Fragmentation in Literature:
Here's an example of a passage exhibiting fragmentation, taken from Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises":
> "You're an expatriate. You've lost touch with your roots."
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> "I never had any roots."
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> "That's the trouble with you people. You never had any roots."
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> "You have a root. Your root is the American dollar."
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> "What a rotten thing to say."
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> "It's not rotten. It's just a fact."
Why is this passage fragmented?
* Short, choppy sentences: The sentences are abrupt and incomplete, creating a sense of disjointedness.
* Lack of connecting words: The passage lacks conjunctions and transitional phrases, making the flow jerky and abrupt.
* Focus on individual words: The emphasis is on the impact of individual words, rather than on a smooth, cohesive flow of thought.
* Emotional Impact: The fragmented language creates a sense of distance, alienation, and emotional detachment between the characters.
The effect of fragmentation in this passage:
* Reflects character traits: It highlights the emotional disconnect and the fractured worldviews of the characters.
* Creates an unsettling mood: The disjointed language mirrors the fragmented lives of the characters and the broken world they inhabit.
* Forces the reader to pay attention: By breaking down the language, Hemingway forces the reader to engage actively with the text and piece together the meaning themselves.
Important Note: Fragmentation is not always about using incomplete sentences. It can also be achieved through:
* Non-linear narratives: Jumping between timelines and perspectives.
* Abrupt shifts in tone and subject: Creating sudden and disorienting changes in the text.
* Using fragmented images and metaphors: Creating a sense of incompleteness and ambiguity.
By understanding fragmentation, you can better appreciate how writers use it to achieve specific effects and convey complex ideas.