What Are Epigraphs Used For?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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An epigraph can

give information about the subject and time period of your book

. Reference works you allude to later in the work. If there are works that you allude to either later in your book or perhaps in the title, you might want to consider including a quote as an epigraph.

What books have epigraphs?

  • Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward.
  • Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion.
  • On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King.
  • The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides.
  • The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway.
  • The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.
  • The Great Gatsby by F.

What is epigraph and examples?

An epigraph is a short statement (a sentence, a paragraph, a poem) that comes at the beginning of a literary text, but the words belong to a different author. … Examples of Epigraph:

At the beginning of The Sun Also Rises

, Ernest Hemingway quotes Gertrude Stein: “You are all a lost generation.”

What is the meaning of epigraph in literature?

1 : an engraved inscription. 2 :

a quotation set at the beginning of a literary work or one of its divisions to suggest its theme

.

Are epigraphs good?

Purpose #1: They can set the mood

In literature, the mood is the feeling or emotion an author seeks to evoke in their readers. Using an epigraph before your first chapter or at the top of each chapter in your book can be an

excellent

way to prime readers for the story or chapter they're about to read.

Where do epigraphs go in a book?

Although publishers vary in how they style epigraphs, one commonality is that epigraphs are set apart from the main text by

being placed at the start of a book, chapter, essay, or other section of a work

. They usually do not appear in .

How do you introduce an epigraph?

Write your epigraph one double space beneath your title. Indent 2 inches on both sides of the epigraph, so it's 1 inch further from the standard margin. Use single spacing for the epigraph, and center the text on the page.

Put quotation marks

around the text.

What is a good epigraph?

  • “You are all a lost generation.” — Gertrude Stein, epigraph for The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. …
  • 2. ” Behind every great fortune there is a crime.” …
  • 3. ” An oak is a tree. …
  • 4. ” There is another world, but it is in this one.” …
  • 5. ” …
  • 7. ” …
  • 8. ” …
  • 9. “

What is a quote at the end of a book called?

From Wikipedia: In literature,

an epigraph

is a phrase, quotation, or poem that is set at the beginning of a document or component. The epigraph may serve as a preface, as a summary, as a counter-example, or to link the work to a wider literary canon, either to invite comparison or to enlist a conventional context.

What is the quote before a book called?

A short quotation at the beginning of a chapter or article is called

an epigraph

. The quote is treated like an extract and indented from the left margin. Only the author's name (and only the author's last name if he or she is well-known) and the book's title should be given in italics.

What is an example of metonymy?

Common examples of metonymy include in language include:

Referring to the President of the United States

or their administration as “the White House” or “the Oval Office” Referring to the American technology industry as “Silicon Valley” Referring to the American advertising industry as “Madison Avenue”

What is an example of Epistrophe?


The repetition of words in Lincoln's address and Cobain's song

are examples of a literary device called “epistrophe.” Derived from the ancient Greek word meaning “turning back upon,” epistrophe is the repetition of phrases or words in a set of clauses, sentences, or poetic lines.

What is epigraph short answer?

These are

brief at the beginning of a poem

, story, novel, or chapter that are often taken from other works of literature. They serve to set a specific tone, suggest a theme, or create a larger context.

How do you write a good epigraph?

The text of the epigraph is indented from the left margin in the same way as a block quote. On the line below the

end of the epigraph

, the author's name (and only the author's last name if he or she is well-known) and the source's title should be given. This credit line should be flush right, preceded by an em dash.

Can a book have two epigraphs?

Epigraphs are most common in longer works, like novels and books of poetry. Some writers love epigraphs so much they put them at the beginning of each chapter.

Some books have more than one epigraph

, placing two or more quotations in dialogue with one another.

What is an epiphany example?

Epiphany is an “Aha!” moment. … Often, an epiphany begins with a small, everyday occurrence or experience. For example:

In the middle of a typical argument with his wife, a man realizes he has been the one causing every single argument

, and that in order to keep his marriage, he must stop being such an aggressive person.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.