ten big dawg rhetorical devices-1

7/26/2019 Ten Big Dawg Rhetorical Devices-1

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TEN BIG DAWG

RHETORICAL

DEVICESMr. Pogreba

AP Language

Helena High School

Sunday, January 22, 2012


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You, empowered with the knowledge of rhetoric.

The AP Exam



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Antithesis



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Antithesis

Antithesis is the use of contrary ideas ex

in a balanced sentence. It is the juxtapos

two words, phrases, clauses, or sentence

contrasted or opposed in meaning in suc

as to give emphasis to their contrasting igive the effect of balance.



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Contrary ideas in a

Balanced Sentence

"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



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Contrary ideas in a

Balanced Sentence

"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would

rather that my spark should burn out in a

brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by

dryrot. I would rather be a superb meteor,

every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a

sleepy and permanent planet. The proper

function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall

not waste my days in trying to prolong them.

I shall use my time."

--Jack London



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ANAPHORA



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ANAPHORA

Anaphora occurs when the speaker repea

same words at the start of successive se

or clauses.

It generally serves two purposes:

--a hammering effect that is certain to be

--the creation of an involuntary rhythm



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Repetition of the

same words at the

start of

successiveclauses/

sentences

The enemy said, I will pursue, I will

overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lustshall be satisfied upon them; I will draw

my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

Exodus 15:9



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Repetition of the

same words at the

start of successive

clauses/sentences

In time the savage bull sustains theyoke,

In time all haggard hawks will stoop tolure,

In time small wedges cleave the hardestoak,

In time the flint is pierced with softestshower.

Thomas Kyd, The Spanish Tragedy, I,vi. 3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kydhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spanish_Tragedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kydhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spanish_Tragedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spanish_Tragedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spanish_Tragedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kydhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kyd


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EPISTROPHE



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Epistrophe

Epistrophe occurs when the speaker repesame words at the end of successive sen

or clauses.

While it serves many of the same purpos

anaphora, the effect is often more subtle

It creates a cumulative effect.



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Repetition of the

same words at the

end of successive

clauses/sentences

"A day may come when the courage of

men fails, when we forsake our friends

and break all bonds of fellowship, but it

is not this day. An hour of woes and

shattered shields, when the age of mencomes crashing down! But it is not this

day! This day we fight!"

--Aragorn, The Return of the King (film)



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Repetition of the

same words at the

end of successive

clauses/sentences

Where affections bear rule,

their reason is subdued,

honesty is subdued, good will

is subdued, and all things else

that withstand evil, for ever

are subdued.

--Thomas Wilson



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Chiasmus



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ChiasmusChiasmus occurs when words or other e

are repeated with their order reversed.

Chiasmus amounts to an ABBA pattern.

A chiasmus need not repeat the same wo

order. It can instead just consist of a stru

reversal.

A good chiasmus has the benefits of emp

euphony, and rhythm.



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Repetition with the

order of elements

reversed

"In peace sons bury their

fathers, but in war fathers bury

their sons."

--Croesus



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Repetition with the

order of elements

reversed

"America did not invent

human rights. In a very real

sense, it is the other way

round. Human rights invented

America." --Jimmy Carter



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polysyndeton



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Polysyndeton

Polysyndeton is the repeated use of conj

Polysyndeton is used to create rhythm, r

the pace of an utterance, give the impres

speaker is making up the list as she goes

emphasize the large number of items in a



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Repeated use of

Conjunctions

A German daily is the

slowest and saddest and

dreariest of the inventions of

man.

-Mark Twain,A Tramp Abroad



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Repeated use of

Conjunctions

...Ill chase him round Good Hope,and round the Horn, and round theNorway Maelstrom, and roundperditions flames before I give him

up.

--Captain Ahab, in Melvilles MobyDick



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Asyndeton



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Asyndeton

Asyndeton means leaving out a conjunct

where it might have been expected to ap

Asyndeton can create emphasis, give

independent force to each item, show clo

relationship, improve the music of a se

or create a sense of acceleration.



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Omission of an

expected

conjunction

I came, I saw, I conquered.

