Cohesion

Wed, Nov 29

“... when we talk about flow we’re talking about the variation of sentence structure and lengths; about the ‘sequence of syntax’ and its effects on the reader’s emotional response; about the rhythmic mimesis and the way it contributes to those effects; and about the rhythmic relation of the works’ parts to the whole. Thus, if we want to fiction that flows, we need to explore the syntax of our prose on all levels, from the micro level of the sentence to the macro level of the complete work.”

–David Jauss, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Flow”

Elements of Cohesion

• Repetition and variation
• Conjunction versus disjunction (and, or, but)
• Questions and summary statements
• Moving in space, time, or method: where, when, and how

Goals

• Understand the elements of cohesion and flow
• Identify and use parallelism and contrast