The Power of Repetition

By Rob Sanders

As a teacher, I know the power of repetition. Let me say that again, repetition. Yes. repetition. Don’t believe me? Consider what others have to say on the subject:

• “Any idea, plan, or purpose may be placed in the mind through repetition of thought.” —Oliver Napoleon Hill
• “The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition.” —John Wooden
• “Repetition is the mother of education.” —Jean Paul

If repetition is such a powerful teaching tool, then it stands to reason that repetition is also an important tool for nonfiction writers to keep in their toolboxes. Let’s explore some ways to incorporate repetition into your manuscript.

THE RULE OF THREE

It seems that good things come in threes in picture books. A triad of words, phrases, names, adjectives, and so on can be pleasing to the ear and can also provide a feeling of completeness or wholeness in a manuscript. These triads are known as the Rule of Three. Things that come in threes are thought to be more persuasive. In addition, three is the smallest number of elements required to create a pattern, and patterns can make content more memorable. One less and you feel unsatisfied, one more and it feels overdone. You can find the rule of three in familiar phrases such as:

·         We came. We saw. We conquered.

·         Tora! Tora! Tora!

·         Stop! Look! Listen!

·         Blood, sweat, and tears.

·         Cool, calm, and collected.

Of course, the rule of three isn’t limited to three words strung together. Consider this use of the Rule of Three by Winston Churchill:

            We shall go on to the end,

            we shall fight in France,

            we shall fight on the seas and oceans,

            we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air,

            we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be,

            we shall fight on the beaches,

            we shall fight on the landing grounds,

            we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,

            we shall fight in the hills;

            we shall never surrender.

The use of the Rule of Three usually slows the pacing of a story since it causes the reader to emphasize each word or phrase. So, this crafting technique is both visual (how it appears on the page), aural (how it sounds when read aloud), and oral (how it is spoken).

A GOLDEN THREAD

Politicians, preachers, and other public speakers often use Golden Threads in their speeches and sermons. Phrases such as I have a dream; Now is the time; Together we can. Together we will. Together we must.—are woven through a presentation to evoke emotions, provide continuity, and leave a lasting impression with listeners. Most of these speakers may not use the term Golden Thread. Instead, they may call the approach they’re using anaphora—a Greek term meaning repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of several sentences. Whatever you call it, it’s a powerful tool to engage listeners and readers.

Often found in fictional texts, a Golden Thread is a technique where a recurring phrase or set of words is woven throughout a piece of writing. My students discovered a Golden Thread in the historical fiction novel Winnie’s Great War by Lindsay Mattick and Josh Greenhut. The phrase “You’ll always be my bear,” is uttered by almost every character who comes in contact with Winnie. So prevalent is the Golden Thread that the fourth graders I was teaching could sense when the dramatic moment was coming (usually when the character was about to say goodbye to Winnie) and they would join in speaking the phrase together. The primary functions of the Golden Thread are to “tie” together the writing and to provide a feeling of completeness. But Golden Threads can do much more heavy lifting than that.

In her book, I Could Do That! Ester Morris Gets Women the Vote, Linda Arms White uses the phrase I could do that throughout the story. The Golden Thread not only holds the story together, but it gives insight into the main character, Ester Morris. Ester’s confidence and competence grows over time as she faces small challenges (learning to sew and make tea, for instance) to larger tasks (opening her own business and moving West to Wyoming) to monumental undertakings (convincing politicians to grant the women of Wyoming the right to vote and running for office herself). With each endeavor, Ester’s character is revealed with the Golden Thread, I could do that.

In Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag, I use a heftier Golden Thread to communicate the theme of the book. My Golden Thread morphs, using stronger verbs in each of its three uses, and then is summarized in a simpler fashion at the close of the book. Take a look . . .

     Harvey dreamed that everyone—even gay people—would have equality.

     He dreamed that he and his friends would be treated like everyone else.

     He dreamed that one day, people would be able to live and love as they pleased.

                        ***

     Harvey and the people asked for equality.

     They asked to be treated like everyone else.

     They asked to live and love as they pleased.

     They hoped the march would make a difference.

                        ***

     The people demanded equality.

     They demanded to be treated like everyone else.

     They demanded to live and love as they pleased.

     They were proud. They had hope. They would make a difference.

          ***

     Equality.

     Pride.

     Hope.

     Love.

     Harvey’s dream became a flag for us all.

REPETITION, REPETITION, REPETITION

      

Forms of repetition aren’t limited to the Rule of Three and Golden Threads. As you read and analyze nonfiction texts, be on the lookout for other ways repetition is used. Then analyze your own writing to see where repetition might help you emphasize a point, create pacing, give insight into a character, establish a theme, and more. You’ll be glad you did. Glad, I tell you. Glad.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rob Sanders is a writer who teaches and a teacher who writes. He is known for his fierce and funny nonfiction and fiction. His 2020 releases will include The Fighting Infantryman: The Story of Albert D. J. Cashier, Transgender Civil War Soldier (Little Bee); Mayor Pete: The Story of Pete Buttigieg (Henry Holt): and Bling Blaine: Throw Glitter not Shade (Sterling). Visit Rob’s website at www.robsanderswrites.com and follow him on Facebook (RobSandersWrites) and Twitter (@RobSandersWrite).

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