1. Rhetoric & Rhetorical Devices
What is this all about?
Why do I need to know about this?

2. What is Rhetoric?
Definition: The principles for finding and arranging ideas and for using language in speech or writing to achieve the writer’s purpose in addressing his or her audience.
In simple terms: command of language, a way with words

3. OK, so what are rhetorical devices?
They are techniques writers and speakers use to effectively convey ideas and enhance arguments.
Writers and speakers use them within the language in order to emphasize, explain, or unify ideas, and often to persuade.

4. Parallelism
Parallelism is the use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same; or similar in their construction, sound, meaning or meter.
Writing structures that are grammatically parallel helps the reader understand the points better because they flow more smoothly.
If there is anyone out there who still doubts…who still wonders…who still questions

5. Hypophora
A common technique is to start a speech with a hypophora, in which the speaker first asks a question and then answers it.
In many political speeches, the word Why is used regularly as an obvious signpost of the speaker’s intention to give his audience answers.

6. Rhetorical Question
question requiring no answer: a question asked for effect that neither expects nor requires an answer.
"Can you do anything right?" is asked not to literally evaluate the abilities of the person being spoken to, but rather to hyperbolically imply that the person always fails.

7. Repetition
Repetition can be effective in creating a sense of structure and power. In both speech and literature, repeating small phrases can ingrain an idea in the minds of the audience.
Yes, we can, to opportunity and prosperity. Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can repair this world. Yes, we can.

8. Anaphora
The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses or lines.
"We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender."
(British Prime Minister Winston Churchill)

9. Epistrophe
Repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
"It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can.
"It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can.
"It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can.

10. Antithesis
a figure of speech in which an opposition or contrast of ideas is expressed by parallelism of words that are the opposites of, or strongly contrasted with, each other, such as “hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins”
Obama is famous for having said “There are no red states or blue states. There are only the United States of America.”
"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, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way." (Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)

11. Polysyndeton
using several conjunctions in close succession, especially where some might be omitted—used to stress the importance of each item
$5 and $10 and $15

12. Tricolon
A tricolon is a list of three, or a sentence in which there are three parts or clauses. The cumulative effect of three has a powerful effect on an audience.
Here, the backyards, living rooms and front porches build a strong picture of “plain folks”

13. Figurative speech
People like to think in metaphors. The image of bending the arc of history up towards hope is powerful. Figurative speech tends to work best when set off by concrete images.
“the arc of history with the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston”

14. Allusion
the act or practice of making a casual or indirect reference to something.
By using allusion, you not only associate yourself with the ideas of the original text but also create a bond with the audience by evoking shared knowledge
The words government of the people, by the people, and for the people are lifted from the “Gettysburg Address”

15. Hyperboles
exaggeration: deliberate and obvious exaggeration used for effect, e.g.
Example: "I could eat a million of these."

16. Loaded Words Loaded words carry strong emotional associations.
Our baseball team won the tournament, pulverizing the Brantley County Herons in the final.

17. Rhetorical & Persuasive Appeals

18. A. R. T. Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle
Logos—logical appeal; asks the readers to use their intellects and powers of reasoning. It relies on established conventions of logic and evidence.
Ethos—appeal to ethics; asks the reader/listener to look favorably on the writer/speaker; stresses the writer/speaker’s intelligence, competence, fairness, morality, and other qualities desirable in a trustworthy leader.
Pathos—an emotional appeal; asks readers to respond out of their beliefs, values, or feelings. It inspires, affirms, frightens, angers.

19. To sum it up . . . Rhetoric takes many forms
Questions
Repetition
Figures of speech
Appeals to logic, ethics or emotions
Rhetoric is used for several things
Emphasize
Explain
Unify ideas
Persuade

20. The End