Rhetorical Devices Ways to give our writing stylistic

Rhetorical Devices Ways to give our writing stylistic interest or power

Two ways. . . ® SYNTAX ® DICTION The way we arrange our words The words we actually choose length/grammar imagery types of sentences voice (active/passive) structural variations ideas sound

SYNTAX: Types of sentences ® Simple (The cow sang. ) ® Compound ® Complex (The cow sang and the birds hummed along. ) (When the cow sang, the birds hummed along. ) ® Compound Complex (When the cows sang, the birds hummed along and the humans thought of the Macdonald’s theme song)

Sentence lengths ® Very short sentences can add emphasis ® Long sentences can develop complex ideas, and build tension ® Sentence fragments can add extra punch

Voice ® Different speakers often organize their sentences in different ways that suggest their personalities. (Oh, I do believe, unless I’m wrong, that perhaps it is time to be off) ® Using the active voice is punchier than using the passive voice l l I raised taxes (active voice) Taxes were raised by me (passive voice)

Structural Variations Periodic Sentences I, after much thought, left my home.

Structural Variations: Parallelism: clauses or phrases of similar structure I loved the ones best who cared for me, who fought for me, and who died for me. Antithesis: balanced sentences contrasting each other You always want to know what I’ve been doing; I always want to forget what I’ve been doing. Climactic Parallelism: parallel phrases that build I was born tall, grew up tall, and I died even taller. Chiasmus: parallel phrases with reversed elements When the going gets tough, the tough get going. To be or not to be.

DICTION CONNOTATIVE WORDS: Words with interesting associated meanings (black, white, slobbering, lunged, . . . ) IMAGERY IDEAS SOUND Metaphor/simile repetition assonance Symbol consonance Analogy Hyperbole (Exaggeration) understatement Allusion contrast onomatopoeia rhyme

Imagery (creating pictures) ® Metaphor: ® Simile: He is a rat! He scurried from the room He scurried like a rat. ® Symbol: Every day the maple leaf was being pecked at by the eagle ® Analogy: a formal essay is a three-piece suit; an informal essay is khakis and a golf shirt ® Allusion: I loved with a passion like Romeo loved his Juliet

IDEAS ® Repetition: I have a dream (Martin Luther King Jr. speech series of paragraphs) ® Hyperbole: Speaking to the class was my worst nightmare! (Exaggeration) ® Understatement: I was somewhat pleased to win the Lotto Jackpot. ® Contrast: Richard Parker would be a better travel mate than my sister.

SOUND EFFECTS ® Assonance: Able, and capable, and full, I waited for my call. (repeating vowel sounds– when at start of word, it is called alliteration) ® Consonance: ® Rhyme: I am happy when I’m particularly uppity. (repeating consonant sounds—when at start of word, it is called alliteration) Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee ® Onomatopoeia: Screech! Bang! Boom!

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