“Where I lived and what I lived for” Schemes and Tropes “Where I lived and what I lived for”

Apposition Placing side by side two coordinating elements, the second of which serves as an explanation or modification of the first. Less intrusive than parenthesis, it allows for the insertion of additional information or emphasis. “All that I could say, then, with respect to farming on a large scale-I have always cultivated a garden- was that I had had my seeds ready.” “To speak critically, I never received more than one or two letters in my life-I wrote this some years ago- That were worth the postage.”

Parallelism Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses. Emphasized similarities and connections. “A lake like this is never smoother than at such a time; and the clear portion of the air above it being, shallow and darkened by clouds, the water, full of light and reflections, becomes a lower heaven itself so much the more important.”  "Let us rise early and fast, or breakfast, gently and without perturbation; let company come and let company go, let the bells ring and children cry."

Polysyndeton The Opposite of asyndeton (the omission of conjunctions); the deliberate use of many conjunctions. Suggests flow or continuity in some instances, special emphasis in others. “In the midst of this chopping sea of civilized life, such are the clouds and storms and quicksands and thousand-and-one items to be allowed for…”

Paradox An apparently contradictory statement that nevertheless contains a measure of truth. Paradox is like an oxymoron in that both are built on contradictories, but paradox may not be a trope at all, because it involves not so much of a turn of meaning in juxtaposed words as a turn of meaning in the whole statement. “And if railroads are not built, how shall we get to heaven in season? But if we stay at home and mind our business, who will want railroads? We do not ride upon the railroad; it rides upon us. Did you ever think what those sleepers are that underlie the railroad? Each one is a man, an Irishman, or a yankee man. The rails are laid on them, and they are covered with sand, and the cars run smoothly over them. They are sound sleepers, I assure you. And every few years a new lot is laid down and run over; so that, if some have the pleasure of riding on the rail, others have the misfortune to be ridden upon. And when they run over a man that is walking in his sleep, a supernumerary sleeper in the wrong position, and wake him up, they suddenly stop the cars, and make a hue and cry about it, as if this were an exception. I am glad to know that it takes a gang of men for every five miles to keep the sleepers down and level in their beds as it is, for this is a sign that they may sometime get up again.”

Week 2- Schemes and Tropes of the Week

Antithesis Antithesis- the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, often in parallel structure. Emphasizes Dissimilarities and contraries. It produces the qualities of an anaphora “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, …”

Asyndenton Deliberate omission of conjunctions between a series of related ideas. Produces a hurried rhythm is the sentence.  “Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure?” (Julius Caesar)

synechdoche A figure of speech in which a part stands for the whole “The western wave was all a-flame. The day was well was nigh done! Almost upon the western wave Rested the broad bright Sun” (Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner) “His eye met hers as she sat there paler and whiter than anyone in the vast ocean of anxious faces about her.” (The Lady or the tiger?)