Pattern Analysis

Frequencies for All Literary Devices

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This frequency chart shows the consistency of forty (40) literary devices across nine (9) genres. Consistency is seen by reading horizontally across after each literary device, comparing each genre with the column labeled Mean: All Genres. The mean for the entire Bible is presented in that second column from the right. Sample computation: there are 19 instances where the literary device ABSENCE appears in the 209 literary units of the Torah. That computes to 9% which is 0.09, the value shown.

Literary
Device

Torah
Non
Torah
Poetry+
Wisdom
Major
Prophets
Minor
Prophets
Synoptic
Gospels
Johannine
Books
Paul’s
Epistles
Other
Writings
Mean: All
Genres
Total
Devices
Absence

An intentional omission of an element in a chiasm or parallel symmetry, indicating something is missing.

0.09 0.12 0.04 0.06 0.03 0.03 0.08 0.02 0.04 0.06 81
Amplification

Often applies to immediate repetitions; the second part embellishes the first.

0.21 0.17 0.13 0.19 0.23 0.24 0.18 0.17 0.13 0.18 240
Beginning Marker

Indicates the start of a new literary unit.

0.89 0.94 0.90 0.93 0.92 0.92 0.99 0.89 1.00 0.92 1203
Center Point

An emphasis or turning point that is at the logical center of a structure, often an X.

1.31 1.27 1.18 1.40 1.00 0.92 1.36 1.14 1.24 1.20 1569
Chiasm

An A-B-C-X-C'-B'-A' or A-B-C-C'-B'-A' arrangement; a repetition of similar ideas in the reverse sequence.

0.31 0.32 0.38 0.30 0.25 0.32 0.40 0.43 0.38 0.34 446
Chiasm (Imperfect)

An asymmetric chiasm where the symmetry is altered with an absence, extra, or transposition.

0.12 0.18 0.09 0.13 0.20 0.10 0.20 0.10 0.15 0.13 173
Chiasm Substructure

A chiastic-shaped sub-unit of an element, may be asymmetric.

1.03 0.94 0.61 0.85 0.58 0.42 0.86 0.66 0.74 0.76 986
Closing Summary

An emphatic summarization that concludes a basic structure.

0.70 0.68 0.62 0.70 0.82 0.68 0.68 0.68 0.77 0.69 898
Comparison

Two elements or sequences have emphatic similarity of themes.

0.05 0.09 0.06 0.08 0.17 0.04 0.08 0.13 0.13 0.08 103
Composite

The combination of two or three basic structures within a literary unit.

0.00 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.04 0.01 10
Contrast

Two corresponding elements or sequences with emphatically opposing themes.

0.24 0.31 0.37 0.41 0.22 0.26 0.29 0.35 0.50 0.32 419
Correlation Of Sequences

An emphatic comparison or contrast of conjugate pairs within a chiasm or parallel symmetry.

0.11 0.09 0.10 0.15 0.10 0.13 0.11 0.12 0.07 0.11 144
Corresponding Elements

An emphatic comparison or contrast of elements in a conjugate pair.

0.50 0.50 0.41 0.68 0.25 0.21 0.20 0.13 0.39 0.39 511
Ending Marker

Marks the end of a structure or substructure.

0.27 0.24 0.06 0.14 0.08 0.10 0.13 0.04 0.17 0.15 192
Extra

An emphatic element that was intentionally inserted into a chiasm or parallel symmetry.

0.32 0.35 0.14 0.30 0.23 0.18 0.35 0.13 0.23 0.25 326
First/first

Applies to parallel symmetries; an emphasis in the two A elements.

0.27 0.29 0.31 0.35 0.28 0.15 0.24 0.21 0.20 0.26 337
First/last

Applies to chiasms; an emphasis in the two A elements.

0.81 0.87 0.77 0.91 0.57 0.53 0.84 0.70 0.77 0.76 991
Frame

The repetition of a theme, usually near the beginning and end of a structure or substructure.

0.38 0.33 0.27 0.40 0.32 0.23 0.26 0.30 0.21 0.31 400
Immediate Repetition

An A-A'-B-B' or A-A'-B-B'-C-C' type of arrangement.

