October 15th asst: Anacleto and devices

Thursday, Oct. 15
*Bullet* Required: Minor Character #1 Background Story ▼

Write a background story about Minor #1.

Anacleto (and Françoise)

The smell of blood

He mucked out the stable. It was important to keep out the flies that would infest the horse. One horse. It was all they could afford.

— I'm finished, he told his brother.

He walked into town. The horse was for the work that needed to be done, not to make the ache in his leg go away. Plus, it belonged to his brother.

Anacleto owned nothing. He wandered down the stone path between olive trees. Soon it would be harvest time and more work.

— You smell.

A young woman stood in the path.

— I'm...

She stood there smiling.

—...sorry.

— Why? You smell healthy enough, except for that limp. Mind if I walk with you into town?

— What's your name?

— Oh, I'll tell you if you behave.

The look she gave him said the opposite. It had been awhile, Anacleto thought.

— In town they walked past a place with pastéis and figs. He bought both. Then they talked, walking out of town down a lane between cork. The day was warm and...

— What is your name?

— Françoise.

She didn't say much but her body spoke for her. A glance here and there, couldn't hurt he figured.

She suddenly looked unhappy.

— What's the matter?

— You haven't grabbed me.

— Was I supposed to?

— Only if you want me.

With that she loosened her...

Later that evening Anacleto was quite satisfied with himself. Françoise sure knew how to make a man moan. Her kisses were small bites working him into a frenzy. He liked each nibble. She even licked the small wounds. Not one drop of blood was missed.

He went looking for her the next day, and the day after that. She had vanished.

One day sweating from the harvest he lay with his back to dirt nursing a small cut on his hand. She appeared above him, her shadow engulfing him.

— You're back.

— Yes, You smell great and I like your type.

Françoise devoured Anacleto right then and there.

[may need to be expanded but maybe not. He and Françoise 'hook up'. He became a vampire later. To say he 'lived' and became a vampire isn't needed in this story as it becomes clear later when João meets Anacleto who had come to Évora to fulfill Françoise's wish... to be absolutely dead.]


*Bullet* Bonus: Writing Sprint OR Literary Devices ▼

Writing Sprint: Complete today's assignment using the Write or Die sprint writing tool at writeordie.com . Set the time goal to 15 minutes and record your final word count. DON'T NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON AN APP. SETTING 15 MINUTES IS 'CUTE' BUT I DON'T WORK AND HAVE BAD NERVES.

Literary Devices: Select three more literary devices from the previous list (Oct. 8 Bonus) and work them into your outline.

Euphony
Definition:
The literary device “euphony” refers to the use of phrases and words that are noted for possessing an extensive degree of notable loveliness or melody in the sound they create. The use of euphony is predominant in literary prose and poetry, where poetic devices such as alliterations, rhymes and assonace are used to create pleasant sounds. Euphony is the opposite of cacophony, which refers to the creation of unpleasant and harsh sounds by using certain words and phrases together. This literary devices is based on the use and manipulation of phonetics in literature.

I am a poet and use this all the time. In this story João collects pretty things. Pretty speech will work in certain scenes. This can clash with the cacaphony of other scenes.

"João clambered over the cliffs of Lagos. Small flowers lured him to the edge. Blue lagoons beckoned him below. He sat among the blooms and held one blossom in his hand. So fragile, so ephemeral. He thought of his family. So far away. He wished they were here to hear the waves, lapping, lapping, far far below. (In Lagos)"

Repetition of "f" and "l" and "b"

Imagery
Definition:
In literature, one of the strongest devices is imagery wherein the author uses words and phrases to create “mental images” for the reader. Imagery helps the reader to visualize more realistically the author’s writings. The usage of metaphors, allusions, descriptive words and similes amongst other literary forms in order to “tickle” and awaken the readers’ sensory perceptions is referred to as imagery. Imagery is not limited to only visual sensations, but also refers to igniting kinesthetic, olfactory, tactile, gustatory, thermal and auditory sensations as well.

