What are chiasms?

Finally, visiting one of the original themes and interests of this blog: Chiasms found in the Bible. I guess the first post needs to explain a bit about what they are so we can all be on the same page. (Here is another short article explaining chiasms)


What are Chiasms?
A chiasm is a literary structure used in many ancient writings. It is a way of structuring poetry and narratives such that multiple segments pivot around a climax point(s). 


Specifically, a chiasm consists of pairs of segments mirrored across a climax (C). Each pair of segments has one segment positioned before (A, B) and one after (A', B') the climax; as well both are spaced at an equal distance from the climax. The pair of segments contain a significant similarity in content, emotion or theme. A short chiasm of only one pair can randomly occur without the author intending to use the structure, but the more pairs that you observe shows a higher probability that the author intended to use literary structure.


The best way to understand this structure is by giving an example. Where C is the climax segment and A-A' and B-B' are the segment pairs. 

A 

    B 

        C 

    B'

A'

The pivot may be an actual segment itself such as the previous example or it may exist between mirrored segments as in the following segment.

A 

    B 

        C 

        C' 

    B' 

A'


Lets use an example from Jonah to see how observe a chiasm in the text:

"I called to the LORD out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the sea, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, 'I am driven away from your sight; how shall I look again upon your holy temple?' The waters closed in over me; the deep surrounded me; weeds wrapped around my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the Pit, O LORD my God. As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple." Jonah 2:2-7

There is clear poetic structure, but I think there is a bit more structure here, 


A I called to the LORD out of my distress, and he answered me; 
    B out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.
        C You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the sea, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me.
            D  Then I said, 'I am driven away from your sight;
            D' how shall I look again upon your holy temple?'
        C' The waters closed in over me; the deep surrounded me; weeds wrapped around my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever;
     B' yet you brought up my life from the Pit, O LORD my God.
A' As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.

Can you see how the mirrored segments are similar in theme and content? There are many other examples that are easier to see, but I tried to give one that I had found that wouldn't be a repeat of others that I found online. Do a search and find some more examples to get a better idea. 


It is an interesting exercise to look for in the text but is their any other purpose? What are the author's intentions in using this structure? Does this give us any extended meaning? Is it a code?