0.07 0.07 0.13 0.14 0.15 0.09 0.06 0.15 0.06 0.10 130
Immediate Repetition Substructure

A sub-unit within an element, shaped like a-a'-b-b'.

0.65 0.40 0.55 0.64 0.42 0.30 0.30 0.51 0.25 0.47 611
Imperative

An element with an imperative verb that indicates a strong directive or command.

0.23 0.20 0.78 0.31 0.18 0.33 0.34 0.40 0.24 0.35 458
Intensification

An escalation of themes from beginning to end, or outside to middle in a chiasm.

0.06 0.04 0.03 0.07 0.10 0.03 0.10 0.08 0.06 0.05 69
Interjection

The word behold which points to important words that follow.

0.16 0.10 0.05 0.34 0.32 0.09 0.14 0.04 0.04 0.13 172
Last/last

Applies to parallel symmetries; an emphasis in the last conjugate pair.

0.61 0.53 0.42 0.71 0.48 0.52 0.54 0.33 0.42 0.52 675
Link

An association of emphasis from an Old Testament pericope into the New.

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.66 0.33 0.75 1.02 0.69 336
List

An A-B-C-D-E or 1-2-3-4-5 type of sequence&msdash;must have three elements.

0.11 0.05 0.06 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.05 59
List Substructure

An a-b-c-d-e or 1-2-3-4-5 shaped sub-unit within an element.

0.90 0.49 0.67 0.50 0.58 0.16 0.14 0.64 0.33 0.52 680
Opening Summary

A summarization that appears near the beginning of a basic structure.

0.08 0.13 0.10 0.15 0.12 0.09 0.16 0.15 0.10 0.12 151
Parallel Symmetry

A step-like A-B-C-X-A'-B'-C' or A-B-C-A'-B'-C' arrangement.

0.23 0.22 0.23 0.24 0.27 0.34 0.18 0.24 0.21 0.25 320
Parallel Symmetry (Imperfect)

An asymmetric parallel symmetry with an absence, extra, or transposition.

0.16 0.14 0.10 0.15 0.08 0.13 0.13 0.07 0.14 0.13 166
Parallel Symmetry Substructure

A step-like sub-unit within an element, may be asymmetric.

0.78 0.62 0.29 0.64 0.47 0.36 0.48 0.35 0.46 0.51 663
Parenthesis

An emphatic annotation to the text that explains tangential yet relevant information.

0.02 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.02 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.02 23
Preliminary

Background information normally located near the beginning of the pericope.

0.55 0.80 0.21 0.42 0.30 0.59 0.49 0.33 0.57 0.50 650
Question

An emphatic request for clarification to another, or a rhetorical question.

0.05 0.06 0.19 0.08 0.22 0.29 0.19 0.15 0.19 0.15 191
Repeated Phrase

The restatement of the same words or theme within a literary unit.

0.11 0.04 0.12 0.05 0.12 0.05 0.05 0.01 0.02 0.07 86
Structure Split

The continuation of a literary unit at a later point in the book.

0.14 0.24 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.21 0.09 0.10 0.06 0.12 156
Substructure Summary

An emphasis at the beginning or end of a substructure.

1.59 1.05 0.97 1.30 1.05 0.60 0.89 1.04 0.75 1.05 1375
Sub-unit Marker

A marker within a literary unit, not at the beginning or end. Often at the start of a substructure.

2.26 1.41 0.94 1.85 1.53 1.17 1.35 0.79 1.30 1.43 1860
Transposition

A emphatic re-ordering of elements from their normal order in a chiasm or parallel symmetry.

0.20 0.23 0.10 0.17 0.13 0.11 0.14 0.07 0.19 0.15 198
Variation

When two otherwise corresponding elements have somewhat different themes.

0.13 0.16 0.03 0.05 0.07 0.06 0.13 0.01 0.02 0.08 104
 
Literary Units Analyzed 209 210 188 149 60 198 80 126 84 1304
Verses Remaining to be Analyzed 0 1598 844 1598 0 0 0 0 0

Updated on 5/13/2025