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Juxtaposition
Jux
Juxttaposition and Antithesis
DEFINITION Antithesis is also a specific type of juxtaposition. Antithesis is a
What is juxtaposition? Here’s a quick and simple definition: narrower term than juxtaposition in two key ways:

• Antithesis inv
involv
olves
es opposit
opposites:
es: The things that are contrasted in
Juxtaposition occurs when an author places two things side antithesis are always pretty strong and clear opposites.
by side as a way of highlighting their differences. Ideas, Juxtaposition can involve such oppositional things, but also can
images, characters, and actions are all things that can be involve the contrast of more complicated things, like two
juxtaposed with one another. For example, it's a common characters or themes.
plot device in fairy tales such as Cinderella to juxtapose the
good-natured main character with a cruel step-sibling. The • Antithesis inv
involv
olves
es a specific gr
gramma
ammatic
tical
al sstruc
tructur
ture:
e: Antithesis
differences between the characters, as well as their close is a figure of speech that involves a very specific parallel sentence
relation to one another, serve to highlight the main structure. Juxtaposition is a literary device that simply refers to a
character's good qualities. contrast set up between two things in some way, but it does not
necessarily have to involve a defined grammatical structure.
Some additional key details about juxtaposition:
An example of antithesis is Neal Armstrong's first words when he
• The verb form of juxtaposition is juxtapose, as in "the author reached on the surface of the moon:
juxtaposed the protagonist's dirty, ragged clothes with the
spotless interior of the wealthy villain's mansion." "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for
• The word juxtaposition comes from the Latin juxta meaning "next" mankind."
and the French poser meaning "to place." This combination
suggests juxtaposition's meaning: "to place next to." This is a clear pairing of opposites, expressed in a parallel
grammatical structure. In contrast, now imagine a description of Neal
Armstrong's figure foregrounded against the night sky:
Jux
Juxttaposition Pr
Pronuncia
onunciation
tion
Here's how to pronounce juxtaposition: juck-stuh-puh-zish
zish-uhn The tiny figure of Armstrong in his pristine white suit stood
out against the expansive darkness of the universe beyond
Jux
Juxttaposition and R
Rela
elatted T
Terms
erms him.

Because juxtaposition is such a broad concept, covering the contrast This description involves juxtaposition rather than antithesis, for two
created between all sorts of different things when placed in close reasons: it does not contain parallel grammatical structure, and the
proximity, there are a number of terms that overlap with it or fall comparison goes beyond opposition. The white of the suit contrasts
under its broader umbrella. Three of the most common of these with the darkness of space in a clear contrast of opposites, but the
terms are foil, antithesis, and oxymoron. sentence also contains a comparison between Armstrong's small size
and the overwhelming magnitude of the universe, between the
Jux
Juxttaposition and FFoils
oils human and the non-human, even between the temporary and the
A foil is one specific form of juxtaposition having to do with contrasts eternal. These effects, which amount to a feeling of awe and
between characters. When a writer creates two characters that loneliness, come from the choice to place Armstrong and the universe
possess opposite characteristics, it's often with the intention of next to one another—it comes from their juxtaposition.
highlighting some specific about one or both of the characters by
juxtaposing their qualities. Such characters are foils of one another. Jux
Juxttaposition and O
Oxymor
xymoron
on
The tortoise and the hare, from the famous folk tale, are examples of An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms or
foils. ideas are paired together in order to reveal a deeper truth. Put
"Juxtaposition" describes the writer's action of placing these two another way, an oxymoron uses the juxtaposition of its two words to
characters next to one another for the purposes of comparing them, imply something deeper than either word individually could convey.
while foil is a word that describes the characters themselves (the hare For instance, it's an oxymoron when, in Romeo and Juliet, Juliet says
is a foil to the tortoise, and vice-versa). that "parting is such sweet sorrow." The juxtaposition of these two
words, "sweet sorrow," captures the complexity of love and passion,
that it is capable of inspiring both pain and joy at the same time.

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Along the roads, laurels, viburnum and alder, great ferns and
EX
EXAMPLES
AMPLES wildflowers delighted the traveler's eye through much of the
year
Jux
Juxttaposition in Lit
Liter
eraatur
turee Soon, though, a blight descends, and spring, which normally brings
Juxtaposition is a basic tool of storytelling, as writers choose how to with it new life, is instead filled with eerie silence:
place their characters, settings, arguments, and images in relation to
one another to achieve their aims. In this section you'll find examples The roadsides, once so attractive, were now lined with
of juxtaposition from fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and drama. browned and withered vegetation as though swept by fire.

