual, treble & bass, and loudness & silence. The result is a poem that, although short, condemns the paradox of a citizen trapped in their own nation.

Just a note: these juxtapositions are also examples of antithesis, which is when the writer juxtaposes two completely opposite ideas. Juxtaposition doesn't have to be completely contrarian, but in this poem, it is.

Juxtaposition accomplishes something similar in prose. A famous example comes from the opening A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of time." Dickens opens his novel by situating his characters into a world of contrasts, which is apt for the extreme wealth disparities pre-French Revolution.

Juxtaposition Writing Exercise

One great thing about juxtaposition is that it can dismantle something that appears to be a binary. For example, black and white are often assumed to be polar opposites, but when you put them next to each other, you'll probably get some gray in the middle.

To really master the art of juxtaposition, try finding two things that you think are polar opposites. They can be concepts, such as good & evil, or they can be people, places, objects, etc. Juxtapose your two selected items by starting your writing with both of them-for example:

Across the town from her wedding, the bank robbers were tying up the hostages.

I put the box of chocolates on the coffee table, next to the gas mask.

Then write a poem or short story that explores a "gray area," relationship, commonality, or resonance between these two objects or events-without stating as much directly. If you can accomplish what Dickens or Burke accomplishes with their juxtapositions, then you, too, are a master!

10. Paradox

A paradox is a juxtaposition of contrasting ideas that, while seemingly impossible, actually reveals a deeper truth. One of the trickier literary devices, paradoxes are powerful tools for deconstructing binaries and challenging the reader's beliefs.

A simple paradox example comes to us from Ancient Rome.

Catullus 85 ( translated from Latin)

I hate and I love. Why I do this, perhaps you ask.
I know not, but I feel it happening and I am tortured.

Often, "hate" and "love" are assumed to be opposing forces. How is it possible for the speaker to both hate and love the object of his affection? The poem doesn't answer this, merely telling us that the speaker is "tortured," but the fact that these binary forces coexist in the speaker is a powerful paradox. Catullus 85 asks the reader to consider the absoluteness of feelings like hate and love, since both seem to torment the speaker equally.

Another paradox example comes from Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.

"To be natural is such a very difficult pose to keep up."

Here, "natural" and "pose" are conflicting ideas. Someone who poses assumes an unnatural state of being, whereas a natural poise seems effortless and innate. Despite these contrasting ideas, Wilde is exposing a deeper truth: to seem natural is often to keep up appearances, and seeming natural often requires the same work as assuming any other pose.

Note: paradox should not be confused with oxymoron. An oxymoron is also a statement with contrasting ideas, but a paradox is assumed to be true, whereas an oxymoron is merely a play on words (like the phrase "same difference").

Paradox Writing Exercise

Paradox operates very similarly to literary devices like juxtaposition and irony. To write a paradox, juxtapose two binary ideas. Try to think outside of the box here: "hate and love" are an easy binary to conjure, so think about something more situational. Wilde's paradox "natural and pose" is a great one; another idea could be the binaries "awkward and graceful" or "red-handed and innocent."

Now, situate those binaries into a certain situation, and make it so that they can coexist. Imagine a scenario in which both elements of your binary are true at the same time. How can this be, and what can we learn from this surprising juxtaposition?

11. Allusion

If you haven't noticed, literary devices are often just fancy words for simple concepts. A metaphor is literally a comparison and hyperbole is just an over-exaggeration. In this same style, allusion is just a fancy word for a literary reference; when a writer alludes to something, they are either directly or indirectly referring to another, commonly-known piece of art or literature.

The most frequently-alluded to work is probably the Bible. Many colloquial phrases and ideas stem from it, since many themes and images from the Bible present themselves in popular works, as well as throughout Western culture. Any of the following ideas, for example, are Biblical allusions:

Referring to a kind stranger as a Good Samaritan

Describing an ideal place as Edenic, or the Garden of Eden

Saying someone "turned the other cheek" when they were passive in the face of adversity

When something is described as lasting "40 days and 40 nights," in reference to the flood of Noah's Ark

Of course, allusion literary devices aren't just Biblical. You might describe a woman as being as beautiful as the Mona Lisa, or you might call a man as stoic as Hemingway.

Why write allusions? Allusions appeal to common experiences: they are metaphors in their own right, as we understand what it means to describe an ideal place as Edenic.

Like the other common literary devices, allusions are often metaphors, images, and/or hyperboles. And, like other literary devices, allusions also have their own sub-categories.

Allusion Writing Exercise

See how densely you can allude to other works and experiences in writing about something simple. Go completely outside of good taste and name-drop like crazy:

Allusions (way too much version): I wanted Nikes, not Adidas, because I want to be like Mike. But still, "a rose by any other name"-they're just shoes, and "if the shoe fits, wear it."

