Dialectical Journal - The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde - Assignment Example

Dialectical Journal Text from Book Analysis Gwendolen: ….quite, quite… Pg. 30 Device: Repetition ‘Quite Blue’ would have served to express the color that characterizes Jack’s eyes, but Gwendolen repeats quite to project how different and outstanding they are. The aspect stresses the intensity of the blue color.2. Lady Bracknell:….either everything…Pg. 32Device: AlliterationThe sequence of the words either and everything would seem much of a coincidence in Lady Bracknell’s sentiment.

However, they inject a poetic sense in her speech, and makes it superfluous.3. Jack:In a hand bag.Pgs. 36 and 37.Device: ParadoxAt the mention of the paradox, the reader, just like Lady Bracknell, develops interest in the contrast that the statement bears. That is because it is unlikely for a human to fit in a casual hand bag. However, the point is clarified when Jack elaborates that the handbag is larger than usual.4. Jack:…a Gorgon….Pg. 39Device: ImageryJack used a Gorgon as the descriptive term for Lady Bracknell, which implies that from their interaction, he learnt that she has some inhumane features.5. Algernon:That is their tragedy……That’s hisPg.

40Device: ParadoxIt would be possible to make the assumption that if it is tragic for women to become like their mothers, then the opposite is true, and anybody who is not like the mother would be safe. However, Algernon alludes that not bearing a mother’s likeness is also tragic. However, this is true if related to the Oedipus Complex.6. Cecilly:….German and gelogy……things of that kind influence……Pg. 57Device: AmplificationWilde intended to show the kind of attributes that would influence a man.

After noting that Miss Prism bears such attributes, he went ahead to amplify how such attributes would factor into influencing Jack’s brother. The amplification makes the attributes vivid, and exemplifies Miss Prism’s knowledge.7. Cecily:They depress me so much Pg. 58Device: SatireWilde used these ironical and sharply contradicting statements to criticize writings that end happily, as they supposedly are predictable, and do hence to make the readers happy. The device also injected humor into the statement.8. Jack:That gets rid of him.Pg. 43 Device: ForeshadowingWilde used the words to intentionally expose Jack’s intent of lying about the death of his brother.

This element of foreshadowing inspires the reader to imagine the events that would unfold when Jack tells the lie.9. Jack:see Miss Fairfax out Pg. 49Device: MetonymyThe words are used to make reference to the action of escorting, or accompanying. In this sense, jack projects his intent to accompany Miss Fairfax to a destination, out of the house. Taken literarily, Jack’s statement may also imply an intention of observing Miss Fairfax when she is out of the house. The metonymy has been used to inspire the readers imagination beyond the contexts of the actions of the characters.10. Chasuble:….

so neologistic a phrase. Pg. 68Device: EuphuismChasuble preferred to elaborate the practices in the Primitive Church, in an exemplified manner. As such, his statement stands out amongst the several made by other people. Considering that Chasuble is a doctor, the words were chosen by Wilde to project his social status and level of education.11. Algernon:….so long as…Pg. 82Device: AnagramWilde restructured Algernon’s phrase from ‘as long as’ to ‘so long as’ to create an element of humor.

It is the reminder that Jack’s mourning which has been taken seriously even by Algernon, is false.12. Algernon:personification of absolute perfection Pg. 85Device: HyperboleAlgernon intended to tell Cecily that is perfectly beautiful, but the author exaggerated the words to make them sound more serious, and inspire an emotional connection and reaction amongst the readers.13. Algernon:wildly, passionately…..hopelessly.Pg. 86Device: AsyndetonAlgernon’s intent was to exhibit romance and prove to Cecily how much he loves her.

Usually, romance is associated with poetry. Wilde excluded conjunctions from Algernon’s statement to make it more romantic.14. Algernon:next week….same hour Pgs. 86 and 87Device: Plot twist.Initially, the readers had been convinced on Algernon’s eminent departure, and even the dog-cart had been summoned as his transport. However, the statement that he makes when Merriman informs him of his awaiting transport creates a twist, and ends the expectations that threatened to shorten his romantic encounter with Cecily.15. Cecily:after a….

struggle….I accepted you….. The next day, I bought this little ring Pg. 88Device: HypodiegesisThis also signifies a story within a story. In this instance, Wilde creatively invented Cecily’s story to eliminate the element of monotony in his main text.16. Algernon_Angel_Pg. 90Device: ImageryAngel is often the term used to signify love, perfection, humility and the ability to do marvelous deeds. When Algernon refers to Cecily as an angel, he intends to project how much he is impressed by her attributes that are reflected in her story and diary.17. Cecily:_learned man…..never written_.Pg. 92Device: SatireThe author used humor and irony to question Dr.

Wilde’s intelligence, but making the readers wonder why such a learned man would not write a book. The satire is projected when Cecily makes the humorous projection that writing makes people less intelligent by taking away their knowledge.18. Cecily:…I like his hair so much.Pg. 93Device: SoliloquyCecily had already explained that she loves Algernon in the story that she told him. However, this statement, in which she is supposedly talking to herself, is an address to the readers and a highlight into the particular details that make her love Algernon even more.19. …so shallow..Pg.

19Device: AlliterationWilde used the words to depict how inept it is not to love meals with little intent for poetry. However, the words made the speech broke the monotonous way of address already established in the speeches. 20. _cucumber_Pg. 21Device: CacophonyThe device has been applied unintentionally, but the harsh consonants interrupt the flow of speech and as such inject elements of poetry into the plot. Wilder would have used more of such words to break monotonous flow of the speeches.21. …curiously…Pg.

25Device: Imagery.The device has been applied to imaginatively describe the Mr. Burnbury’s deteriorated health. Wilde used the words to highlight the intensity of the deteriorated health, and elaborate that it has brought forth so much difference that one would be interested in seeing.22. beastly competition’Pg. 17Device: Imagery.The literary tool has been used to describe the intensity of the competition. Competition could be intense, but by referring to it as beastly, Wilde intended to highly how terrible and unfavorable it was.23. ‘……how happy……made me..Pg.

26Device: AlliterationWas applied unintentionally to describe the character’s joy, but the literary tool make the plot poetic and rhetorical.24. ‘loathe listening’Pg. 45Device: AlliterationThere are other words that could have been used to signify the hate, however, the author chose to pair the two words for a poetic feeling and the make the speaker interesting. 25. ‘_rarely pure_never simple.Pg. Device: EuphuismThe rich language has been used to describe the complexities of the elements of truth, and how hard they are to explain.

They make the speaker interested in comprehending the attributes that are accorded to truth. Cited WorkWilde, Oscar. The Importance of Being Earnest. New York: Dover Publications, 1990.