--Julius Caesar



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Omission of an

expected

conjunction

"I have found the warm caves in thewoods,

filled them with skillets, carvings,shelves,

closets, silks, innumerable goods"

--Anne Sexton, "Her Kind"



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Litotes



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LitotesLitotes occurs when a speaker avoids m

affirmative claim directly and instead denopposite (Farnsworth, p. 204).

The effect of litotes depends on its use. I

create a sense of understatement, aid in

discretion, or enhance satire.

George Orwell would warn you to use thionly when necessary. It can become clic

awkward.



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denial of an Opposite

for Effect

That sword was not useless

to the warrior now.

--from Beowulf



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Denial of an Opposite

for Effect

Thus I consent, sir, to this Constitution,

because I expect no better, and

because I am not sure that it is not the

best.

--Benjamin Franklin, speech in favor of

ratifying the Constitution, 1787



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Hypophora



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Hypophora

Hypophora occurs when the speaker askquestion and then answers it.

Hypophora heightens interest by creating

suspense, supplies a motive for offering t

answer, creates involvement with the liste

creates empathy and a sense of dealing w

audience openly, and preempts a more foobjection.



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Asking and

answering a

Question

"You ask, what is our policy? I will say itis to wage war, by sea, land, and air,

with all our might and all the strengththat God can give us; to wage war

against a monstrous tyranny, neversurpassed in the dark, lamentable

catalog of human crime. That is ourpolicy.

--Winston Churchill

http://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogghttp://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogghttp://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogghttp://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogghttp://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogghttp://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogghttp://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogghttp://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogghttp://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogghttp://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogghttp://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogghttp://localhost/Users/dpogreba/Desktop/United_States_Navy_Band_-_God_Save_the_Queen.ogg


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Asking and

Answering a

Question

The gentleman asks, When were the

colonies emancipated? I desire to know

when were they made slaves?

--William Pitt, speech to Parliament(1766)



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Prolepsis



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Prolepsis

Prolepsis occurs when a speaker anticipaobjection and then comments on it.

It is distinct from hypophora because no

is asked.

A hypothetical objection may be suggest

then answered, potentially leading tomanipulation.



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Anticipating an

Objection and

Commenting on it

"But there are only three

hundred of us,' you object.

Three hundred, yes, but men,

but armed, but Spartans, but

at Thermoplyae: I have never

seen three hundred so

numerous" - Seneca



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Anticipating an

Objection and

Commenting on it

It may be objected, that very wise menhave been notoriously avaricious. Ianswer, Not wise in that instance. It maylikewise be said, That the wisest menhave been in their youth immoderatelyfond of pleasure. I answer, They werenot wise then.

Henry Fielding, Tom Jones



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Paralipsis



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Paralipsis

Paralipsis generally occurs when the spe

describes what she will not say and so sa

at least a bit of it.

Paralipsis is used to gain credit for discre

enhance the force of a sentiment by not

expressing it,to limit debate over a contro

utterance, or to amuse.

Its usually used to express negative idea

others, but can be used to give the impre

modesty by the speaker about positive fe



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Saying you wont say

it, but saying it by

saying you wont

Have patience, gentle friends, I must notread it [Caesar's will];It is not meet youknow how Caesar loved you.

You are notwood, you are not stones, but men;

And,

being men, bearing the will of Caesar,

It willinflame you, it will make you mad.Tis goodyou know not that you are his heirs;

For, ifyou should, O, what would come of it!

--Mark Antony, in ShakespearesJulius

Caesar



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Saying you wont say

it, but saying it by

saying you wont

Im not saying Im responsible for thiscountrys longest run of uninterruptedpeace in 35 years! Im not saying thatfrom the ashes of captivity, never has aPhoenix metaphor been morepersonified! Im not saying Uncle Samcan kick back on a lawn chair, sippingon an iced tea, because I havent comeacross anyone man enough to go toe totoe with me on my best day!

--Robert Downey Jr. as Iron ManSunday, January 22, 2012


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ten big dawg rhetorical devices-1

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