From this frenetic style of writing, trim back to something more tasteful:

Allusions (more tasteful version): I had wanted Nikes, not Adidas-but "if the shoe fits, wear it."

12. Allegory

An allegory is a story whose sole purpose is to represent an abstract concept or idea. As such, allegories are sometimes extended allusions, but the two common literary devices have their differences.

For example, George Orwell's Animal Farm is an allegory for the deterioration of Communism during the early establishment of the U.S.S.R. The farm was founded on a shared goal of overthrowing the farming elite and establishing an equitable society, but this society soon declines. Animal Farm mirrors the Bolshevik Revolution, the overthrow of the Russian aristocracy, Lenin's death, Stalin's execution of Trotsky, and the nation's dissolution into an amoral, authoritarian police state. Thus, Animal Farm is an allegory/allusion to the U.S.S.R.:

Allusion (excerpt from Animal Farm):

"There were times when it seemed to the animals that they worked longer hours and fed no better than they had done in [Farmer] Jones's day."

However, allegories are not always allusions. Consider Plato's " Allegory of the Cave," which represents the idea of enlightenment. By representing a complex idea, this allegory could actually be closer to an extended symbol rather than an extended allusion.

Allegory Writing Exercise

Pick a major trend going on in the world. In this example, let's pick the growing reach of social media as our "major trend."

Next, what are the primary properties of that major trend? Try to list them out:

More connectedness

A loss of privacy

People carefully massaging their image and sharing that image widely

Next, is there something happening at-or that could happen at-a much smaller scale that has some or all of those primary properties? This is where your creativity comes into play.

Well... what if elementary school children not only started sharing their private diaries, but were now expected to share their diaries? Let's try writing from inside that reality:

I know Jennifer McMahon made up her diary entry about how much she misses her grandma. The tear smudges were way too neat and perfect. Anyway, everyone loved it. They photocopied it all over the bulletin boards and they even read it over the PA, and Jennifer got two extra brownies at lunch.

Try your own! You may find that you've just written your own Black Mirror episode.

13. Ekphrasis

Ekphrasis refers to a poem or story that is directly inspired by another piece of art. Ekphrastic literature often describes another piece of art, such as the classic " Ode on a Grecian Urn ":

O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede
Of marble men and maidens overwrought,
With forest branches and the trodden weed;
Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought
As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral!
When old age shall this generation waste,
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,-that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

Ekphrasis can be considered a direct allusion because it borrows language and images from other artwork. For a great example of ekphrasis-as well as a submission opportunity for writers!-check out the monthly ekphrastic challenge that Rattle Poetry runs.

Ekphrasis writing exercise

Try your hand at ekphrasis by picking a piece of art you really enjoy and writing a poem or story based off of it. For example, you could write a story about Mona Lisa having a really bad day, or you could write a black-out poem created from the lyrics of your favorite song.

Or, try Rattle's monthly ekphrastic challenge! All art inspires other art, and by letting ekphrasis guide your next poem or story, you're directly participating in a greater artistic and literary conversation.

14. Onomatopoeia

Flash! Bang! Wham! An onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like the noise it describes. Conveying both a playfulness of language and a serious representation of everyday sounds, onomatopoeias draw the reader into the sensations of the story itself.

Onomatopoeia words are most often used in poetry and in comic books, though they certainly show up in works of prose as well. Some onomatopoeias can be found in the dictionary, such as "murmur," "gargle," and "rumble," "click," and "vroom." However, writers make up onomatopoeia words all the time, so while the word "ptoo" definitely sounds like a person spitting, you won't find it in Merriam Webster's.

Here's an onomatopoeia example, from the poem "Honky Tonk in Cleveland, Ohio" by Carl Sandburg.

It's a jazz affair, drum crashes and cornet razzes.
The trombone pony neighs and the tuba jackass snorts.
The banjo tickles and titters too awful.
The chippies talk about the funnies in the papers.
The cartoonists weep in their beer.

The onomatopoeias have been highlighted in bold. These common literary devices help make your writing fresh, interesting, and vivid, creating a sonic setting that the reader can fall into.
Learn more about onomatopoeias here!
Onomatopoeia Writing Exercise

Onomatopoeias are fun literary devices to use in your work, so have fun experimenting with them. In this exercise, take a moment to listen to the noises around you. Pay close attention to the whir of electronics, the fzzzzzzz of the heater, the rumbling of cars on the street, or the tintintintintin of rain on the roof.

Whatever you hear, convert those sounds into onomatopoeias. Make a list of those sounds. Try to use a mix of real words and made up ones: the way you represent noise in language can have a huge impact on your writing style.

Do this for 5 to 10 minutes, and when you have a comprehensive list of the sounds you hear, write a poem or short story that uses every single word you've written down.

