Final answer:
Repetition is a literary device that enhances thematic continuity and emotional resonance within a text. It ranges from specific refrains like MLK's 'I have a dream' to motifs such as the green light in 'The Great Gatsby,' and contributes to the unique voice of a narrative.
Step-by-step explanation:
Repetition is a powerful rhetorical device and a form of literary devices that can create strong emotional responses and thematic continuity within a text. When an author repeats words or phrases, it may suggest the persistence of a theme, create rhythms that are pleasing, and reinforce key ideas. The use of a refrain, such as Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream," can be particularly potent, echoing the core message of a speech or text.
Variation in sentence structure through techniques like repetition adds to the narrative prose, enabling it to convey themes in a way similar to more overtly poetic forms, which contributes to the unique 'voice' of a narrative. In literature, such devices are deliberately used by authors to evoke specific emotions without directly stating them, thereby enhancing the reader's connection to the material.
Authors may also use repetition to create a motif, such as the example of the green light in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby,' which is mentioned several times throughout the novel to symbolize the character's hopes and dreams.