Chiasmus – noun – a reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases, as in “He went to the country, to the town went she.”
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I recently encountered an episode of Thomas Umstadt Jr’s Author Media podcast entitled How to Write Enduring Best Sellers with the Two-act Chiastic Structure. I wasn’t familiar with the term “chiastic”, so I listened and learned a lot.
According to Umstadt
Western storytelling is typically based on the three-act structure. … However, the three-act structure is not the only story structure. There is an ancient story structure that dates back to the time of oral storytelling. This ancient structure is still popular in the East, yet it appeals to modern Western readers.
This two-act concept is the chiastic structure, and it can be used for sentences, poetry, stories, or even series. A famous example of a chiastic sentence was used by President John F. Kennedy in his inaugural address:
“Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
No matter what length, the chiastic structure follows an ABBA model and can be illustrated by two lines crossing like this:
In the Kennedy example, A = “your country” and B = “you.” The second part of the statement is a mirror image of the first.
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But chiastic structure gets really interesting when it’s applied to stories. Check out this example from Wikipedia that shows the Biblical narrative of Noah and the Ark as it moves from A to the midpoint and then resolves from the midpoint back to A’.
Amazing!
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I tend to think of story structure more as an arc. Rising action, crisis and midpoint, falling action and resolution.
However, after I read about chiastic structure, I realize I’ve used a modified form of it a couple of times in my books. In my first novel, The Watch on the Fencepost, the story begins when a young woman finds a mysterious watch on a fencepost which propels her on a quest to find the truth about her parents’ untimely deaths. Their deaths represent the loss of her closest relationships. The book ends when she finds another watch on the same fencepost that solidifies her relationship with a man who will become a special part of her life.
I always thought of this kind of writing as bookends to a story, but there’s a lot more to chiastic structure. I suppose the internal chapters have to mirror each other. I haven’t tried anything close to this, but it would be interesting to outline a story with that structure.
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So TKZers: Are you familiar with chiastic structure? Have you used it in your own writing? Is it something you think you may want to use in the future?
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Coming Soon!
Another Side of Sunshine
A Reen & Joanie Detective Agency Mystery
Spunky ten-year-old Reen and her shy nine-year-old cousin Joanie go on a quest to find a treasure hidden by the mysterious Mr. Shadow. Along the way, they discover new insights into friendship and fair play.
Thanks, Kay. Thomas is a friend and always lays out a buffet for thought. Here’s my own thought: If you rotate the chiastic structure one turn to the left, you find the perfect spot for the mirror moment (ha!). I can therefore easily see that for meta-story analysis (what the story is really all about) one can view it in two stages. Stage 1: Character stasis; Stage 2: Character transformation. I do think, however, that the most effective way to deliver this “inner journey” is within 3 acts/mythic structure.
Ancient chiasm was for didactic purposes (e.g., Homer, and especially Hebrew scripture). That’s why young children’s lit, as Thomas suggests, might be especially suited for it.
But for weaving that “fictive dream” we all love to experience, Aristotle (he was called “Ol’ Three Act Aristotle” by his students) is still the man.
Oh, wow, Jim, as soon as you suggested making one turn to the left with the graph, the lightbulb went on for me. Brilliant observation!
Good morning, Jim!
Thanks for pointing out the idea of turning the chiastic example 90 degrees to the left. A perfect illustration of the importance of the mirror moment!
When I was reading about chiastic structure, it seemed to me that it can be mapped onto a three-act story. It’s just that the individual chapters have to mirror each other. I wonder if “Ol’ Three Act Aristotle” would agree. 🙂
Kay, I wasn’t familiar with the term chiastic. As I first read this–before enough coffee–the form felt familiar but I couldn’t quite grasp the concept.
Then Jim’s suggestion to rotate the graph to the left made the concept click. It turned into an arc. Now I understood why it felt familiar–fit came from children’s tales I grew up on.
They symmetry of fables always appealed to me. However, like you, I thought of the technique as bookends that I’ve used in short stories.
Thanks for a Monday morning brain wakeup.
Good morning, Debbie!
I have always liked the idea of bookends in a story. Chiastic structure adds another level of complexity. (Like 3-D chess.)
Have a great week.
Thanks for such a thoughtful blog, Kay. Chiastic structure is new to me, but I enjoyed reading about it.
Hi Elaine,
I also hadn’t heard of chiastic structure until I listened and then read Umstadt’s podcast. I might try a short story with this structure.
Have a good week.
Kay, thank you for this. I followed the link to the podcast and read the written transcript. It almost made me cry. Finally, I understand why I haven’t been able to fit any of my favorite books, mostly romances, into the three-act structure, much less find the points required. I immediately thought of several novels and went through them in my mind following the two-acts and bingo! My own books do this, although it certainly wasn’t planned as I didn’t know. The editor I had at Berkley Random House cut out the ending of a book I’d written, due to length, that took the couple in that story back to their individual beginnings. It was too bad, because I and the people who read it before publication loved that ending. I wonder if Jane Austen knew she was doing that, or if she was just telling a story. Either way, it worked, and no one can deny the enduring appeal of Pride and Prejudice. You’ve made my day. Thank you.
Good morning, Becky.
I’m so glad you found this helpful. You made my day!
I’m sorry your editor cut the part of your book that took the characters back to their beginnings. Although I understand word count guidelines, a good story sometimes goes outside of those. Story trumps word count.
Have a great week.
Thought-provoking post, Kay! I had not heard of chiastic structure but your example of the story Noah’s Ark was a great illustration. I suspect I’ll continue to be a die-hard user of 4-act structure, but this was an enlightening read.
Hope you have a wonderful week!
Good morning, Dale!
Chiastic structure was new to me, too. Seeing the detailed graphic of Noah’s Ark took my breath away. I have read that story a million times (slight hyperbole), but I never understood the intricate structure before.
Have a great week!
This structure is all over the Psalms.
I’m embarrassed to say I never picked up on this structure in the Psalms despite having memorized a number of them over the years.
Very interesting, Kay. I’d not heard of this before. I can see how it would be especially useful for writing poetry.
Thanks for learnin’ me this Monday morning.
🙂
Hi Deb!
Poetry would be a good place for this. Apparently it fits any story-telling format.
Have a good week.
It reads like bookends to me, Kay. Excellent observations. And indeed, fascinating.
Hi Sue.
I like the concept of bookends, and I’ve used it a couple of times. I think it gives the reader a sense of satisfaction to see the story come full circle.
Have a great week.