I use this all the time as a poet.

"João walked up the worn stones. Dusty stones. This was the old way to reach the fortress walls. More stones. He looked back over the walls and roofs of Tomar. Looked over the stones. The heat followed him up. The fortress itself was dwarfed by the cathedral. High stone walls. It was cool inside. The rooms exuded the dust of ages, but there was no smell. Colors entered through the glass windows and João thought of all the pretty things he couldn't collect to take home. A cloud passed over. For some things, only memories will remain. Steps. Always more steps. He could taste his breakfast when he entered the old kitchen. Thought of his soft bed when he entered a cubicle that once gave haven to a monk. He gazed at the overly intricate patterns of stone façades. Manueline the brochure told him. His hand held onto rough stone. He longed for water. In the café he drank slowly, thought long. Even the smell of the horse stables lingered in his mind. It had only been centuries since their clop clop clop had brought in the provisions for the monastery."


Verisimilitude
Definition:
Verisimilitude tends to be based around the appearance or proximity to being real, or the truth. It was a large part of the work of Karl Popper, and can be used in a variety of different ways to describe something, as well. It is a way of implying the believability or likelihood of a theory or narrative. However, just because something can be described as having Verisimilitude does not mean that it is true, only that merely appears to or seems to be true.
Example:
It can be used in a variety of ways, for example;

“While some dislike the content of the novel due to its graphic nature, you cannot deny that the content certainly gives the book some Verisimilitude”

An example of Verisimilitude in concept, though, could be a doubtful statement in a court of law or even a false testimonial for a restaurant. If something “seems” like it’s all well and good, but you can’t quite decide, then it can be said to have Verisimilitude.

In many ways my entire pretext is based on making you believe my vampires are real... because they are... they don't do anything magical. The live and die... but slowly. They bleed... but don't have much blood... surely none to spare... they don't donate blood they stand in line at the Red Cross, Red Crescent, Red Pentagram... for a fix. They can see by moonlight... why would they have need of the sun; they care about their complexion... why would they burn it. Very human... because they are. They may joke about flying; they may joke about sucking blood, but those are jokes... vampire humor. And as Thoom says... "if it doesn't cure you it might just kill you".

— Take this to your great grandmother. Tell her to take one whenever she feels sluggish due to her blood thickening. If she gets a cut and it won't stopped bleeding apply a poultice and eat boiled cabbage. Tell her to be careful. If this doesn't cure her, it just might kill her.

Thoom said this with a kind smile while João sipped his cold tea.

— And you — must be careful sipping tea. Never drink it too hot.

João put another ice cube in his cup to humor her. But he felt she was serious. As if she knew something he didn't. Thoom got up and went back to her herbs on the shelf.

— You are very much like your great grandmother. Here, take some garlic pills for yourself.


Other devices to consider:

*Bullet*Or anything from this list: http://literary-devices.com/

Bildungsroman
Definition:
This is a very popular form of storytelling whereby the author bases the plot on the overall growth of the central character throughout the timeline of the story. As the story progresses, the subject undergoes noticeable mental, physical, social, emotional, moral, and often spiritual advancement and strengthening before the readers’ eyes. It has often been seen that the protagonist begins with views, aims and dreams that are in contrast to the other character’s in the story and then fights his or her way through to achieve them.
Example:
Scarlet O’Hara in Gone With the Wind experiences immense personal growth as she learns the value of friends and hard work under duress, without compromising her own dreams.

Ekphrastic
Definition:
Ekphrastic refers to a form of writing, mostly poetry, wherein the author describes another work of art, usually visual. It is used to convey the deeper symbolism of the corporeal art form by means of a separate medium. It has often been found that ekphrastic writing is rhetorical in nature and symbolic of a greater meaning.
Example:
A photograph of an empty landscape can convey desolation, abandon and loss. Similarly, one can convey the same sentiments and concepts by using phrases such as ‘an empty doorway’ or ‘a childless nursery’.

