Diacope: This device, when used correctly, aids the author in expressing strong emotion. It is the uninterrupted repetition of a word or phrase. The repetition make be broken with one or two words between each repeated phrase.
An Example from Literature: Edgar Allan Poe's 
To the swinging and the ringing
Of the bells, bells, bells--
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells--
My Try: AnnaBelle Mae ran her dust cloth over the side table and glanced at Netty. Netty stared off in one of her trances again, at least that's how AnnaBelle Mae thought of them. Netty had things on her mind. Heavy, heavy things that AnnaBelle Mae, much as she loved Netty, couldn't clean away like she could the crumbs on the kitchen table. Oh, Netty, thought AnnaBelle Mae, chile, chile, chile. Sweet, lonesome-faced chile. What is it that's caught in those cobwebs of your soul, chile?
Many things bear repeating. I invite you to leave your diacope as a comment.
(This blog post is brought to you as a part of the April A to Z Challenge.)
April 6th - Enallage
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12 comments:
It does have to be used judiciously. In the Bells, I think it imitates the back and forth motion of the ringing bells. In your piece, it I think it works because it mimics the back and forth of a dusting motion as well as the tendency of the mind to sometimes fixate on one idea or word, especially when one is preoccupied with a "mindless" task. So, good on you!
Something I hadn't heard of before Lucy, thanks for teaching me something new.
Yvonne.
Thanks for another intriguing word and explanation, and for the excellent example.
Here's my bash but not sure if I've got it right (mine may merely indicate that the speaker isn't quite all there ...!)
Make some soup, shall we? How 'bout it? Soup? Shall we make some? Make some soup?
Thanks again
All best
Karla
@Li - Great advice.
@Yvonne - You're so welcome.
@Karla - Thank you for being a good sport every day and giving the literary device du jour a shot.
Lucy
Again, not being a writer, I am glad to learn new things and terms. This is so good, so good, so good, I feel oh so good, oops wrong song!
Gregg Metcalf
Colossians 1:28-29
Gospel-driven Disciples
I wasn't familiar with this term. Every day you post; every day I learn.
"What is it that's caught in those cobwebs of your soul, chile?"
I really like that!
Thanks for the visit and comment I appreciate it very much,
Yvonne.
An interesting post - I'd never heard of this term before! Thank you for the description of its meaning.
Ellie Garratt
I hadn't heard this term before! But my editor would never let me get away with much repetition at all.
My attempt:
Anna Marie stood looking in the mirror, a scowl on her face. The stupid pearls, pearls, pearls. She hated the pearls. They were so "grandma". She wanted bling and sequins, but Mama wouldn't allow such nonsense at the Country Club.
what a fun flow, referring to "the bells",
thoughtful D word...smiles.
Very interesting, something new too, thanks
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