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Literary Devices
Definition of Alliteration
Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “b” sound in: “Bob brought the box of bricks to... read full definition
Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “b” sound in: “Bob brought... read full definition
Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the... read full definition
Book 1, An Assembly
Explanation and Analysis—Nomenclature:
In a satirical description of Soviet bureaucracy, the narrator comments on the endless cycle of meetings that consume officials’ time. The passage uses alliteration to underscore the monotony and pomposity of these gatherings, piling up a string of words featuring the /k/ sound—"committees, caucuses, colloquiums, congresses, and conventions"—that blur into sameness. The effect is mocking: what is presented as serious political deliberation becomes little more than repetitive noise, exposing how major processes stall over trivial matters.\:
In a single week, there might be committees, caucuses, colloquiums, congresses, and conventions, variously coming together to establish codes, set courses of action, levy complaints, and generally clamor about the world’s oldest problems in its newest nomenclature.
Related Themes:
Book 2, 1923, An Actress, an Apparition, an Apiary
Explanation and Analysis—Human Beings:
When Anna surprises the Count by flawlessly preparing Emile’s roasted bass, the evening takes on unexpected depth. Their shared meal leads to an exchange of childhood stories, and in the intimacy of conversation the Count reconsiders his earlier impressions of her. The narration highlights this shift through alliteration, as the Count muses on the unpredictable nature of human beings. The repetition of sound reinforces the idea that character cannot be reduced to a single impression but must be experienced in its full, layered complexity:
Unlock with LitCharts A+By their very nature, human beings are so capricious, so complex, so delightfully contradictory, that they deserve not only our consideration, but our reconsideration—
Related Themes:
