Sound Devices DeviceDefinitionExample AlliterationBEGINNING of several consecutive or neighboring words with the same consonant sound. “I saw a bee busy among the sweet bilberries.” AssonanceThe repetition of vowel sounds in a series of words. “a warm glow suffused both it and the lower steps of the oak staircase” Repeated “o” Effect: mellowness (in this case only) ConsonanceThe repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of a series of words “while the rain descends so, must I lay my head on the cold, drenched ground?”

Repetition (Syntax Techniques) DeviceDefinitionExample RepetitionDevice in which words, sounds, and ideas are used more than once to enhance rhythm to create emphasis THE RAVEN AnadiplosisThe repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause “He then said the she was the daughter of a French opera-danger, Celine Varens, towards whom he had once cherished hat he called a ‘grande passion’. This passion Celine had progressed to return with even…” EpanalepsisThe repetition at the end of a clause of a word that occurred at the beginning of the clause “Breakfast was over, and none had breakfast.”

Repetition (Syntax Techniques) DeviceDefinitionExample AnaphoraRepetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses. Helps to establish rhythm “What a face he had, now that is was almost on level with mine! What a great nose! And what a mouth! And what large prominent teeth!” EpistropheThe repetition of the same word or group of words at the ends of successive clauses. Helps set up a pronounced rhythm and gains special emphasis “Genius is said to be self-conscious: I cannot tell whether Miss Ingram was a genius, but she was self-conscious— remarkable self conscious indeed.”

Stylistic Devices DeviceDefinitionExample Polysyndetonseveral coordinating conjunctions are used in succession in order to achieve an artistic effect “Let the whitefolks have their money and power and segregation and sarcasm and big houses and schools and lawns like carpets, and books, and mostly–mostly–let them have their whiteness.” (Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings)sarcasm Asyndetonderived from a Greek word asyndeton which means unconnected. It is a stylistic device used in literature and poetry to intentionally eliminate conjunctions between the phrases and in the sentence, yet maintain the grammatical accuracy “This is the villain among you who deceived you, who cheated you, who meant to betray you completely…….” (Rhetoric by Aristotle)Rhetoric The word “and” is not featured in the given lines, which could have functioned as a conjunction here. Aristotle believed that asyndeton could be effective if used in the ending of the texts. Here he himself employed this device.