The Format of literary works

Literary Works and Format

Literary works take format as a significant element that influences their acceptability to prospective readers in the target audience. The acceptability, in this situation, is shaped by the simplicity with which to grasp the work, enjoy it and have an experience worth recalling. Writers of literary works have poured a lot of effort into finding the best arrangement of their works to attract the interest of readers as far as they can. - piece of writing appears to have a particular format that ultimately adds to the general message and meaning of any given piece of work. To bring out the true picture of this argument, I will consider the works of Wordsworth, ’I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,’ Henry James, ’Turn of the Screw,’ and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ’The Minister’s Black Veil.’

’Turn of the Screw’ by Henry James

In Turn of the Screw, Henry James effectively makes the readers appreciate the experience they have when reading the work as a result of the novel’s great format. Unique features to consider in this case are the setting, the tone, the writing style, and the manner in which the title and the ending are presented. On the writing style, James adopted a personal, melodramatic and a highly emotional tone that keeps the readers glued to the story. The writing style is highly structured and tightly reined ’in making the reading experience to be worthwhile. The author further works on the masterful creation of the suspense as well as the use of pacing towards the end of the narration. Although the conclusion can result in the judgment of it being flawed as a result of lack of control in the voice of the governor, James was aware of the tactics employed. The central idea of structuring the story in that manner was for it to culminate in a moment characterized by shock and a certain level of frustration.

The Importance of Covers

The covers of the literary works play a major role in determining how the reader will perceive them at first sight. In most of the cases, the whole ideas in books can be compressed on a single cover where the picture is made to be worth a thousand words. In Turn of the Screw, James successfully tightens the dramatic tension on the first page by bringing out a child who is portrayed as being menaced by a terror of a ghostly form (James & Peter 8-13). He then introduces a second ’turn’ through the description of two children subjected to similar horror, thus, stirring the readers’ stress level and keep them more glued. Through this pre-exposure, the one gets prepared to handle the emotions that are associated with the oncoming challenge as the narration continues.

The Plot

The plot of literary work is also an integral part of ensuring that the readers have a great experience. Whenever the plot is poor developed, the readers become disinterested, and the chances of finishing up the reading become minimal. Turn of the Screw is outstanding with all the ingredients that make a good plot being present. For example, the initial situation is well presented at the beginning with a descriptive view of the Governess. The expulsion of the boy Mile’s school marks the beginning of the conflict in the second chapter. The complication part of the plot is brought in the description of the mysterious male figure that appears at the top of the tower. The climax is marked by Miss Jessel appearing at the lake and the suspense characterized with the nighttime wandering and the denouement preceding the conclusion where Quint appeared again, and Mill died. This arrangement and well-planned events create a good experience, and the reader is in a position to grasp the flow of ideas.

Suspense and Curiosity

Suspense can be maintained throughout the literary work as readers try to comprehend the message being delivered. The presentation of ideas and facts in a manner that is totally different from the expectations creates a great experience as the events unfold. This is the situation when considering the work of Nathaniel in his short story, ’The Minister’s Black Veil.’ The experience, in this case, triggers a high level of suspense and curiosity as it remains hidden, what the black veil represents. Readers start formulating answers in an attempt to fill in the question, with some holding the idea that it is a representation of a secret sin. To other readers, it is a representation of the incongruity that exists between religious leaders and their followers. Besides, the format of the narration employs an irony in the description of the town’s holy men (Hawthorne 12). It is worth appreciating Nathaniel’s work for bringing out the true picture of the God’s messengers who have a superficial grasp of what Christianity entails. This is the reality when considering most of the preaching being done in the contemporary society, and thus, the literary work is worth appreciation. The plot in The Minister’s Black Veil has the integral parts of what constitutes of the best ingredients. The author, therefore, ensures that readers have a great experience with the veil’s ambiguity being left as a coded message to unlock.

The Importance of Format in Poetry

The importance of format in literary works is of utmost importance when considering their acceptance to the readers. Rhyme is one of the primary factors that makes the poems to be outstanding although recent literary journals have been against the rhyming poetry. Some of the modern readers have a low opinion on the rhyme, deeming it as outdated, contrived and naive. However, the encounters with metered and rhyming poetry create a great experience that is so musical. Non-rhyming poetry, on the other hand, tends to create a boring experience especially when the paragraphs are long. In the poem, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, Wordsworth used a simple rhyme scheme of ABABCC in the literary work consisting of four stanzas with a total of six lines each (Wordsworth 1). The format adopted by the poet, in this case, creates a good experience with every stanza being self-sufficient and independent. One feels like rereading the poem over again which assumes the format of the Shakespeare’s sonnet. The delicate and the light sound used by the poet creates a dancing environment which climaxes in the last two lines with a rhymed couplets. Therefore, a poem that has ebb and flow, meter and rhythm make the reader have a great time going through the lines and makes the work to be worth appreciating.

Conclusion

Through the analysis of the novel, the poem, and the short story, it has come it is clear that the format of any given literary work dictates the level of acceptance in the targeted population. Although the format of these three pieces may differ, the central idea is keeping the readers glued to the very end which is an automatic indicator of a good experience. For a good format, creativity plays a significant role, and it is the unique presentation of ideas that make the readers appreciate the great works. It is, therefore, paramount to lay a great emphasis on an outstanding format whenever authors or poets want to come up with a masterpiece that will guarantee a wide readability and fame.

Works Cited