Synaesthesia as a Literary Device

Synaesthesia: Etymology, Literal and Conceptual Meanings

Etymology of Synaesthesia

Synaesthesia, a term derived from the Greek words “syn” meaning “together” and “aisthesis” meaning “sensation,” refers to the phenomenon where stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to involuntary experiences in another. The word was first introduced in the early 19th century by German physician Georg Sachs, who used it to describe the intertwining of sensory experiences. Historically, synaesthesia has been a subject of fascination within the realms of psychology and neurology, capturing the interest of scholars and artists alike. Its etymological roots underscore the intrinsic connectivity and interplay between different sensory modalities, reflecting the complex and often mysterious nature of human perception.

Literal and Conceptual Meanings of Synaesthesia

Aspect	Literal Meaning	Conceptual Meaning
Greek Roots	“syn” (together) + “aisthesis” (sensation)	The term suggests a unification or merging of senses, implying that distinct sensory experiences can be perceived as interconnected.
Early Definitions	Coined by Georg Sachs to describe the fusion of different sensory experiences	Historically perceived as an unusual or rare sensory condition where one sense involuntarily triggers another.
Modern Understanding	Synaesthesia involves literal cross-activation between different sensory pathways in the brain	Viewed as a cognitive phenomenon where certain individuals experience consistent and reproducible sensory overlaps (e.g., seeing colors when hearing sounds).
Scientific Interpretation	A neurological condition where sensory stimuli lead to automatic, involuntary sensory perceptions	Conceptually, it illustrates the brain’s ability to create multi-sensory associations, offering insights into neural connectivity and perceptual processes.
Cultural and Artistic Views	Seen as an unusual sensory gift that enhances creative expression and artistic experiences	Conceptually, synaesthesia enriches artistic and literary expressions by providing unique perceptual experiences that transcend normal sensory boundaries.

Synaesthesia: Definition as a Literary Device

Synesthesia, as a literary device, denotes the deliberate intermingling of sensory perceptions to evoke a multi-layered understanding of a subject. It transcends conventional sensory boundaries, forging an intensified emotional connection and deeper engagement with the text. Through this technique, authors amplify the vividness of their imagery, enhance thematic resonance, and leave a lasting impact on the reader.

Synaesthesia: Types and Examples

Type of Synesthesia	Explanation	Examples
Grapheme-color synesthesia	Letters or numbers are perceived as inherently colored.	Seeing the letter “A” as red or the number “5” as green.
Chromesthesia	Sounds trigger the perception of colors.	Seeing flashes of color when listening to music or hearing a specific word.
Auditory-tactile synesthesia	Sounds induce tactile sensations.	Feeling a tingling sensation on the skin when hearing a particular sound or musical note.
Lexical-gustatory synesthesia	Words or sounds evoke taste sensations.	The word “table” might taste like metal, or the sound of a car horn might taste like lemon.
Ordinal linguistic personification	Ordered sequences, like numbers, days of the week, or months of the year, are associated with personalities or genders.	Monday might be perceived as a grumpy old man, or the number “7” might be seen as a shy girl.
Number form synesthesia	Numerical sequences are perceived as having specific spatial arrangements.	The number line might be perceived as a spiral, or the numbers 1-10 might be seen as a line of differently sized objects.
Spatial sequence synesthesia	Units of time (days, weeks, months) are perceived in a spatial layout.	Months of the year might be laid out in a circle, or days of the week might appear as a line.
Mirror-touch synesthesia	Observing someone being touched evokes a similar tactile sensation in the observer.	Feeling a touch on your own arm when you see someone else’s arm being touched.
Auditory-olfactory synesthesia	Sounds trigger the perception of smells.	Hearing a certain musical note might evoke the smell of roses, or the sound of a car engine might smell like burning rubber.
Misophonia	Certain sounds trigger strong negative emotions, such as anger, disgust, or anxiety. (Although not strictly synesthesia, it involves atypical sound perception.)	The sound of someone chewing loudly might cause intense irritation, or the sound of a pen clicking might evoke a feeling of rage.

Synaesthesia: Examples in Everyday Life

1. The sound of a bell tastes like mint: This is auditory-gustatory synesthesia, where a sound evokes a taste sensation.
2. Seeing the number 5 as green: This is grapheme-color synesthesia, where letters or numbers are associated with colors.
3. Feeling a tingling sensation on your arm when hearing someone’s name: This is lexical-tactile synesthesia, where words evoke tactile sensations.
4. Seeing colors when listening to music: This is chromesthesia, a common form where sounds trigger the perception of colors.
5. Tasting shapes: This is a rare form where shapes are associated with tastes. For example, a triangle might taste sour.
6. Smelling colors: This is another rare form where colors evoke smells. For example, yellow might smell like lemons.
7. Feeling the texture of music: This is auditory-tactile synesthesia where music evokes tactile sensations like roughness or smoothness.
8. Seeing time as a spatial layout: This is spatial sequence synesthesia, where time units like days or months are perceived in a spatial arrangement.
9. Feeling pain when seeing someone else in pain: This is mirror-touch synesthesia, where observing someone experiencing touch evokes a similar sensation.
10. Tasting words: This is lexical-gustatory synesthesia, where words evoke taste sensations. For example, the word “love” might taste like chocolate.

