Kate Bucci

May 11, 2019

McFadden
Good Lit Essay
What Makes a Good Text?
Merriam Webster defines a text as “the original words and form of a written or printed work”. But
what is a good text? Whether or not something is good is entirely subjective, and varies from person to
person. Personally, I believe a good text is one that captivates its audience through the use of dynamic and
static characters, a specific purpose, and the authors distinctive personal style. These things all blend to
create an impactful text that sticks with the reader. Of course, good texts can have much more than these
few things. Through the use of structure, diction, figurative language, and irony, an author is able to
create a good text that directly enhances the plot and character development within a text.
One piece of criterion that I believe directly impacts the quality of the text, is the structure of the text.
The structure of the text can add clarity and depth to a text, but when not used purposefully it can do just
the opposite. In The Color Purple, Alice Walker structures the text in the form of letters, to convey the
passage of time as well as the intimacy of the letter’s contents. Walker’s unique use of text structure has
purpose behind it, and is directly beneficial to the plot development, as it allows for the readers to have a
personal look into Celie’s life. “Oh, Celie, there are colored people in the world who want us to know!
Want us to grow and see the light! The are not all mean like Pa and Albert, or beaten down like Ma was.”
(Walker, 125). Walker utilizes a switch in point of view during the falling action of the novel to further
develop Nettie as a character, and advance the plot. Walker’s unique use of structure within the novel is a
key contributor to deeming the novel good. In Wuthering Heights, I found that the lack of structure took
away from the novel, and is why I don’t view the text as good. Though the novel did use some structure, I
found the frequent scene changes to be confusing, and ultimately trying to keep track of what was
occurring due to the confusing lack of structure took away from the novel.
Diction is another key piece of criterion that I believe can determine whether or not a text is good
based on its usage. Development of diction from one thing to another over the course of a text can be used
to show the passage of time throughout the plot, as well as exemplify how a character can grow
throughout the course of said text. In How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, changes in diction are
effectively used to convey the progression of the plot as well as the maturation and assimilation of the
girls. “He is saying I love you, she thought! “Babble,” she mimicked him. “Babble babble babble babble.”
Maybe that meant I love you too, in whatever tongue he was speaking.” (Alvarez, 48). Diction transforms
over the course of the novel, going from complex to less complex, due to the unique reverse-
chronological order of the novel. As the novel progresses, the English becomes less and less complex,
contributing to the language development experienced by the girls. Alvarez uses diction in a purposeful
way that ties in directly to the character development of the girl’s, while tying in plot in a unique way. A
text can fall short when there is minimal variety in diction, whether that be from character to character, or
over the course of the text’s plot. For me, I thought that text was Oedipus Rex. Though the drama
possessed good character development, the language development was not there for me. The diction
throughout the play remains relatively the same, which prevents the text from being exciting to me. I
think if Oedipus Rex contained a greater variety in its use of diction, or simply made it more purposeful, I
would reevaluate whether it can be deemed good or not.
Figurative language is commonly found in all kinds of texts, and is used in many different ways.
Some ways however, I deem more successful than others. When used successfully, figurative language
within a text allows for the reader to gain new perspective, or insight on the events occurring within a
novel. In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, figurative language is used to allow the reader to gain a
greater understanding of Macbeth’s headspace throughout the plot of the drama. “Upon my head they
placed a fruitless crown…Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal head” (Shakespeare, 3.1.62-4). It is in
this part of the play that Shakespeare makes an allusion to Julius Caesar, that happens to coincide with the
prophecy within Macbeth’s own life. The blunt use of descriptive figurative language creates an image in
the head’s of the readers, that lines up with Macbeth’s rise to power, and eventual downfall. The use of
this allusion provides reason behind Macbeth’s action as well, creating depth and complexity within
Macbeth’s character, as well as providing foreshadowing for what is yet to some within the play, in turn
enhancing the play overall. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, figurative language is also used to aid in
character development. The novel uses a good variety of figurative language, but does create as much
character depth through the use of figurative language as much as it does through the use of plot
development. For that reason, I don’t deem it as good of a text as I do the others. I felt as though Janie’s
dynamic character was better shown through the use of comparison from one character to another, rather
than through the use of figurative language.
Irony is another key element that is found in all kinds of texts, and used in a variety of ways. A good
text uses irony in a way that is not always predictable, in a way that causes the audience to think about
what is yet to come within the text, or rethink what they have already read. Désirée’s Baby uses irony in a
way that causes the audience to view the text with new perspective. The short story utilizes situational
irony in regards to prejudice and race. Desiree is kicked out of the home because Armand believes her to
be the cause of their baby displaying African features. “The last thing to go was a tiny bundle of letters;
innocent little scribbling’s that Desiree had sent to him during their espousal. There was the remnant of
one back in the drawer from which he took them. But it was not Desiree’s; it was a part of an old love
letter from his mother to his father. He read it. She was thanking God for the blessing of her husband’s
love: - “but above all,” she wrote, “night and day I thank the good God for having so arranged out likes
that our dear Armand will never know that his mother, who adores him, belongs to the race that is cursed
with slavery.”” (Chopin, 425). The use of situational irony classifies Desiree’s Baby as a good text in my
eyes, due to the nature of forcing the audience to gain a new perspective.
While there are many things that go into making a good text, I believe that when used purposefully,
irony, figurative language, diction, and structure are key components in the making of a good text. A
good text can mean a lot of different things, but for me, a good text is a text that forces you to think about
life in a way you hadn’t before, or is impactful in a way that sticks with you. A good text is a text that
makes you enjoy reading, and one that makes you excited for more.
 Works Cited:
Alvarez, Julia. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. Algonquin Books, 2013.

Chopin, Kate. “Kate Chopin.” The Literature of the American South: a Norton Anthology, by William L.
Andrews, W.W. Norton, 1998, pp. 442–446.

Shakespeare, William, and John Crowther. No Fear Shakespeare: Macbeth. Spark, 2003.

“Text.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/text.

Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. Warner Bros., 1985.