Jux
Juxttaposition in Mar
Maryy Shelle y'ss Frank
Shelley' ankens
ensttein The juxtaposition of the natural, wholesome beauty of the present
with the devastation of environmental collapse is meant as a warning
In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley creates a few jarring juxtapositions that
for Carson's readers. The title itself, Silent Spring, is a condensed
serve to accentuate the monstrosity as well as the humanity of the
version of this juxtaposition, since it's meant to signify the vanishing
Creature that Victor Frankenstein brings to life. The Creature learns to
of songbirds.
speak in part by reading Milton's Paradise Lost, and so his language is
ornate and elevated, full of thee's, thy's, and thou's. The juxtaposition
of this elegant, formal speech with the Creature's ugly, deformed Jux
Juxttaposition in Shak
Shakespe
espear e'ss Henr
are' Henryy IV P
Part
art 1
features and terrible strength creates an uncanny, terrifying effect In Shakespeare's history play Henry IV Part 1, a monologue of Prince
that, at the same time, increases the reader's understanding of the Henry's reveals that Henry himself is thinking in terms of
Creature's tragedy, since we see his clear intelligence. juxtaposition. In the speech, he outlines how his current reputation as
Over the course of the novel, Shelley also juxtaposes the actions of a reckless youth will make his eventual "reformation" into a
the Creature, who eventually responds to the world's scorn with a responsible king look even better: he imagines his changed behavior
violent urge for revenge, with those of Victor Frankenstein, whose as shining "like bright metal on a sullen ground."
arrogant recklessness created the Creature in the first place and
... nothing pleaseth but rare accidents.
whose lack of mercy or empathy condemned the Creature to lonely
So, when this loose behavior I throw off
isolation. This juxtaposition begs the question: who is the real
And pay the debt I never promised,
monster?
By how much better than my word I am,
By so much shall I falsify men's hopes;
Jux
Juxttaposition in T
T.S.
.S. Elio
Eliot'
t'ss "The W
Was
astte Land" And like bright metal on a sullen ground,
One of T.S. Eliot's most well-known poems, "The Waste Land," is a My reformation, glittering o'er my fault,
patchwork of different allusions and striking imagery, as Eliot uses Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes
juxtaposition to knit together a dizzying range of sources and ideas. Than that which hath no foil to set it off.
Eliot juxtaposes April, a springtime month, with winter, and uses irony
to reverse the reader's expectation for this comparison (calling April
Jux
Juxttaposition in Film
cruel and winter warm). There is also a second juxtaposition in the
image of blooming lilacs in the "dead land," two contrasting images In film, juxtaposition can come not just from contrasts and
that bring out one another's features. comparisons created between characters and dialogue, but also from
editing together different images, so that the cut from one image to
April is the cruellest month, breeding another tells a story.
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring Jux
Juxttaposition in S
Sttephen Spielber g'ss Jaws (1975)
Spielberg'
Dull roots with spring rain. In Stephen Spielberg's iconic thriller, Jaws, the director uses
Winter kept us warm , covering juxtaposition to heighten the film's suspense as the massive great
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding white shark stalks its unsuspecting prey. In quick succession,
A little life with dried tubers. Spielberg cuts from lighthearted beach scenes (children playing on
the beach, surfers paddling out to sea, and lifeguards relaxing) to
Jux
Juxttaposition in R
Rachel
achel Car son'ss Silent Spring
Carson' underwater shots with suspenseful music, hinting at the presence of
In Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, one of the foundational works of the the shark. The viewer is unsure who will be the shark's target, but this
modern environmental movement, juxtaposition plays an important juxtaposition between the cheerful world above the water and the
role in Carson's framing of her argument. The first chapter of the frightening creature underneath it creates a sense of fear and
book, "A Fable for Tomorrow" presents a beautiful small town "in the anticipation of what's to come.
heart of America," at first stressing its natural abundance:

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Jux
Juxttaposition in Pho
Phottogr
ography
aphy
When a photographer composes an image, selecting what elements
WHY WRITER
WRITERSSU
USE
SE IT
to include in their pictures, he or she might consider how different Juxtaposition is an important technique for any writer, and can serve
elements in the image will relate to one another when they are a variety of purposes:
juxtaposed. This relation is part of what allows a photographer to tell
a story with just a single image. • To draw a comparison between two ideas.
• To create contrast, highlighting the difference between two
Jux
Juxttaposition in Mar
Marcc Riboud'
Riboud'ss "The Flo
Flowwer and the Bay
Bayone
onet"
t" elements.
(1967) • To create an absurd or surprising effect (i.e., by inserting an
In this famous photograph from the era of the Vietnam War, French element into a setting where it seems wildly out of place).
photographer Marc Riboud captured an image whose power comes • To make one element stand out (i.e., by painting a white dove on
from a striking juxtaposition. A young protester, Jan Rose Kasmir, who a red background).
was 17 at the time, holds a single flower up to the line of bayonet-
• To bring differing perspectives together in one story.
bearing soldiers who are attempting to control the anti-war
demonstration. The juxtaposition of this fragile symbol of peace and • To suggest a link between two seemingly unrelated things or
innocence with the heavily armored soldiers (who represented the images.
war effort) became an important image in the Vietnam protest
movement.
OTHER RESOURCES
Jux
Juxttaposition in Song • Merriam Webs
Webstter definition
definition:: This dictionary definition is a to-the-
Many songwriters also make use of juxtaposition as they present point description with simple examples.
images in their songs and, as in the case below, the technique can • Hollyw
Hollywoodood LLeexic
xicon
on:: This entry provides more explanation of the
also be used to suggest conflict. role of juxtaposition in filmmaking.
• Up
Upttown Girl video
video:: The original video for Billy Joel's Uptown Girl.
Jux
Juxttaposition in Billy Joel'
Joel'ss "Up
"Upttown Girl"
• Los
ostt jux
juxttaposition ffeever
er:: This page, created by fans of the TV
This catchy classic by Billy Joel deals with the timeless theme of
series Lost, tracks the many instances of juxtaposition in the
romance across class lines. In this case, Joel is the "downtown man"
show's structure.
who is pursuing an "uptown girl," and the juxtaposition of their two
worlds (the "backstreets" and the "white bread world") helps
encapsulate their different backgrounds.
HO
HOWWT
TO
O CITE
Uptown girl
She's been living in her uptown world ML
MLAA
I bet she's never had a backstreet guy Lorenz, Ben. "Juxtaposition." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 5 May 2017.
I bet her momma never told her why Web. 31 Aug 2017.
I'm gonna try for an uptown girl
She's been living in her white bread world Chic
Chicag
ago
o Manual
As long as anyone with hot blood can
Lorenz, Ben. "Juxtaposition." LitCharts LLC, May 5, 2017. Retrieved
And now she's looking for a downtown man
August 31, 2017. http://www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-
That's what I am
terms/juxtaposition.

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