Pattern Analysis for Genesis 4:1-15

Within Pattern Analysis, rhetoric is the persuasive portion of a literary unit based on its structure. Certain locations within each literary unit are potentially persuasive–they are presented below for the sake of analysis. Normally, many of the potential locations can be persuasive, but often not all. The student is encouraged to listen to what the Holy Spirit seems to be emphasizing.

A step-like symmetry such as A-B-C-A'-B'-C' or A-B-C-X-A'-B'-C' structure where the themes are repeated in the same direction. A continuing structure is also possible such as A-B-C-A'-B'-C'-A''-B''-C'' (consider the ten plagues of Moses). Other names for this device are extended alternation, forward symmetry, panel construction, step parallelism, and in certain contexts simply named "parallelism." The most common locations for emphasis are in the last/last position and the X center point. Lesser common locations are the first/first position and the various corresponding elements.

In a parallel symmetry, these are the two A elements, A-B-C-A'-B'-C'. Sometimes these are a place of emphasis.

In a parallel symmetry, this is oftentimes a place of emphasis. For example, in an A-B-C-D-A'-B'-C'-D' structure, the two D elements are in the last/last position.

The expected elements have been re-arranged, e.g. A-B-C-X-B'-C'-A'. When a transposition appears, the location of one element is interchanged with another; an intentional relocation. Transpositions appear in imperfect chiasms and parallel symmetries. The emphasis appears either in the element that is transposed or in the one which has been dislocated. That is, in an A-B-C-X-B'-C'-A' structure, either the B' or C' elements would be emphatic.

An opening or closing summarization that appears within a substructure. The schematic representation is the lowercase letters sum. This summarization may appear at the end of a substructure, a-b-x-a'-b'-sum, or at the beginning, sum-a-b-c-d. All the substructure summaries are emphatic.

A frame is the repetition of a theme near the beginning and end of a structure or substructure. The surrounding layer of a frame encapsulates an inner portion. Scholars often mention a similar concept called an inclusio or inclusion where the repetition may be confined to a literary unit or it may span multiple literary units. Both portions of the frame are required. The two frame elements often do not have the same words—instead, they have the same general theme and sometimes they are antithetical. Other related names for frames are bookends, brackets, and envelopes. Oftentimes the frame contains an emphatic statement.

In a chiasm, these are the two A elements: A-B-C-C'-B'-A'. Oftentimes an emphasis may be found in these locations.

An emphasis or turning point that is at the logical center of a structure. It is either an X in the middle of a chiasm, parallel symmetry, immediate repetition, or list is a center point, or if two elements appear at the center of a chiasm rather than an X, those two elements are the center point. For example, X is the center point of A-B-C-X-A'-B'-C', and C-C' is the center point of A-B-C-C'-B'-A'.

An opening or closing summarization that appears within a substructure. The schematic representation is the lowercase letters sum. This summarization may appear at the end of a substructure, a-b-x-a'-b'-sum, or at the beginning, sum-a-b-c-d. All the substructure summaries are emphatic.

In a parallel symmetry, these are the two A elements, A-B-C-A'-B'-C'. Sometimes these are a place of emphasis.

Also known as conjugate pairs. It is any two elements that are paired with each other. In some cases, the pair may be emphatic even though they are not in a position of emphasis such as first/first or first/last. For example, in a chiastic A-B-C-X-C'-B'-A' structure, the two B elements might add considerable conviction to the reader or listener.

Also known as conjugate pairs. It is any two elements that are paired with each other. In some cases, the pair may be emphatic even though they are not in a position of emphasis such as first/first or first/last. For example, in a chiastic A-B-C-X-C'-B'-A' structure, the two B elements might add considerable conviction to the reader or listener.

In a parallel symmetry, this is oftentimes a place of emphasis. For example, in an A-B-C-D-A'-B'-C'-D' structure, the two D elements are in the last/last position.

Use of the word "behold," often appearing near the beginning of a sentence, which points to emphasis in the words immediately following the interjection.

The themes of two corresponding elements are somewhat different from one another in content. It is an unexpected change in the pattern. Normally just one of the pair is emphatic. In A-B-C-D-A'-B'-Y' D', the emphasis would be found in either C or more likely Y'.