Epilogue
Definition:
Epilogues are an inherent part of any story or poem and are essential to the structure of any written form. The epilogue is an important literary tool that acts as the afterword once the last chapter is over. The purpose of an epilogue is to add a little insight to some interesting developments that happen once the major plot is over. Epilogues often act as a teaser trailer to any possible sequels that might be created later. Sometimes the epilogue is used to add a little bit about the life or future of the main characters after the story itself has unfolded and wrapped up. Epilogues can be written in a number of ways: sometimes the same narrative style as adopted in the story is continued while at other times one of the characters might take up the narrative or speak one to one with the audience.

I will definitely have an epilogue at the end of Part 3

Hyperbaton
Definition:
A hyperbaton is a literary device wherein the author plays with the regular positioning of words and phrases and creates a differently structured sentence to convey the same meaning. It is said that by using a hyperbaton, words or phrases overstep their conventional placements and result in a more complex and intriguing sentence structure. This literary device is used to add more depth and interest to the sentence structure.
Example:
“Alone he walked on the cold, lonely roads”. This sentence is a variation of the more conventional, “He walked alone on the cold, lonely roads”.

Irony
Definition:
The use of irony in literature refers to playing around with words such that the meaning implied by a sentence or word is actually different from the literal meaning. Often irony is used to suggest the stark contrast of the literal meaning being put forth. The deeper, real layer of significance is revealed not by the words themselves but the situation and the context in which they are placed.
Example:
Writing a sentence such as, “Oh! What fine luck I have!”. The sentence on the surface conveys that the speaker is happy with their luck but actually what they mean is that they are extremely unhappy and dissatisfied with their (bad) luck.

Juxtaposition
Definition:
Juxtaposition is a literary device wherein the author places a person, concept, place, idea or theme parallel to another. The purpose of juxtaposing two directly or indirectly related entities close together in literature is to highlight the contrast between the two and compare them. This literary device is usually used for etching out a character in detail, creating suspense or lending a rhetorical effect.
Example:
In Paradise Lost, Milton has used juxtaposition to draw a parallel between the two protagonists, Satan and God, who he discusses by placing their traits in comparison with one another to highlight their differences.

Kennings
Definition:
The use of Kennings in literature is characteristically related to works in Old English poetry where the author would use a twist of words, figure of speech or magic poetic phrase or a newly created compound sentence or phrase to refer to a person, object, place, action or idea. The use of imagery and indicative, direct and indirect references to substitute the proper, formal name of the subject is known as kennings. The use of kennings was also prevalent in Old Norse and Germanic poetry.
Example:
Kennings are rare in modern day language. Here are a few examples from Beowulf:

Battle-sweat = blood
Sky-candle = sun
Whale-road = ocean
Light-of-battle = sword

Would like to use kennings, but work must also be written in Portuguese, a bane or a blessing?

Negative Capability
Definition:
The use of negative capability in literature is a concept promoted by poet John Keats, who was of the opinion that literary achievers, especially poets, should be able to come to terms with the fact that some matters might have to be left unsolved and uncertain. Keats was of the opinion that some certainties were best left open to imagination and that the element of doubt and ambiguity added romanticism and specialty to a concept.
Example:
The best references of the use of negative capability in literature would be of Keats’ own works, especially poems such as Ode on a Grecian Urn and Ode to a Nightingale.

Onomatopoeia
Definition:
The term ‘onomatopoeia’ refers to words whose very sound is very close to the sound they are meant to depict. In other words, it refers to sound words whose pronunciation to the actual sound they represent.
Example:
Words such as grunt, huff, buzz and snap are words whose

pronunciation sounds very similar to the actual sounds these words represent. In literature such words are useful in creating a stronger mental image. For instance, sentences such as “the whispering of the forest trees” or “the hum of a thousand bees” or “the click of the door in the nighttime” create vivid mental images.