15. Pun

If you built your political campaign off of wordplay, would you be punning for president?

A pun is a literary device that plays with the sounds and meanings of words to produce new, often humorous ideas. For example, let's say you used too much butter in your recipe, and it ruined the dish. You might joke that you were "outside the margarine of error," which is a play on the words "margin of error."

Puns have a rich literary history, and famous writers like Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, as well as famous texts like The Bible, have used puns to add depth and gravity to their words.

Pun Writing Exercise

Jot down a word or phrase that you commonly use. If you're not sure of what to write down, take a look at this list of English idioms. For example, I might borrow the phrase "blow off steam," which means to let out your anger.

Take any saying, and play around with the sounds and meanings of the words in that saying. Then, incorporate the new phrase you've created into a sentence that allows for the double meaning of the phrase. Here's two examples:

If I play with the sound of the words, I might come up with "blowing off stream." Then, I would put that into a sentence that plays with the original meaning of the phrase. Like: "Did you hear about the river boat that got angry and went off course? It was blowing off stream."

Or, I might play with the meanings of words. For example, I might take the word "blowing" literally, and write the following: "someone who cools down their tea when they're angry is blowing off steam."

Searching for ways to add double meanings and challenge the sounds of language will help you build fresh, exciting puns. Learn more about these common literary devices in our article on puns in literature.

16-27. Common Literary Devices in Poetry

The following 12 devices apply to both poetry and prose writers, but they appear most often in verse. Learn more about:

12 Literary Devices in Poetry: Identifying Poetic Devices

28-37. Common Literary Devices in Prose

The following 10 devices show up in verse, but are far more prevalent in prose. Learn more about:

10 Important Literary Devices in Prose: Examples & Analysis

38-48. Repetition Literary Devices

Though they have uncommon names, these common literary devices are all forms of repetition.

Repetition Definition: Types of Repetition in Poetry and Prose

49-57. Dialogue Literary Devices

While these literary elements pertain primarily to dialogue, writers use euphemisms, idioms, and neologisms all the time in their work.

How to Write Dialogue in a Story

58-67. Word Play Literary Devices

The following literary devices push language to the limits. Have fun with these!

Word Play: Examples of a Play on Words

68-72. Parallelism Literary Devices

Parallelism is a stylistic device where a sentence is composed of equally weighted items. In essence, parallel structure allows form to echo content. Learn all about this essential stylistic literary device below.

1. Grammatical parallelism

2. Rhetorical parallelism

3. Synthetic parallelism

4. Antithetical parallelism

5. Synonymous parallelism

Parallelism Definition: Writing With Parallel Structure

73-112. Rhetorical Devices

Rhetorical devices are literary devices intended to persuade the reader of something. You might have heard of ethos, pathos, and logos, but do you know your aposiopesis from your hyperbaton?

Many literary devices can also be considered rhetorical devices. After all, a metaphor can convince you of something just as well as a syllogism. Nonetheless, the following 40 rhetorical/literary devices will sharpen your style, argumentation, and writing abilities.

Common Rhetorical Devices List: The Art of Argument

Master These Common Literary Devices With Writers.com!

The instructors at Writers.com are masters of literary devices. Through masterful instruction and personal expertise, our instructors can help you add, refine, and improve your literary devices, helping you craft great works of literature. Check out our upcoming courses, and join our writing community on Facebook!

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112 Common Literary Devices: Definitions & Examples | Writers.com

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Learning the common literary devices is essential to improving your reading and writing skills. Start with these examples and exercises.

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D4Darious. (2015, December 17). How To Find A Theme. Www.youtube.com. https://youtu.be/rIuKNVny9cM?si=K-dY7GmwPHdwkcwz

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Disney's Short Film, "Far From the Tree" 

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Disney's Short Film, "Far From the Tree" 

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lewisjackmusic. (2022, August 26). Disney’s “Far From The Tree” - music by lewisjackmusic. Www.youtube.com. https://youtu.be/3QpyMLpwMe0?si=os7PE_yyTDllpxmf

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Disney's "Far From The Tree" - music by lewisjackmusic

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JWoz_Teaches. (2021, November 15). Josie | JWoz_Teaches on TikTok. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@jwoz_teaches/video/7030907360440880390

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"The Book Bento: A Visual Literary Analysis Assignment"

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"The Book Bento: A Visual Literary Analysis Assignment"

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gina.litandmore. (2023, March 5). The Book Bento: A Visual Literary Analysis Assignment. Lit & More. https://lit-and-more.com/the-book-bento-a-visual-literary-analysis-assignment/

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The Book Bento: A Visual Literary Analysis Assignment - Lit & More

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Interested in assigning literary analysis that is fun and easier to grade? The Book Bento is a fun and aesthetic way to study literature.