Today we're looking at a literary device that you're probably using in everyday speech, even if you didn't know the name of it. Let's define synecdoche, look at some examples, and talk about how you can use it in your writing.
What is Synecdoche?
Definition of Synecdoche: It's a figure of speech that uses a part of something to refer to the whole of that something.
For example, the term “getting eyeballs” is a synecdoche from the advertising world meaning they want to draw the attention of potential customers.
Obviously the jeans brand Wrangler isn't trying to remove and collect your eyeballs when they show a commercial with a country music star in their jeans. They are just trying to get you to pay attention. The term “eyeballs” as a reference to the viewer is an example of synecdoche.
Synecdoche Examples
Literature abounds with examples of synecdoche. In John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men, for example, the character Slim calls the people working the farm “hands.” Steinbeck chooses “hands” to refer to the workers. Why? Some might argue it shows the way entire people are reduced to the work they are able to perform.
It's become a part of everyday language though in many regions to call someone who works hard a “good hand” or to ask someone to “lend a hand.” These are all variations on this same example of synecdoche. The “hand” refers to the body doing the helping.
In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, when his mother cries out at his accusations, she says, “O, speak to me no more; / These words, like daggers, enter in mine ears.” While it's true that his words are entering her ears and hearing, the word “ears” here is also referring to her body, mind, and conscience.
Shakespeare uses “ears” as synecdoche and metaphor throughout Hamlet to emphasize the crime committed against the king (who was poisoned in his ear) and the “poisoning” of Denmark by the murderer and new king Claudius.
Examples of Another Type of Synecdoche
Synecdoche also refers to the reverse, when you use a whole to refer to a part of the whole. This happens a lot when referring to sports teams and the names of cities. For example, if I said Denver schooled Oakland in Monday night's game, I'm referring to the team.
Obviously, the entire city of Denver did not decide to migrate en masse to Oakland and play a massive city vs. city game of football (although there might be something in that idea). When someone says, “Denver won Monday's game,” they mean specifically the Denver Broncos.
How to Use Synecdoche in Your Writing
You can use synecdoche to characterize your cast. After all, Captain Hook probably didn't go by that moniker while he still had both hands. An older character with a beard could be referred to as “gray beard.” A teacher herding children visiting a planetarium might be “counting heads.”
You can use it to emphasize what's important. Maybe you have a romance set in England and a character asks, “Are you dating Buckingham Palace?” The palace refers to the royal person in question—a part of the whole.
Synecdoche can be a way to heighten voice, to emphasize certain characteristics, or show what's valuable or on theme. I hope you find ways to use it in your writing today!
Have you ever heard of synecdoche before? What is your favorite example of synecdoche? Share in the comments.
PRACTICE
Pick a sports team, any sports team. Could be professional, or it could be your eight-year-old nephew's pee wee football team. Write about a major win or loss for fifteen minutes using as much synecdoche as possible.
When your time is up, post your practice in the practice box below. And be sure to leave feedback for three of your fellow writers!
Sorry, I don’t do sports. I can do loss though.
——
How many times can you keep a crying child quiet?
How many ways can you answer the question, “Where is my mommy?” How many times do you answer before you go crazy?
How do you hide your children, protect them, when they themselves are the one thing that puts them in the most danger?
The answers are simple.
As many times as you have to.
As many ways as they ask. She’s dead. She was killed, She’s in Heaven. She can’t be here right now. If you be very quiet, you’ll hear her.
You don’t go crazy from the asking. You go crazy when they stop asking.
If you are alone in the effort, you do your damnedest. You try to keep them alive. You try to stay alive, because your death means their deaths. You try…
Your damnedest…
I held the bloody body of my three-year old child close. I felt as dark and broken inside as was the tunnel in which we hid. I felt the weight of a hundred thousand cuddles, kisses, tears. I could see his eyes, in thousands of shades, each painting a different emotion. All painting memories. All of my body shook with pain and denial, but my soul spoke, saying that he suffers no more, that he has reached a place without fear and without danger. My one-year old shook his brother, and stared at me, as if to say, “Why won’t Bubby play?”.
I love this. It’s just sad and the narrator’s monologue was really filled with emotion. It’s very easy to tell that this death broke him.
Thank you. I put it up so quickly, I really didn’t know how well it came out.
Wonderfully dark. Makes me wonder: what are they hiding from? Are the mother and brother’s deaths linked? How did they die? Very emotional and full of a creeping kind of sadness.
I like to see it came out as intended. Thanks for reaffirming this.
You have got me on the “I can do loss though.” I really liked.
The ending it is a little bit more obscure, I think it could both ways, personally I feel that it could work out better to a less tragic and a more mundane ending, I think that tragedy gains much more weigh on the fragments of the daily life. but would a different solution I suppose.
