Roopa Banerjee

“Had ye been there — for what could that have done?” wrote poet John Milton in Lycidas. The sentence is interrupted midway and goes on to express an entirely different thought. This is anacoluthon — a literary device that intentionally disrupts the structure and syntax of a sentence, resulting in a unique and impactful effect. This interruption midway causes an unexpected discontinuity in the expression of ideas within a sentence, prompting the reader to think more intensely.

Anacoluthon originates from the Greek words aná (meaning ‘not’) and kolouthós (‘following’). It refers to deviation from the expected grammatical structure within a sentence, where one part doesn’t logically follow another.

This is a powerful literary device that challenges readers’ expectations and injects energy and intrigue into a narrative. Authors use it to evoke emotions, emphasise ideas, and convey the chaotic nature of characters or events. Anacoluthon disrupts the flow of language, demanding attention and offers a fresh perspective to the narrative.

One of the earliest examples of anaculothon is in Ulysses by James Joyce where it creates a sense of disorientation and stream-of-consciousness. In the chapter ‘Oxen of the Sun’, Joyce uses anacoluthon to show the disjointed thoughts of various characters. The abrupt shifts in language mirror the cacophony of voices, capturing the chaos of the scene.

In Beloved by Toni Morrison, it is used to convey the haunting and traumatic experiences of the characters. Through fragmented narrative structures, Morrison recounts the fragmented memories and psychological scars of the characters.

Anacoluthon is also often used in pop culture. In the Hollywood movie Pulp Fiction directed by Quentin Tarantino, anacoluthon is used in several dialogues and monologues, deliberately disrupting the flow of conversation. These disruptions add depth to the characters’ interactions, intensify the tension, and contribute to the film’s distinctive style.

Literature abounds with many examples of this unusual literary device. For example in Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, these lines illustrate anacoluthon beautifully. “The bells of the city were ringing. I wasn’t asleep. I looked at my watch. It was way after breakfast time. The bells quit ringing. I never heard such lovely bells in all my life.” Herein, Vonnegut uses anacoluthon to portray the broken thoughts and confused perception of time experienced by the protagonist. The shift in tense and subject creates a sense of confusion and disconnection, echoing the hero’s experiences of war and trauma.

In Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, the lines “You’re inches away from death every time you go on a mission. How much older can you be at your age?” are anacoluthic in the second sentence. The sentence starts with a question about age and ends with a comment on the dangers of missions, creating a disruptive effect that highlights the absurdity and futility of war.

Anacoluthon is not limited to literary works; it manifests in everyday conversation. Someone could say, “I was thinking of going to the gym today, but then, you know, the weather is so nice, maybe I’ll go for a hike instead.” The shift in thought and lack of a clear connection between the two options exemplify anacoluthon in daily conversation.

Anacoluthon, with its intentional disruptions to the grammatical structure, adds a compelling layer of complexity to fiction writing. Writers use it to challenge traditional storytelling conventions and engage readers and viewers in new and captivating ways.

Exercise
Here are five books that use anacoluthon. Name the authors of these books.?
1. The Sound and the Fury
2. On the Road
3. One Hundred Years of Solitude
4. A Clockwork Orange
5. The Catcher in the Rye

Authors:
1. William Faulkner
2. Jack Kerouac
3. Gabriel Garcia Marquez
4.. Anthony Burgess
5. .D. Salinger