据老师介绍，hypotaxis and parataxis这两个写作概念是美国文学硕士课程。很感谢老师提前教了我们这两个概念。我本人对这两种写法的理解是：Parataxis属于一气呵成的短平快写法，hypotaxis属于论点论据层层叠加绵绵不绝最后得出结论的太极拳写法。我感觉，写法太快或者太慢都不太好，二种写法混着用，应该属于写法上的中庸之道。我在文中所举的诗歌和小说的例子不一定完美无缺，但用这些例子说明这两种写法，本人还是认真地研究了一番。明白这两种写法，可以更好地欣赏文学作品。这是我修的Intro to novel, potery and poem课上的一篇作业。

Consider hypotaxis and parataxis as tools that authors use in writing a story or poem.  How do they function in general—and what roles do they play in generically engaging the reader?  Discuss two different texts and compare or contrast the styles the author/poet uses.  Why does the author use his or her chosen style, and what effects do those styles have on the reader’s perception of the story?

Hypotaxis and parataxis are two Greek words meaning “arranging under” and “arranging side”, respectively. Both are literal techniques used for writing styles. By using hypotaxis, authors use many subordinate clauses and stacking ideas to draw conclusion(s) in a slow pace at end of  a story or a poem. Parataxis is a writing technique with a rushing speed. Using this technique, the writers use many short equal phrases to create a staccato or a short rhythmic feeling to speed the rhythm up in a breathless way.

In the poems we learned, The Fish (P450) and “We really cool”(500) are two examples of hypostasis and parataxis, respectively. In “Fish”, a long poem by Elizabeth Bisshop, the author wrote lots of verses talking about how beautiful the fish, particularly the 5 hooks in fish mouth make readers feel sad in heart for the fish. This hypotaxis technique prepares the reader to have a mercy and pity on this poor fish. Meanwhile the detailed description of fish also hints that poet admired the fish due to Fish’s strong willingness to escape the hard time.  By this technique, the readers are not surprised to see the happy ending in this poem, “ And I let fish go”.  In the  poem “We really cool”  (500),  on the other hand,  the poet used parataxis technique to describe the bad result of  7 students who left school in a quick way.  Only in 8 lines, the poet used several different events to tell readers what the 7 kids did after they left school, they drink, sing and enjoy Jazz, etc. This writing style makes reader feel that, if the boys do not take good care of themselves, they will have a really bad future----Die soon. This technique is really powerful and its conclusion shocks us in a breathless way.  We reason that all the students in the world will have bad future if they do not behave well. The short verses of this poem also reminds us that time is flying, life is short and kids need make good use of school time.

In the stories we learned, Girl and The Storm are two examples for parataxis and hypotaxis, respectively. In “Girl”, the narrator mom told  her daughter do this /do that, do not do this /do not do that in a very rapid way. It is so rapid that the girl even has no time to respond to her mom and the daughter only replied twice during the whole story. When we read the story, we feel breathless and feel sorry for this poor girl.  We as if listen to a cold song by a stern mom. This technique is really powerful to trigger our rapid thoughts on education and parenting. In “ The storm”, on the other hand,  the author wrote lots of paragraphs about the daily life of  Calixta, the wife, her husband and her son.  After Calixta had sex with her ex-lover, the author even wrote something about her lover’s wife. By these supporting stories and characters, readers feel that although both families have some stress in marriage, they still want a peaceful life. Therefore we are not surprised to see the conclusion at the end by the author :” So the storm passed and everyone was happy”.

In conclusion, hypotaxis and parataxis are two different tools for writers to use for different styles of stories or poems. By using hypotaxis,  writers or poets  provide lots of supporting details to reach the conclusion. By using  parataxis, on the other hand, writers or poets  reach the end in a very rapid way and make readers feel breathless.