Synaesthesia in Literature: Examples

Quote	Author	Explanation	Type of Synesthesia
“Back to the region where the sun is silent.”	Dante Alighieri	Auditory-visual; evokes desolation and despair through the contradictory image of a silent sun.	Auditory-Visual
“Tasting of Flora and the country green…”	John Keats	Combines taste with visual and auditory senses, creating a rich sensory experience.	Gustatory-Visual-Auditory
“With blue, uncertain, stumbling buzz…”	Emily Dickinson	Auditory-visual; evokes the blurred, disorienting experience of approaching death.	Auditory-Visual
“And the yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle…”	T.S. Eliot	Tactile-visual; personifies the smoke, giving it an animalistic quality.	Tactile-Visual
“The lights grow brighter as the earth lurches…”	F. Scott Fitzgerald	Visual-kinesthetic; portrays the growing excitement and anticipation of the evening.	Visual-Kinesthetic
“A clap of thunder… so loud I see it…”	Markus Zusak	Auditory-visual; conveys the overwhelming power and intensity of the thunder.	Auditory-Visual
“The scent of the rose rang like a bell…”	Oscar Wilde	Olfactory-auditory; creates a sensory symphony, enhancing the sensory experience of the rose’s fragrance.	Olfactory-Auditory
“The bitter taste of that laughter…”	Vladimir Nabokov	Gustatory-emotional; expresses the unpleasantness and cruelty of the laughter.	Gustatory-Emotional
“…and the words hung in the air like smoke…”	Toni Morrison	Visual-auditory; creates a haunting image of the lingering impact of words.	Visual-Auditory
“The silence was a heavy blanket…”	Ray Bradbury	Tactile-auditory; conveys the oppressive and suffocating nature of the silence.	Tactile-Auditory

Synaesthesia in Literature: Shakespearean

Quote	Play	Explanation	Type of Synesthesia
“How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!”	The Merchant of Venice	Visual-tactile synesthesia. The visual image of moonlight is described as if it has a tactile quality, creating a sense of tranquility and peace.	Visual-Tactile
“If music be the food of love, play on…”	Twelfth Night	Auditory-gustatory synesthesia. Music is described as if it can be tasted, suggesting that it nourishes the soul like food.	Auditory-Gustatory
“The bright day is done, and we are for the dark.”	Antony and Cleopatra	Visual-auditory synesthesia. The visual image of the day ending is connected to the auditory experience of entering darkness, creating a sense of finality and loss.	Visual-Auditory
“Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow…”	Macbeth	Visual-kinesthetic synesthesia. Life is compared to a walking shadow, blending the visual image of a shadow with the movement of walking, emphasizing life’s fleeting nature.	Visual-Kinesthetic
“Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, the appetite may sicken…”	Twelfth Night	Gustatory-emotional synesthesia. The excess of love is described as something that can be tasted and can cause sickness, linking emotional and physical sensations.	Gustatory-Emotional

Synaesthesia in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories

• Formalism: Synesthesia enhances the aesthetic experience by creating novel and unexpected combinations of sensory imagery. The formalist approach focuses on how this technique contributes to the overall structure and artistry of the text.
  • Example: In Baudelaire’s “Correspondences,” the line “Perfumes, colors, and sounds respond to one another” emphasizes the intermingling of senses, highlighting the poem’s formal unity.
• Reader-Response Criticism: Synesthesia invites readers to actively engage with the text by stimulating their own sensory imagination. Reader-response theory explores how individual readers interpret and create meaning from these synesthetic experiences.
  • Example: In Nabokov’s “Lolita,” the phrase “the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate” evokes unique taste sensations for each reader, enriching their personal interpretation of the text.
• Cognitive Poetics: Synesthesia offers insights into the cognitive processes involved in language comprehension and the creation of meaning. This theory examines how synesthetic metaphors activate different areas of the brain, enhancing the reader’s understanding and emotional engagement.
  • Example: In Emily Dickinson’s poem “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died—,” the line “With Blue—uncertain stumbling Buzz—” creates a multi-sensory experience that activates both auditory and visual processing in the reader’s mind.
• Psychological Criticism: Synesthesia can be interpreted as a reflection of the author’s unconscious desires or psychological state. This approach analyzes how the use of synesthetic imagery reveals the author’s inner conflicts or motivations.
  • Example: In Rimbaud’s poem “Vowels,” the association of colors with vowels may be seen as a manifestation of the poet’s personal experiences or emotions.

Synaesthesia in Literature: Relevant Terms

Literary Device	Definition	Relevance to Synesthesia
Synesthesia	A literary device where stimulation of one sense triggers an involuntary experience in another sense.	The core device used to create synesthetic experiences in literature.
Imagery	The use of vivid and descriptive language to create mental images and evoke sensory experiences.	Enhances the impact of synesthesia by creating rich and detailed sensory descriptions.
Metaphor	A figure of speech that compares two seemingly unlike things by stating one thing is another.	Can be used to express synesthetic experiences by equating one sensory perception with another (e.g., “The silence was a heavy blanket.”).
Simile	A figure of speech that compares two things using “like” or “as.”	A common way to express synesthetic experiences (e.g., “The music was as smooth as silk.”).
Personification	Attributing human qualities to inanimate objects or abstract concepts.	Can be used to personify sensory experiences, making them more vivid and relatable.
Symbolism	The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.	Can be employed to create symbolic connections between different senses (e.g., a color representing a sound).
Allusion	A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art.	Can reference other works that use synesthesia, or use synesthetic language to evoke a particular atmosphere or mood.
Motif	A recurring element (image, symbol, idea, or theme) that has symbolic significance in a literary work.	Synesthetic imagery can be used as a recurring motif throughout a work to create a consistent sensory experience.
Oxymoron	A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g., “deafening silence”).	Can be used to create unexpected and striking synesthetic combinations (e.g., “The bitter sweetness of her laughter”).
Juxtaposition	The placement of two contrasting elements side by side to highlight their differences.	Can be used to juxtapose different sensory experiences, creating a dynamic and engaging effect.

Synaesthesia in Literature: Suggested Readings