When you think of thrillers, what comes to mind? Suspenseful music? Racing hearts? Chilling scenes that make your skin crawl? All of these are common connotations associated with thrillers. A connotation is a word’s emotional association. It can be positive or negative, and it often goes beyond the dictionary definition of a word.
This blog post will explore connotation examples in thriller novels and discuss how they create suspense and tension in the story.
What is connotation, and why is it essential in thriller novels?
In literature and film, authors often use connotations to create an atmosphere and evoke certain emotions in readers. In thriller novels, connotations also help build suspense and tension by engaging the reader’s imagination.
The use of a particular word implies positive and negative connotations:
– A positive connotation would describe someone ambitious as a “go-getter.”
– The word “snow” has positive connotations for some people because it means skiing vacation or Christmas.
– A negative connotation would describe someone who is not working hard enough and is wasting time as a “lazybones.”
– Symbolic meanings of objects differ from their literal sense. Symbolic connotations can convey deeper cultural values and beliefs through metaphor and allegory. For example, purple often has strong connotations that refer to nobility and royalty; yellow is associated with joyfulness; red conveys passion, while black stands for power.
– And if you find yourself navigating tricky conversations with people who need delicate treatment – make sure you use neutral connotation words like “fair,” “helpful,” “promote,” “collective,” etc.
Other examples of connotations include:
Brave vs. reckless
While both imply courage and risk-taking, brave has much more heroic connotations, whereas reckless carries with it an idea of foolhardy recklessness without regard for potential consequences.
Rich vs. wealthy
The two terms may appear interchangeable, but rich suggests having lots of money with little effort, whereas wealthy implies having substantial resources stemming from years of hard work.
Sophisticated vs. snobby
One person might find sophisticated behavior classy, whereas another considers it too arrogant and condescending.
Generous vs. spendthrift
Generosity implies strong moral values by providing resources to others, while spendthrift describes someone who uses money extravagantly regardless of financial situation.
Understanding how these different shades affect the meaning allows us to articulate ourselves better using language appropriate for any given setting or context.
How authors use connotation to create suspense and tension
Authors use connotations to create suspense and tension by linking words with certain emotions or ideas.
For example, a night might be described as “inky” or “moonless” to evoke a feeling of dread. In addition, characters may have names that imply danger or menace, such as “The Beast” or “The Hunter.”
Authors may also employ rhetorical devices like metaphors and similes to create a sense of unease and fear. Using connotations, authors can build tension by hinting at the unknown or unseen and encouraging readers’ imaginations to fill in the blanks.
Finally, authors use suspenseful language, such as words like “shudder,” “trembling,” or “ominous,” to indicate impending danger or a foreboding atmosphere.
Examples of connotations from popular thriller novels
Stephen King’s The Shining is a famous example of connotation in a thriller novel. In the book, when Jack Torrence sees the dark hallway filled with firehose-like red carpet, he feels “a chill, as if something were waiting for him down there in the darkness.” This phrase uses connotation to indicate a sinister presence lurking in the darkness, creating tension and fear for readers.
Another example of connotative language in a thriller novel is from Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. When Robert Langdon finds himself pursued by agents of the Catholic Church, he describes them as “a relentless sea of black.” This phrase uses connotation to indicate the church’s oppressive power, creating fear and urgency for readers.
Connotative language is also used in fantasy novels, such as J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. For example, when Frodo Baggins enters the dark forest of Mirkwood, he describes it as “the forest of shadows,” using connotation to evoke feelings of dread and foreboding.
Using such language helps readers understand the narrator’s emotional state and allows them to connect with the characters on an even deeper level.
How to spot connotation in your writing for increased suspense and tension
To spot connotation in your writing, look for descriptive words or phrases that evoke strong feelings or emotions. Then, consider what the words and phrases will mean to your audience and how they can be used to craft a vivid story.
Additionally, it would be best to look for opportunities to use synonyms that are more evocative than plainer words, which can help set the mood of a scene.
Finally, it is essential to remember that connotation is subjective and will mean different things to different people. Different cultures can attach completely different meanings to the exact words and phrases, so it is essential to do your research before using them in a story.
How you can use connotation in your writing
To use connotation in your writing, try using figurative language such as similes or metaphors to describe something that has more profound implications than the literal description.
Examples of metaphors
– Instead of describing a city as “dirty” or “run-down,” you could use language such as “a place where despair hung heavy in the air” to give your readers a sense of dread and fear.
– Or, if you wanted to describe a town as being somewhat lonely and forgotten over time, you could write something like, “The town was an old record spinning on a forgotten turntable.”
– Or make a setting more cheerful and inviting by describing a forest as “teeming with life” instead of simply “full of trees and animals.”
These metaphors give readers a powerful and memorable image that allows them to understand the message you are trying to convey more deeply.
Finally, it would help to consider using similes in your writing. Similes are another type of figurative language, but instead of using two unrelated items to make a comparison, similes compare two items that have something in common.
Examples of similes
– If you wanted to describe a person’s voice as soft and comforting, you could write, “Her voice was like a gentle lullaby.”
“The darkness was thick and heavy like a blanket of fog.”
“Her breath came out in gasps, like a steam engine under pressure.”
“His voice sounded as sharp as broken glass.”
“The secret she held felt as heavy as stone weighing down her soul.”
Similes can be powerful tools for conveying your message interestingly and engagingly, so consider including some in your next writing project.
Why studying connotation is important for readers and writers alike
For writers, understanding and using connotations are essential for crafting powerful stories that resonate with readers. Understanding connotation can also help writers create effective messages and deliver their intended meaning clearly and accurately.
By studying connotation, readers can understand the deeper meaning of words and phrases used by authors. This allows them to appreciate the full range of emotions that a story has to offer.
There are a few cautions every author should take when using connotation in their work
Use it sparingly and carefully:
Use only enough connotation so that readers get hints of things without having them spoon-fed – that way, they stay engaged and curious about what comes next.
Know why you’re using connotation in the first place:
Is it for emphasis? To create an atmosphere? To give hidden meaning? Understanding your purpose for using this tool will help you choose which words and phrases to use more precisely. When done right, these details will say quite a lot in just a few words!
Ensure that it feels right:
Whatever symbolic elements or metaphors are appropriate to the thriller genre should feel ‘right’ with the context of your story.
Final thoughts on the importance of connotation in thrillers
Ultimately, the key to successful writing is exploring different figurative language types and finding ways to incorporate them into your work.
Connotations are essential:
They can create a heightened emotional atmosphere and keep readers engaged.
Connotations create more than fear and suspense:
Apart from fear and suspense, connotations can suggest a story’s underlying tone and mood and help draw readers into the story and keep them guessing.
Descriptive language with negative connotations:
Authors can make their characters seem more menacing or sinister and create a greater sense of dread for the reader.
By playing with words this way, authors can paint an incredibly vivid picture of their characters and create a powerful atmosphere that readers will surely remember.
Conclusion
Connotation is a powerful writing tool that every author should use to create suspense, tension, and antagonists that readers will love to hate. By understanding how connotation works and being aware of the cautions involved in using it, you can take your writing to the next level and craft stories readers won’t be able to put down.
Good luck with your writing!
If you’re working on your first novel and are looking for more help with your writing, please check out my other articles on writing at https://ullahakanson.com/blog/
All the best,
Ulla