Examples Of Diction In Wuthering Heights

The Struggle of Debt Debt can give people feelings of despair and helplessness while they struggle to resolve it for the sake of themselves and their loved ones. The issue of debt plays a role in many people’s lives and also influences their choices. It can also be reflected in a form of work they have done, as is the case with Emily Bronte—a writer who lived between the periods of Romanticism and Victorianism—and President Abraham Lincoln, as he writes a letter to his step-brother. Bronte’s style can be characterized as sophisticated formal and flowery, while Lincoln’s style may be described as simple, pithy, and straight-forward. In the novel, Wuthering Heights by Bronte, she targets a literate audience,entertaining them with the

Bronte’s application of formal, polysyllabic, and abstract diction is displayed by the words “lost,” “attachment,” “greedy,” “mistrusting,” “covetousness,” and “reckless.” She uses this diction in order to appeal to her literate audience and accentuate the topic of debt, which is largely abstract. Bronte tends to use diction with negative connotations to display her sensitive feelings about the topic of debt and how serious she believes it to be. The emotions she attaches to these words prove their abstractness, as she continuously emphasizes the seriousness of the topic. In this excerpt, Bronte boasts her understanding of polysyllabic words, as this is common in the period of Romanticism, where the artist is the creator and is respected for both their work and intelligence. Contrary to Bronte, Lincoln uses a conversational, monosyllabic, and concrete diction, as shown by these words: “conduct,” “defect,” “habit,” “idler,” and “difficulty.” Since Lincoln has a close relationship with his brother, he is able to speak comfortably and address him directly; but, it also allows Lincoln to be more straight-forward as he uses monosyllabic words to stress the importance of his brother working to pay off his own debt. Due to the difference in audiences, Bronte tries to impress her readers with her elaborate and ornate language while

The effect debt has on people is reflected in them unconsciously, whether it be their literary works, art, or their choices. This is seen in the novel Wuthering Heights by Romantic author, Emily Bronte. However, an author’s feelings of debt can be stated directly towards their audience, as is the case with President Abraham Lincoln’s letter to his step-brother, John D. Johnston. In Bronte’s novel, she directs her work towards an educated audience as she entertains them with the story of Hindley falling into debt through the use of a satirical and serious tone and formal diction, as well as a long descriptive syntax, to express to her readers how she comprehends the topic of debt and show off her expertise on polysyllabic words. However, in President Abraham Lincoln’s letter to John D. Johnston his purpose differs; Lincoln’s intention is to teach his step-brother the importance of working off his debt while simultaneously refusing to lend him more money. He employs a serious and didactic tone to convey to his views on the issue of debt, along with the usage of conversational diction and syntax that is short and blunt, so he is able to send his clear message to his brother and instantaneously display their familiarity with one another. Through the comparing and contrasting these two writers’ writing styles, the audience is able to see their different impressions