Sorry I have some trouble understanding you.
The dark and obscurity was intentional, firstly because I haven’t really thought too much about this story line yet. It also fits the piece. Things are definitely dark.
What good would a mundane ending do?
And, I’m guessing you are saying that tragedy is most realistic when the characters have interacted in daily life for a while. I can agree with this, and I wouldn’t leave it like this were it to go in a story.
Thanks for the comment, and sorry if I didn’t understand something you said.
I think it was my fault, I hadn’t fully grasped your ending yesternight. Now that I have re-read it it is making much more sense, It is a rather sad ending, and I think it fits the story as it did.
Hi! 🙂 Here’s mine:
***
I felt my hands getting cold and sweat breaking out of my body. I watched helplessly as Chicago fought against the inevitable. If it were any other day I’d feel nothing but immense pride. They fought the entire season without their star player and injuries haunted the rest of the roster and still they did not give up. But this was not just any other day.
I watched the clock dwindle down to zero. Then the buzzer sounded and it was game over. Chicago lost to Miami and the latter will be moving on to the next round, and probably the NBA Finals.
The American Airlines Arena was brimming with cheers and frenzied fans. Their team was another step closer to another championship. I closed my eyes and I tried to regulate my breathing.
“So,” a voice next to me said.
I opened my eyes and looked at Eddie. His face was like a map – a hundred
wrinkles ran like roads. His left eye was milky white and his body seemed to be
made up of skin and bones. “So,” he said again. “We had a deal, eh?”
I nodded. My voice seemed to have been lost. My eyes traced the Chicago players walking back to the locker room with heads bowed in defeat.
“If Miami wins, I win. And if I win, well, you know what’s at stake,” he smiled,
showing more gums than teeth.
“Bu—“
Before I could say anything, the lights flickered madly and the world seemed to scream
at me. The ground beneath shook violently and then darkness.
I opened my eyes and I felt pain all over. I—I couldn’t see with my left eye. I
looked up and I saw…myself. I was staring at myself. I watched myself look at
me with a smug smile. I watched myself stand up.
“This here’s a nice body you got, boy,” I heard myself say. “Too bad you’ve to lost it, eh?”
“I don’t understand.” My voice sounded hoarse and weak. It sounded very much like Eddie’s. I looked down at my liver spot peppered hands. “No, no, please.”
“A bet’s a bet. We swore with our blood. If I win, I take your body with me. Don’t
worry lad. I think that vessel still has about a month left in it,” he said
laughing.
I felt my hands getting cold and sweat breaking out of my fragile body. I watched
helplessly as Eddie leaves with my body.
Nice job of making the story interesting. Of course, I can’t help but wonder how the bet was made to start with.
You switch tense towards the end. Watches these, they can be disorienting to readers.
Other than that, I think it is told well.
Thanks, James! 🙂
No, I’d never heard of that word either, until now. I always seem to learn something new from you, Liz!
It is just a specific type of metaphor. And, as you know, metaphors and similes help create… Symbolism!
Yah! Symbolism!
Charlie Kaufman has a movie called Synecdoche, New York and it is amazing. It made me want to watch again!
Touchdown. Game and
Set. Yes. Berkeley just owned Stanford again in college
football. “GO BEARS!” I must say it is proud to be part of school
that gets the axe for the winning game.
Looks like we chopped Stanford down again. We led the score by three touchdowns. How can that be happening? It is obvious that Cal is godsend. I still remember the first down by Stanford caused
people’s eyeball to be exploded. As
expected, we are at the Cal stadium. How
can anyone not gorge their eyes out when Stanford scores any point. We all lifted our feet whenever Cal
scores. Based on that, it seems that we
have an advantage in moral when it comes to the game. Sometimes, I do wonder if our mouths are
causing a stir even among the Cal football team. If that is the case, we might be doing the
team a disservice. But oh well. I can clearly see that we won anyway.
Next up is of course the time of our life. We need to be the best in everything we
do. We see the team elevate their
confidence when they raised their chests to show us how great Cal football
really is. What if that is simply a
dream and that the outcome between Stanford and Cal is short lived? Who is scared of an axe anyway. Either case, the outcome is settled. Cal has
won the game. Tremors roared throughout
the stadium, colors of blue and gold flying everywhere in my face. I do not know of another time that has
happened. I can only say that how good
it was to be back in college. Looks like
I still have ways to go for replacement.
Perhaps I should create a time machine or reverse aging mechanism to
bring me back to the old days, surrounded by young women. Hugh Hefner should got it made.
Very useful and supportive article. I wish I can do all of that in a short period of time.
Love this challenge! Will try to explore this next.
all the soft skills that we need to reflect and draw from practical