Rhetorical Strategies Rhetorical Question A rhetorical question is

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Rhetorical Strategies

Rhetorical Strategies

● ● Rhetorical Question ● ● A rhetorical question is asked just for effect,

● ● Rhetorical Question ● ● A rhetorical question is asked just for effect, or to lay emphasis on some point being discussed, when no real answer is expected. A rhetorical question may have an obvious answer, but the questioner asks it to lay emphasis to the point. In literature, the writers will ask a rhetorical question and then answer the question to have a desired effect. Ex: You’re not seriously about to do that, are you?

● ● Emotive Language ● ● Emotive language pertains to word choice. Specific diction

● ● Emotive Language ● ● Emotive language pertains to word choice. Specific diction is used to evoke emotion in the reader. Different words can be used to cause different reactions in the audience. How do the words make you feel? Example: ○ ○ Another person in the bar was injured by the man's glass. VS. An innocent bystander suffered facial injuries when the thug launched his glass across the bar.

● Parallel Structures (Parallelism) ● ● Parallelism is the use of components in a

● Parallel Structures (Parallelism) ● ● Parallelism is the use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same; or similar in their construction, sound, meaning, or meter. This method adds balance and rhythm to sentences, giving ideas a smoother flow and thus persuasiveness, because of the repetition it employs. Examples ○ ○ ○ Like father, like son. He came, he saw, and he conquered. Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech

● ● Alliteration is a number of words, having the same first consonant sound,

● ● Alliteration is a number of words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together in a series. In Poetry and Prose… ○ Sounds Patterns (Alliteration) ○ ● It creates a musical effect in the text that enhances the pleasure of reading a literary piece. As well as making it easier to memorize. Ex: "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. " The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald In the Marketing Industry… ○ ○ Alliteration makes the brand names interesting and easier to remember. Ex: Dunkin’ Donuts, Pay. Pal, Best Buy, etc.

● ● Contrast is a rhetorical device through which writers identify differences between two

● ● Contrast is a rhetorical device through which writers identify differences between two subjects, places, persons, things, or ideas. The main purpose of contrast is to clear the meanings of ideas. Readers can easily understand through this device what is going to happen next. Example: ○ “Unlike most babies, Stuart could walk as soon as he was born. ” Stuart Little by E. B. White

● Imagery means to use figurative language to represent objects, actions, and ideas in

● Imagery means to use figurative language to represent objects, actions, and ideas in such a way that it appeals to our physical senses. ○ Description and Imagery ● ● Using metaphors, similes, personification The function of imagery in literature is to generate a vibrant and graphic presentation of a scene that appeals to as many of the reader’s senses as possible. Example ○ The starry night sky looked so beautiful that it begged him to linger, but he reluctantly left for home.

● ● The ‘rule of three’ ● A series of three words, phrases or

● ● The ‘rule of three’ ● A series of three words, phrases or sentences that are parallel in structure, length and/or rhythm. The first two elements get the audience thinking you are going in one direction, but the third element introduces an unexpected twist. Examples ○ ○ “Veni, vidi, vici. ” - Julius Caesar “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. ” Benjamin Franklin

● ● Repetition is a literary device that repeats the same words or phrases

● ● Repetition is a literary device that repeats the same words or phrases a few times to make an idea clearer and more memorable. It could be a word, a phrase, or a full sentence, or a poetical line repeated to emphasize its significance in the entire text. Example ○ “O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up — for you the flag is flung — for you the bugle trills…” O Captain! My Captain! By Walt Whitman

● ● Anecdote is defined as a short and interesting story, or an amusing

● ● Anecdote is defined as a short and interesting story, or an amusing event, often proposed to support or demonstrate some point, and to make the audience laugh. Example ○ Anecdote Oh, I would never dream of assuming I know all Hogwarts' secrets, Igor. Only this morning, for instance, I took a wrong turn on the way to the bathroom and found myself in a beautifully proportioned room I had never seen before, containing a really rather magnificent collection of chamber pots. When I went back to investigate more closely, I discovered that the room had vanished. - Dumbledore to a visiting headmaster in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

Rhetorical Appeal Reminders Ethos, Pathos, and Logos go right along with your rhetorical strategies—they

Rhetorical Appeal Reminders Ethos, Pathos, and Logos go right along with your rhetorical strategies—they help sway the audience all the same. The strategies can help add to the appeals as well—such as imagery influencing your emotions