| − | Chiasmus (or chiasm) is a literary device in which two or more clauses are repeated in reverse order, and for which the inverted clauses may be either parallel to or in contrast to the corresponding clause in the first part of the chiasmus. To display a chiastic structure, the text is sometimes presented in outline form, such as "A B C X C' B' A", where the "X" represents the center of the chiasm. It is sometimes stated that the center of the chiasm marked a place of special emphasis, but this is not always the case. Sometimes, especially in small chiasms, there may be no "X" center. | + | '''Chiasmus''' (or chiasm) is a literary device in which two or more clauses are repeated in reverse order, and for which the inverted clauses may be either parallel to or in contrast to the corresponding clause in the first part of the chiasmus. To display a chiastic structure, the text is sometimes presented in outline form, such as "A B C X C' B' A", where the "X" represents the center of the chiasm. It is sometimes stated that the center of the chiasm marked a place of special emphasis, but this is not always the case. Sometimes, especially in small chiasms, there may be no "X" center. |