Resonance in writing is the way a detail, phrase, or idea can take on significance that lingers with a reader. It may come from a personal association or from a connection the text builds across scenes. An image can gather meaning each time it returns.
Let a detail gather meaning
Early in a story, a child sees the porch lantern come on when her father expects her home. Years later, she turns on the same lantern before her own child returns. The second scene recalls the first and gives the light a connection to care across generations.
Give readers something to connect
Choose a detail that belongs in each scene and let its surroundings change. Readers may bring different associations to the image. A recurring detail can work as a literary device, while the surrounding context gives readers a basis for interpreting it.
