Juxtaposition
A structural and rhetorical device in which two contrasting ideas, images, characters, or scenes are placed adjacent to each other to create comparison, contrast, or ironic effect. Juxtaposition forces the reader to consider relationships between the paired elements.
Real World
In 'A Christmas Carol,' Dickens juxtaposes the Cratchits' loving but impoverished Christmas dinner directly against Scrooge's cold, solitary meal, forcing Victorian readers to confront wealth inequality without a single word of direct commentary.
Exam Focus
Explain what meaning the contrast creates — don't just identify two things placed together; analyse why the pairing matters.
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