Rhetoric and Rhetorical Devices English I 2016-2017

What is rhetoric? Definition: the art of persuasive speaking or writing

Logos = the facts and logic Rhetorical Appeals Ethos = trustworthy Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle Logos = the facts and logic Pathos = emotions

Rhetorical devices Tools of Persuasion

Asyndeton For And Nor But Or Yet So Definition: leaving out conjunctions in a sentence Purpose: speeds up a speech Example: “He was a bag of bones, a floppy doll, a broken stick, a maniac.” – Jack Kerouac

Polysyndeton Definition: using several conjunctions in a row Purpose: slows down a speech Example: The farmer took his horse, and his cow, and his chickens, and his sheep, and his pigs to the market.

Anaphora Definition: repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of groups of sentences or clauses Purpose: to emphasize an idea Example: Every day, every hour, every minute I think about food.

Epistrophe Definition: repetition of a word or phrase at the end of groups of sentences or clauses Purpose: to emphasize an idea Example: You know my friends. You talk to my friends. You are one of my friends.

Tautology Definition: the repetition of meaning using similar words Purpose: to emphasize a specific idea or term Example: In Rome, we saw dilapidated ruins.

Oxymoron Definition: two contradictory (opposite) ideas next to each other Purpose: to get the reader’s attention Example: jumbo shrimp, pretty ugly, civil war

Allusion Definition: a brief reference to a person, place, event, idea or work of art/literature Purpose: strengthens a writer’s argument through comparison Example: It’s hotter than Hades outside!

Cacophony Definition: unpleasant word sounds Purpose: attract the reader’s attention by making them uncomfortable/irritated Example: She sells sea shells by the sea shore.

Euphony Definition: pleasant word sounds Purpose: attract the reader’s attention by making them comfortable Example: “Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!” – The Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll

Chiasmus Definition: when words or ideas are repeated in a reverse order in a sentence Purpose: to emphasize an idea Example: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” - JFK

Metonymy Definition: replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else it is related to Purpose: helps the text come together Example: “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.” – Shakespeare Julius Caesar

Synecdoche My new wheels! Definition: when the part represents the whole, or the whole represents the part Purpose: emphasize an important part Example: I’m driving my new wheels (car). The White House made a press release.

Litote Definition: an understatement that uses double negatives Purpose: to show strong emotion Example: The ice cream was not too bad.

Parallelism Definition: the repetition of similar grammatical structures; the sentence “mirrors” itself Purpose: to balance and add rhythm to a speech/writing Example: Like father, like son. Whether in class, at work or at home, Bob was always busy.