Will definitely need to use this. Too many stones and stairs... therefore, grunt, huff, puff, are appropriate. Now for the sound of sunburn or sweat...

Polysyndeton
Definition:
Polysyndeton refers to the process of using conjunctions or connecting words frequently in a sentence, placed very close to one another. Opposed to the usual norm of using them sparsely, only where they are technically needed. The use of polysyndetons is primarily for adding dramatic effect as they have a strong rhetorical presence.
Example:
For example:

a) Saying “here and there and everywhere”, instead of simply saying “here, there and everywhere”.

b) “Marge and Susan and Anne and Daisy and Barry all planned to go for a picnic”, instead of “Marge, Susan, Anne, Daisy and Barry…” emphasizes each of the individuals and calls attention to every person one by one instead of assembling them as a group.

Prologue
Definition:
A prologue can be understood to be a sort of introduction to a story that usually sets the tone for the story and acts as a bit of a backgrounder or a “sneak peek” into the story. Prologues are typically a narrative ‘spoken’ by one of the characters and not from the part of the author.
Example:
1. "The origin of this story is..."

2. “It all began one day when…”

May use this as a couple stories fall out of the real-time timeline.

Spoonerism
Definition:
Spoonerism refers to the practice of interchanging the first letters of some words in order to create new words or even to create nonsensical words in order to create a humorous setting. While they are often unintentional and known as a “slip of the tongue”, in literature they are welcomed as witty wordplay.
Example:
The phrase “flesh and blood” being spoken as a character as “blesh and flood” in urgency and heightened emotion.

Stream of consciousness
Definition:
The phrase ‘stream of consciousness’ refers to an uninterrupted and unhindered collection and occurrence of thoughts and ideas in the conscious mind. In literature, the phrase refers to the flow of these thoughts, with reference to a particular character’s thinking process. This literary device is usually used in order to provide a narrative in the form of the character’s thoughts instead of using dialogue or description.
Example:
All writings by Virginia Woolff are a good example of literary stream of consciousness.

"Life is not a series of gig lamps symmetrically arranged; life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end." The Common Reader (1925)

Suspense
Definition:
Suspense is the intense feeling that an audience goes through while waiting for the outcome of certain events. It basically leaves the reader holding their breath and wanting more information. The amount of intensity in a suspenseful moment is why it is hard to put a book down. Without suspense, a reader would lose interest quickly in any story because there is nothing that is making the reader ask, “What’s going to happen next?” In writing, there has to be a series of events that leads to a climax that captivates the audience and makes them tense and anxious to know what is going to happen.
Example:
A cliffhanger is a great way to create suspense. You remember when you were a kid and very excited to watch those Saturday morning shows. You can probably recall the feeling you had at the pit of your stomach when, after about 25 minutes and lots of commercials, you were hoping to find out what happened to your favorite character. However, you didn’t get to find out. Instead they would make the “Tune In Next Week” announcement and you already knew that you would be there. Same time, same place. Suspense is a powerful literary tool because, if done correctly, you know your audience will be back for more and more.

Synesthesia
Definition:
While the term synesthesia literally refers to a medical condition wherein one or many of the sensory modalities become joined to one another, in literature it refers to the depiction of a strong connection, link or bond between the different senses. Characters in literature are sometimes described to be experiences synesthesia. Synesthesia is the conflation of the senses.
Example:
The Sound of Blue by Hollu Payne which portrays synesthesia with respect to the Romantic ideal.

Theme
Definition:
The theme of any literary work is the base that acts as a foundation for the entire literary piece. The theme links all aspects of the literary work with one another and is basically the main subject. The theme can be an enduring pattern or motif throughout the literary work, occurring in a complex, long winding manner or it can be short and succinct and provide a certain insight into the story.
Example:
The main theme in the play Romeo and Juliet was love with smaller themes of sacrifice, tragedy, struggle, hardship, devotion and so on.