Juxtaposition: AP Literature and Composition

  

       Juxtaposition is the technique of  using contrasting concepts and words in order to help highlight important themes and differences between two ideas in the work.

      In East of Eden by John Steinbeck, juxtaposition is used in order to create contrast between the two brothers, Cal and Aron. From the beginning of the book, all the characters in the story are intentionally described in order to be perceived as good or evil. In the text Cal is described through the quote, "Cal was growing up dark-skinned, dark-haired. He was quick and sure and secret. Adults were impressed with what seemed to them a precocious maturity, and they were a little frightened at it too. No one liked Cal very much and yet everyone was touched with fear of him and through fear with respect"(36) and Aron is described in, "Aron drew love from every side. He seemed shy and delicate. His pink-and-white skin, golden hair, and wide-set blue eyes caught attention"(36.) Since Cal is supposed to be dark, cold, and more like his mother, Cathy as well asCain from the bible. On the other hand, Aron is described with light features and he is good- hearted like his father, Adam, as well as Abel from the bible. Through these differing descriptions of Cal and Aron, we are able to see that Steinbeck wanted to create a great contrast between the two to both connect between their parents, biblical references, and to add to the theme of good versus evil.

      In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, juxtaposition is used to describe the valley of ashes which is between West Egg and New York. In the quote, “This is a valley of ashes – a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of ash-grey men, who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air. Occasionally a line of grey cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak, and comes to rest, and immediately the ash-grey men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations from your sight,”( 26) the author used juxtaposition in his choices of diction in order to contrast how bleak the town is from West Egg and New York. He uses words such as valley, fantastic farm, and gardens, which are normally positive and contrasts them with words like ashes, ash-grey, dimly, and crumbling. When readers look at the positive diction, we think of agriculture, green, freshness, and life but when we look at the dull words we think of bleakness and death. The juxtaposition between these words is used to highlight the poverty in the valley of ashes and how everyone in West Egg and New York are basically oblivious to the fact that the inhabitants are suffering compared to their lavish lives. 

Ha!