Short Syntax Essay
Analyze variation in expected syntax
Solo. 40 points. One revision.
Syntax is the general word for sentence construction. When considering syntax, we generally accept that the egg
came first—that is, the purpose of the sentence exists first, fully formed in the mind of the writer. Then the sentence is
composed to deliver that purpose. For this work, add a new step: imagine that the chicken was actually free to walk
around on the page a bit before being redesigned by the writer. The sentence was completed, then—even though the
sentence did the job just fine—the writer revised it with syntax in mind to accomplish something beyond just meaning.
In the early grades syntax was not offered to you as a writing tool. It was only important when your sentence
was wrong. For a younger writer, syntax existed only to make sure that the sentence didn’t violate any of the basic rules
of sentence composition: it isn’t a fragment or a run-on, it is mechanically and grammatically sound. If the sentence
delivered its message without error, it was fine. No more. Now it is acceptable, even admired, to use variation in
expected syntax to add power to a sentence while still delivering its meaning. In some cases smart syntax is actually
mechanically incorrect; good writers often stretch the elementary rules of sentence construction.
Can a clever student argue that sentence errors are actually clever syntax? Go ahead. Make my day.
When seeking examples of variation in expected syntax, look at sentence length. Writing without attention to
syntax tends to generate random sentence lengths. A writer who makes use of syntax tends to produce patterns of
sentence length that are easy to identify. Very long or very short sentences have an effect on the reader beyond the
content of the ideas. Contrast is the obvious next step—placing very long or very short sentences next to each other
heightens the effect.
Interesting syntax can’t be an accident. As you search for a target sentence, make sure to rule out sentences
which are complex because they present a complex idea, or are brief because they convey a simple idea. When writers
use syntax for a clear purpose, it tends to be obvious, even flashy, because the writer doesn’t want readers to think it
was an accident or, worse, an error.
Find and analyze an example of interesting syntax in Fahrenheit-451.
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Identify a single sentence that shows signs of being intentionally shaped to create an effect beyond its words.
Capture the sentence, and all necessary surrounding sentences, in a single carefully transcribed quote. Get it right.
Place this section quote at the top of a document. It will probably be an unusually long quote.
Work only with the text that you provide. You may not cite any other text. Keep your analysis local.
Closely consider the sentence in relation to its surroundings, its purpose, its meaning, and what it portrays.
Form a theory of what the writer hoped to accomplish by shifting syntax away from a simple standard.
Present your thesis briefly, clearly. Write as much as you need to make your case. Brief but compelling is a good goal…
But…because syntax affects readers on a more basic level than meaning, you must be inventive to describe effect.
Your evidence—the sentence and surrounding text—is included in your piece, so you need not cite it further…
But…when possible, you should describe the features of the syntax choices that create the effect you discuss.
Focus your analysis on one feature of the syntax, and propose a single purpose—avoid the shotgun technique.
Identify variation in expected syntax, but avoid arguing the negative. Avoid using absence as proof.
Repetition is a key feature of unusual syntax. Watch also for typographical shifts and unusual punctuation.
To get at the author’s purpose, remember that the reader narrates the book in his mind as he reads.
You will not be provided with a sample of this product; there are too few typical variations available.
Formats are not important; variation in formats will not be penalized. Here is what I suggest:
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½” margins
▪ No title or headline.
▪ Indented paragraph format; no extra line space.
Name and other information on the front of the document as usual.