Non Sequitur

Definition of Non Sequitur
Non sequitur is a literary tool that consists of statements, sayings, and conclusions that don't follow the essential standards of logic and reason. They are regularly utilized in theater and comedies to create comedic effect.

In fact, non sequitur is a Latin word that means “it doesn’t follow.” Here, non means “now not,” and sequitur means “to comply with.” It takes region whilst a distinction is created among the principle idea and the conclusion, which eventually results in a fallacy. In conversation, non sequitur is something this is said, which seems quite absurd – to the point of confusion due to lack of right meanings. It is from time to time taken as postulation, which means the statement might not be true. For instance:

Maria drives a car. She ought to be a wealthy person.
David eats broccoli. David need to like to eat meat.
The sentences do not follow a right series in non sequitur, and words do not give the same which means as readers suppose them to do.

Types of Non Sequitur
One can find non sequitur examples in regular speech and in different fields of life, such as in the practice of law in which non sequitur in arguments is regularly used. It may be categorized into following six categories:

Non sequitur in normal speech: “Business is business, and a cup of tea is a cup of tea.”
Fallacy of the undistributed middle: “All humans have bones. Crocodiles have bones. Therefore, crocodiles are human beings.”
Affirming the consequent: “If Charles is right, then Diana is right. As Diana is right, therefore, Charles is proper.”
Denying the antecedent: “If I am Indian, then I am Asian. I am not Indian. Therefore, I am not Asian.”
Affirming a disjunct: “Adam is proper or Eve is proper. Adam is right, consequently Eve isn't proper.”
Denying a conjunct: “It isn't that both Horse and Cow is true. Cow isn't always true. Therefore, Horse is true.”
Examples of Non Sequitur in Literature
The pleasant examples of non sequitur may be observed in the Theatre of the Absurd.

Example #1: Waiting for Godot (By Samuel Beckett)
VLADIMIR: “Consult his family…”
ESTRAGON: (anxious) “And we?”
ESTRAGON: “And why might he shout?”
VLADIMIR: “At his horse. Silence.”
ESTRAGON: (violently) “I’m hungry!”
VLADIMIR: “Do you want a carrot…”
VLADIMIR: “I would possibly have some turnips…”
VLADIMIR: “Oh pardon! I may want to have sworn it became a carrot…”
ESTRAGON: (Chewing) “I requested you a question.”
VLADIMIR: “Ah.”
ESTRAGON: “Did you reply?”
VLADIMIR: “How’s the carrot?”
ESTRAGON: “It’s a carrot.”

Here we will genuinely see the usage of non sequiturs, wherein Estragon consistently asks a question, but Vladimir does no longer trouble to answer.

Example #2: Bald Soprano (By Eugene Ionesco)
Mrs. Smith:
“There, it’s 9 o’ clock; we have drunk the soup, and eaten the fish and chips and the English salad … That’s because we stay in the suburbs of London and due to the fact our call is smith.”

Mr. Smith: (maintains to examine and clicks his tongue)
“Potatoes are very good, fried in fat: the salad oil become no longer rancid … However, I prefer not to inform them that their oil is bad.”

Mr. Smith: (continues to read and clicks his tongue)
“However, the oil from the grocery store at the corner is until the nice.”

Mr. Smith: (keeps to read and clicks his tongue)

In this excerpt, we can observe the strong use of non sequitur, in which Mrs. Smith is talking to Mr. Smith, and he does not respond in any respect as it's far pretty absurd.

Function of Non Sequitur
Non sequitur is produced inadvertently because of a few confusion, and even once in a while intentionally to confound the audience, on the way to factor out the confusion existing inside the situation or society at large. However, it's far frequently used with a view to trade the situation of the conversation, and deliver a funny touch by way of leaping to a conclusion abruptly, with out following the essential principles of conversation.

Similarly, as a literary tool it's far used within the Theater of the Absurd, and in surreal absurdist comedies. In theater, there are characters that give one non sequitur after some other and flow away, to provide comedic effect. Since the audience can not foresee what the following assertion will be, they merely chuckle at it.

Neologism Nostalgia