E M U L A T E A U T H O R

The Style of Kristin Hannah:

S T R U C T U R E / W O R D C H O I C E

In Hannah’s works she utilizes structure and word choice to deeper connect the story line to broader messages displayed throughout the story. Kristin Hannah specifically uses word choice and structure when describing the emotional state of a character as the hardships are taken on. In novels like, The Nightingale, the main character goes through many internal conflicts. Hannah uses the evoking word choice to develop the emotions of the main characters when expressing their internal thoughts. She also switched between multiple view points of different characters per chapter, revealing the structural build of Hannah’s novels. She utilizes the different points of view to move the story and create more hidden connections throughout the novel allowing for messages, topics, and themes to be displayed and communicated across better. Through varied word choice, Hannah brings her characters to life, making both their appearances and personalities fully understood. She specifically uses terms based on the location of the characters, and the time period they are in.

T O P I C S

Hannah tends to write about common topics and themes: female empowerment, family and relationships, love in difficult circumstances, loss and trauma, making decisions under pressure, and resilience. Characters in her books often face big moral dilemmas that cause them to make decisions quickly. An example of the moral dilemmas faced by characters is rebuilding or abandoning relationships with other characters in the novels. For example, in Hannah’s novel Home Again, the main character, Madelaine Hillyard, faced the dilemma of teen pregnancy and had to raise a daughter by herself, revealing the topic of love in difficult circumstances and rebuilding a healthy relationship between family members. Kristin Hannah continues to build and develop the topics in her novels by connecting the themes and topics to each other. For example in Hannah’s novel The Nightingale, the topics of female empowerment and resilience are shown within the same actions of the main character, Isabelle.

S E T T I N G

Kristin Hannah writes some of her most popular books in the genre of historical fiction. In this genre, stories are illustrated in specific historical events, so the setting has to reflect the details and illustration of the event in order to capture the full picture of the story. For example, in the novel The Nightingale, Hannah writes of a story taking place in World War ll, during the French Resistance. Because the French Resistance affected many individuals, writing a fictional novel about the event could cause controversy and bitter feelings towards the author, so correctly writing many details describing the setting is important to well represent the genuine event and experience. Hannah describes the setting by using adjectives about seasonal changes to shift tone throughout the story. An example of a shift in season would be in The Nightingale, when Hannah writes about the weather continuing to drop, colder and colder as the climax of the story approaches.

E M U L A T I O N: One Day

O n e D a y

The snow hadn’t stopped for six days.

It looked to be a thick white blanket covering the roads, turning the Earth into an almost unrecognizable place. Jon stood huddled into the corner of the barn in which he was staying in, kicking any speck of snow away from him. Everything looked shriveled and holding on for life as the snow attempted to rip apart any living thing.

This was war, he thought; soldiers hiding in any place that could keep them from feeling the harshness of frostbite. Many were ordered to stay put and secure safety before moving on further, to fight. But that order was six days ago. Six long days of shivering, trying to keep only culminating memories that bring warmth to the touch, although failing. Jon was promised quick time on duty, but that promise was shattered. Left in a futurely dead stranger's barn . Sitting. Waiting. Enduring. Remembering.

In the distance you can hear the subtle rumbling of artillery. It was an eerie low sound and constant, as if there was a storm that never arrived but never went away.

“Try and get some rest,” a deep voice mumbled beside him.

Jon nodded in agreement, although he wasn’t really sure what the man had even said. His thoughts again were an attempt to keep only culminating memories that brought any sort of warmth to his soul. He thought of long summer days with his wife and children, laughing as his kids would perform silly little dances they made up waiting for dinner. He thought of tucking his children into bed, reading the same bed time stories and signing the same little lullabies.

As the snow blizzard picked up pushing into the barn so far it felt as if the walls were tilting in an attempt to get away from facing the weeks-long blizzard. Jon’s place in mind shifted toward a darker, more depressing state. This cycle of thoughts was dangerous. Once the memories and what-ifs start flowing, the spiraling can’t stop.

What if he never can never go home. What if he never gets to see his kids smile and play again. What if he never got a chance to hug his family before his final goodbye. He said a prayer of keeping him and his family safe, emphasizing that the lord will say goodbye to his family for him, if he never gets the chance. He settled with the prayer and cuddled tighter into the corner.

Good night family.

Good night world.

Good night.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

E X P L A N A T I O N

My story primarily revolves around the topics of resilience, family and relationship, and loss and trauma, like many of Kristin Hannah’s books. To show these topics, I wrote of a man taking shelter during a battle in war. In shelter he has nothing to do but wait for the next order risking his life, in honor for his country and his family. Kristin Hannah writes of a similar story of war in the novels, The Women and The Nightingale. In my emulation, the setting takes place during World War l. With WWI being a significant and known historical event, the genre reflects Kristin Hannah’s writing of Historical Fiction. Throughout the story, I utilize specific sentence structure that mocks Hannah’s writing. I use short statements to emphasize the emotion of how the man feels in the story. His feelings of grief, sadness, and hopefulness are illustrated through his action and inner thoughts displayed.

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