What are Rhetorical Strategies?

What is “rhetoric”?  Rhetoric is the “art or study of effective language.”  Effective language is language used to an effect – this includes writing that accomplished the writer’s goal. The writer’s goal was to communicate a specific idea.  Therefore, rhetoric may be described as “persuasive use of language” and “rhetorical strategies” are techniques which writers use for a particular effect.

 This is a strong principle of advertising. People connect people and ideas through juxtaposition. If I want to convince you to wash your hands, I may say, “thou shalt wash thy hands.” This connects the idea of washing one’s hands to the commandments. Many people respect the commandments; therefore, those people will begin to associate hand washing with the same reverence given to a commandment.” This also may seem a little funny to some people.  Humor is another rhetorical technique. Allusion/Reference

Humor  Humor can be used in very persuasive ways. It can be used to “win you over,” to make you like the writer and, therefore, like his or her ideas. Humor comes in many forms.  hyperbole (exaggeration)  understatement  irony (verbal, situational, dramatic, and cosmic)  sacrasm

Attitude, Tone, or Mood  These three literary terms are essentially the same. You can think of an ATM machine to help you remember them. They are by definition the emotional feelings aroused by the chosen diction. Sometimes you can tell the emotional state of the writer (or the writing) by examining individual words. Writers who choose diction as a means to contribute to tone are using tone as a rhetorical technique.

Here is a list of rhetorical strategies and their general functions. DeviceFunction AnalogyTo make a pointed comparison, often a very powerful comparison MetaphorTo make a pointed comparison, often a very powerful comparison SimileTo make a pointed comparison, often a very powerful comparison Hyperboledeliberate exaggeration for emphasis; “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!” Understatement or litotes opposite of hyperbole, intensifies an idea by understatement; “Oh, it was nothing.” Juxtapositionthe placing of contrasting settings, characters, or other literary elements in opposition between paragraphs or between sections of text to highlight an intended disparity.

DeviceFunction ImageryTo illustrate an idea, a feelings, or the particular qualities of something; to produce a feeling or an idea AlliterationTo create a memorable phrase AllusionTo lend authority to an idea, to make an association with something the reader knows Anaphoraa form of a regular repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases or strategically placed paragraphs. RepetitionTo create a memorable, powerful effect, to reinforce an idea Parallelisma set of similarly structured words, phrases, or clauses

DeviceFunction Tonethe accumulated and implied attitude toward the subject reached by analyzing diction, detail, syntax, and all other figurative language elements. UndertoneTo communicate an attitude towards the subject that cuts beyond the attitude that appears on the surface Words with heavy connotations To cast the subject in a particular light, to imply Ironythe speaker means something other than what is said; the unexpected; a difference between what is stated to be literally true and what the reader knows to be true Paradoxa statement that appears to be contradictory but, in fact, has some truth: “He worked hard at being lazy.”

DeviceFunction AnecdoteTo provide a concrete example or humanize an abstract event HumorTo disarm the audience, diffuse hostility, warm the reader to the writer’s ideas SatireTo ridicule and inspire reform Sarcasm, verbal ironyTo ridicule or criticize Invective (insulting or abusive language) To ridicule, chastise or convey contempt Appeals to reason (logic), emotion (pathos), patriotism, religion, ethics (ethos) To provoke the audience to respond in a particular way, to tap a reader’s values Synecdocheone word that makes the reader think of all things in the class, so “all hands on deck” refers to all helpers

Device Function Rhetorical questionTo provoke the reader to respond or to think, or to lead them to the next idea Short, staccato sentencesTo call attention to an idea Antithesisthe placing of opposing or contrasting ideas and/or words within the same sentence or very close together to emphasize their disparity Asyndetonconjunctions are omitted, producing fast- paced and rapid prose to speed up the reader so as to have the reader experience the events along with the persona in a rapid succession Polysyndetonthe use of many conjunctions has the opposite effect of asyndeton; it slows the pace of the reader

Device Function Paralipsisthe device of giving emphasis by professing to say little or nothing about a subject, as in not to mention their unpaid debts of several million. To draw attention to something while pretending no to do so. A kind of irony. Narrative paceTo convey energy or intense feelings ( or lack thereof)