Published: July 3, 2024 | Last Updated: December 4, 2024
Cacophony Definition & Meaning
Cacophony is the use of harsh, discordant, and unpleasant sounds in language, often for a specific effect. It involves deliberately creating a jarring or chaotic auditory experience by arranging words, phrases, or sentences. Cacophony evokes a sense of dissonance, disorder, tension, or even chaos within the reader or listener.
Cacophony is derived from the Greek words kakos (bad) and phone (voice), and it essentially means a harsh, jarring, and dissonant sound.
Cacophony in Literature
In literature, cacophony can refer to a deliberate combination of sounds, words, or images that clash or create a sense of chaos.
For example, it can be created by using harsh consonant sounds (such as “k,” “g,” “ch,” “t”) or abrupt rhythms.
Here’s an example from The Bell Jar (1963) by Sylvia Plath (try reading it aloud):
It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn’t know what I was doing in New York.
Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
The juxtaposition of harsh sounds like “queer,” “electrocuted,” and “Rosenbergs” with softer sounds like “summer” and “New York” creates a cacophonous effect that mirrors the confusion and disorientation of the narrator.
Here’s another example from Shakespeare’s Macbeth (1623):
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
William Shakespeare, Macbeth
The use of harsh consonants like “t,” “d,” and “f” conveys a sense of chaos and disorder, contributing to the cacophony of the overall passage.
Cacophony in Film
In movies, we primarily experience cacophony through dialogue and sound design. Because movies are audio-visual media, the sounds and images work together to create disharmony and chaos.
Tips on Using Cacophony in a Movie Script Dialogue
As a screenwriter, you can use cacophony (disruptive language) to create emotional intensity or turmoil and contrast it with euphony (pleasant, harmonious sounds).
For example, one scene could show a couple in a harmonious state, and their dialogue can stress this by using words or phrases with pleasant sounds such as “I love you,” “soft body,” or “you’re beautiful, honey.”
The next scene could be an argument where the dialogue is based on more disruptive language, such as “I fucking hate that bitch”, “What the hell are you talking about!” and so on.
You can even introduce subtle cacophony into a seemingly harmonious scene as a forewarning of a conflict or something rotten beneath the surface (subtext).
Examples of Cacophonic Sound Design
A good example of cacophonic sound design is the classic Hitchcock movie Psycho (1960). The infamous shower scene features screeching violins and sharp, discordant music that heightens the suspense and terror of the scene. The cacophonous soundtrack adds to the chaotic and frenzied atmosphere of the murder.
Another good example is the chaotic opening battle scene of Saving Private Ryan (1998). The mortars, machine guns, waves, soldiers screaming, and other horrible war sounds combined with the chaotic and bloody imagery create an all-out cacophonic affair.
Cacophony beyond Sound
Cacophony can be used more broadly as an analytical term to describe a jarring or chaotic combination of elements beyond sound.
In literature, for example, cacophony can refer to a dissonant or discordant combination of words, images, or ideas that creates a sense of chaos or confusion for the reader.
I’d argue the same is true for movies, and even more explicit, because image and sound work together to enhance or juxtapose a scene’s elements or dialogue.
It can also be more structural—for example, by creating a chaotic non-linear narrative with juxtaposing scenes or between elements in a scene that creates a sudden sense of chaos—for example, when a seemingly calm morning suddenly turns into violent, bloody mayhem.
Summing Up
Cacophony is a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds. It refers to a chaotic and jarring combination of noises that lack harmony or coherence.
Cacophony can be created intentionally for artistic purposes, such as music, poetry, or literature, to evoke a sense of confusion, chaos, or dissonance.
It can also occur unintentionally in everyday situations when various sounds clash or overlap in a loud and chaotic manner. In essence, cacophony is the opposite of harmony and can create a sense of tension, unease, or disruption in auditory experiences.
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