What are some English literary techniques used in the film 'Whiplash"?

Blood recurs throughout the film as an image. In addition to being an aesthetically evocative sight, it serves as a symbol for the sacrifices Andrew is willing to make and the pain he is willing to endure in order to become "one of the greats." We watch as Andrew practices so long and hard that his hands begin to bleed all over his drums. The instrument that he loves and plays for fun is transformed into a machine that he is hurting himself to serve. Chazelle pushes this image very far, as when we see Andrew practicing so hard that he has to submerge his bloody hand in a pitcher of ice water. Later, he gets in a horrible car crash, but still climbs out of the car, bleeding, and runs to the jazz competition. Here, the blood all over him is not from playing the drums too hard, but from being so singleminded in his desire to play in the Studio Band that he ends up in a horrible crash. Thus, blood is a visceral symbol of Andrew's maniacal ambition and his disregard for his own basic safety and well-being in the pursuit of becoming a better drummer.

Situational Irony:

Very soon after Fletcher promotes Andrew to core drummer, he introduces another drummer into Studio Band. In the moment that Andrew finally feels validated and at home in the band, his position as core drummer is compromised. Not only that, but Ryan, the new drummer, is an old peer of Andrew's and a less-talented drummer. This moment is ironic because it highlights the unpredictability of competitive jazz drumming under Fletcher, and the ways that Andrew is unable to predict how he will fare in such a competitive environment.

Imagery/ Opening Scene

The opening scene of the film shows Andrew practicing from a distance down a hallway. The composition of the shot shows the isolation of Andrew's practice, revealing that the life of a musician is solitary and stark. The light in his practice room is the only one in the shot, and we see him from a distance, heightening a sense of his removal from the rest of the world.