“Resonance Structures” are more than a chemistry term; they’re literary tools for writers. Resonance pulls readers in and makes them feel a deja vu and reminiscence. Good writers do this, but the best use Literary Resonance Structures MASTERFULLY.
Tolkien, did he utilize Literary Resonance Structures?
How can I write stories with resonance structures?
Tolkien is a GIANT in the fantasy adventure genre. Ask Tolkien fans what they find so captivating about his stories, and I often hear this:
- “Aragorn, as a character, has the heroic aura, as if transported from early reality.”
- “I feel like I’ve lived this world. Like it’s more than a story, and it’s a part of me.”
- “Rivendell feels like Autumn; it’s such a beautiful feeling.”
- “The Ring Wraiths are more than evil; they’re a malevolent force! Sometimes it hurts to read them.”
- “Tolkien didn’t write these books; he lived them on some level. No one puts that much detail in a book.”
Bilbo has a GREEN door!
How do readers feel Autumn? How do antagonists walk off the page and make readers jumpy or have nightmares? It’s Resonance. Resonance is not clever writing alone; resonance structures fill a reader’s mind with Wonder. Readers are snuggled into a place that feels legendary, filled with danger, adventure, fear, and love. The characters are alive to them; the reader is invested.
Tolkien, Resonance Structures, & Surprising Answers
How did Tolkien create such “original” works? The answer is surprising… He didn’t, and none of his stories are original. Ha! Surprised? Not to say that his stories aren’t brilliant, they are, but they’re not “original.” Tolkien meticulously studied ancient and modern texts. A shortlist of Tolkien’s source material includes:
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – Translated by Tolkien from Old English
- The Kalevala – Finnish mythology
- The Mabinogion – British mythology
- The Nibelungenlied – German mythology
- The Elder Edda and Younger Edda – Norse mythology
- Beowulf – Old English Poetry
- The Wood Beyond the World – early fantasy (published 1894)
- And many other works
Read some of these. Do you see the fingerprints? Tolkien was a scholarly titan that leaned on many sources. He didn’t envision “The Hobbit” or “The Lord of The Rings” from scratch, and no one could. There are no new tales, only brilliant ways to tell them, and I believe successful authors need to learn this early.
“The thing that hath been,
It is that which shall be;
& that which is done
& that which shall be done:
& there is no new thing under the sun.”
-Ecclesiastes 1:9
Tolkien wove Literary Resonance Structures through his tales, and you can do the same. Study your favorite movies, read the best books, absorb vibrant artwork, and WRITE. You will write what you study; often, you will write better than your source material.
Every writer stands on the shoulders of Giants
We inherit ideas; we push them further, creating “Resonance Structures”
The quote “We are but dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants” is attributed to scientific vision and discovery, yet it’s compatible with all industries, including the written word. As writers, we inherit the work of the world’s greatest content creators. Presently, standing on their shoulders, we see slightly further than they were capable. There are no new ideas, only new ways to weave them. They knew this, and like them, we can define the shape of our culture.
It’s not difficult to get a great idea. What is difficult is the endurance race required to write anything of quality. Ideation looks something like this:
- A brilliant creator becomes inspired by something BURSTING with ingenuity.
- They think to themselves, “That’s Beautiful. Golly. How would I write this? I wonder…”
- Consciously or subconsciously, they break the content down to the elements that resonate.
- Sometimes ideation strikes like lightning; more often, it’s a playful daydream of thoughts.
- The creator roughly outlines the fundamentals of their vision.
- The spark and motivations are now theirs. The original content is “simply” inspiring homework.
- The author writes a book, and another young genius reads it…
- The reader is inspired because the content is so inspiring!
- The reader thinks to themself, “That’s Beautiful. How would I write this..?”
IDEATION:
i·de·a·tion /ˌīdēˈāSHən/ noun
The formation of ideas or concepts.
And so forth until the Universe runs out of time juice. Every Author, Artist, and Content Creator in every niche does this. Here are some examples of authors who weave Resonance Structures into successful stories.
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
You see elements lifted from The Lord of The Rings, Dune, Biblical prophecy, Arthurian Legend, and foundational footprints from HP Lovecraft. Robert Jordan was a genius at borrowing gracefully, which shows in his work. If you’re familiar with Robert’s “Wheel of Time” series, try this experiment; read the first five chapters of Lord of The Rings, Dune, and the book of Revelation, and the similarities will jump out at you.
- LOTR and WoT begin in a similar style.
- The Bene Gesserit cult is much like the Aes Sedai ajahs.
- The Fremen and Aiel are strikingly similar in fighting tactics, culture, and respect for water.
- There are distinct prophesy parallels between The Dragon Reborn and the Kwisatz Haderach.
- Orcs and Trollocs are both engineered species, taken from wholesome stock and twisted.
- The Myrddraal and Ring Wraiths share archetypal imagery; they embody fear, hatred, and corruption.
- Read “The Colour out of Space” by H.P. Lovecraft; it’s a quick (if heavy) read. Do you see the formative inspiration for Mashadar, The Blight, The Black Wind, and the building blocks of Shadar Logoth?
Robert Jordan’s works resonate so well; that many readers don’t recognize the parallels. Instead, most gleefully devour his books and eagerly purchase the next in the series.
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Characters, themes, concepts, and scenes resonate quite gracefully from The Wheel of Time series. Specifically from “A Crown of Swords,” chapters 35-36.
- As portrayed in these chapters, Rand Al-Thor is very like a young Kelsier.
- Min Farshaw, observe how she moves, thinks, reacts, and worries much like Vin Venture.
- The spectral Fog has an elemental nature that resonates with “The Mist” in the Mistborn series.
- Perrin Aybarra is a contemporary of Hammond the Pewterarm.
- The Prophet (Masema Dagar) is very similar to The Citizen (Quellion).
- Loial and Sazed share many character traits.
Like Robert, Brandon Sanderson is talented in his use of Literary Resonance Structures, and it shows in his work.
The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind
You see elements lifted from The Wheel of Time series, “The Fountainhead,” and other works by Ayn Rand. In fact, when Richard Cypher speaks, you nearly hear the voice of Ayn Rand. This comes through the filter of Terry’s mind, but it’s very much there. Read a few chapters of “The Fountainhead,” this source resounds. Additionally, read any portion of the original Sword of Truth series, and you’ll see Robert Jordan’s fingerprints, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Terry has a good tone and engaging content, and his storyline is well mapped out.
I’ve heard many readers criticize Terry Goodkind, and I keep coming back to this thought, “Can you write any better? Have you made millions writing as Terry Goodkind has?” No? If not, then don’t speak ill of him. While Terry didn’t borrow as gracefully as Robert or Brandon, he had success as an author and created a successful body of work. I applaud him.
Literary Resonance Structures VS. Badly Borrowing Ideas
Does your readership see the fingerprints of other authors on your work? Does it matter? YES, it matters; it matters a lot. You’re not the next “Terry Goodkind.” You’re just the next version of “You.” Should this dissuade you from using resonance in your works? No, it should not. Where you got the idea doesn’t matter; what matters is how you handle the idea and how you execute it. For more information, consider reading my “Derivative Work, Plagiarism, and Resonance Explained.”
Read something inspiring and act on it. You write that novel or award-winning short story! Write Something Great!