Rhetorical Devices

Rhetorical Devices AP Language and Composition

Strategies/Tools of Rhetorician • Proofs—Generating ideas that are clear, forceful, and convincing • Structure—How the ideas/arguments are arranged • Style—crafting words and phrases in effective ways • Tone • Schemes • Tropes • Satire • Delivery—How the message is delivered • Memory—”Cultural Memory”

The Basics • Style—An evaluation of the sum of the choices the author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other devices. • Diction—deliberate word choice, especially with attention to correctness, clearness, and effectiveness. • Syntax—the way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. • Tone—describes the author’s attitude towards his or her subject, the audience, or both

Devices Involving BALANCE

Parallelism • PARALLELISM is the use of the same grammatical structure for similar items • Suggests the equal importance of items • Sounds measured and deliberate • Adds balance, rhythm and clarity • Words balance words, phrases balance phrases, clauses balance clauses, sentences balance …

Parallelism • Government of the people, by the people, for the people. • But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. • The devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them … the fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out …

ANTITHESIS is when parallelism is used to juxtapose words, phrases or clauses that contrast. Used to point out differences rather than similarities Through parallel structure, still adds balance, clarity, rhythm To err is human; to forgive, divine. Alexander Pope It came as a joyous daybreakto endthe long night of captivity. Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address Antithesis

Antithesis • “...although the surface appears to be...very, very fine-grained as you get close to it. It's almost like a powder...Okay, I'm going to step off the LEM now. That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.” • Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 Moon Landing Speech

Antithesis • "...although the surface appears to be...very, very fine-grained as you get close to it. It's almost like a powder...Okay, I'm going to step off the LEM now. That's one small step for [a] man; one giant leap for mankind.” • Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 Moon Landing Speech

Antithesis • “We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom, symbolizing an end as well as a beginning, signifying renewal as well as change.” • John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address

Antithesis • "We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom, symbolizing an end as well as a beginning, signifying renewal as well as change." • John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address

Devices Involving REPETITION

Repetition • Good advice is: “Don’t be repetitive!” • Better advice is: “Don’t be repetitive, but use repetition!” • Schemes involving repetition of words or words can: • Lead the reader to pay closer attention to the prose • Cause the reader to see the writer as purposeful, forceful, artistic

Alliteration • ALLITERATION is repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning or in the middle of two or more adjacent words. • “I think a need a bigger box.” – Taco Bell Commercial • “No one standing in this house today can pass a puritanical test of purity that some are demanding that our elected leaders take.” – Richard Gephardt

Alliteration Examples • Well, sir, I’m Jordan Rivers. And these here are the Soggy Bottom Boys out of Cottonelia, Mississippi – songs of salvation to salve the soul. • Isn’t that what being an international man of mystery is all about? • Somewhere at this very moment a child is being born in America. Let it be our cause to give that child a happy home, a healthy family, and a hopeful future.

Anaphora • ANAPHORA is the repetition of the same group of words at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences. • “The Republicans believe that the wagon train will not make it to the frontier unless someof the old, some of the young, some of the weak are left behind by the side of trail.” – Mario Cuomo, 1984 Democratic National Convention Address • “To raise a happy, healthy, and hopeful child, it takes a family; it takes teachers; it takes clergy; it takes business people; it takes community leaders; it takes those who protect our health and safety. It takes all of us.” – Hillary Clinton, 1996 Democratic National Convention Address

Anaphora • Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island. • Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Pearl Harbor Address • What we need in the United States is not division. What we need in the United States is not hatred. What we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness; but is love and wisdom and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country whether they be white or whether they be black. • Robert F. Kennedy, announcing the death of Martin Luther King

Anaphora • Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night, theJapanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island. • Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Pearl Harbor Address • What we need in the United States is not division. What we need in the United States is not hatred. What we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness; but is love and wisdom and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country whether they be white or whether they be black. • Robert F. Kennedy, announcing the death of Martin Luther King

Rhetorical Devices