What is diction and how can it be analyzed? What are some examples of diction in literature and everyday life? Why is diction important in literary essays?

In this short lesson, Professor Raymond Malewitz answers these questions using examples from F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby. The video is designed to help high school and college English students identify and analyze kinds of diction within and beyond their literature classes.

The video is sponsored by the School of Writing, Literature, and Film at Oregon State University and was recorded in the Media Hub of OSU's Valley Library. For more discussions of literary topics and essay writing tips, please subscribe to the free SWLF YouTube Channel or visit https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf

Timestamps
0:00 Simple and Complex Definitions of Diction
2:30 Nick Carraway's Diction Example
5:40 Jay Gatsby's Diction Example
7:34 Diction, Tone, and Irony
8:11 Tom Buchanan Diction Example
9:07 Questions for Audience