Rhetorical Devices Alliteration Allusion Assonance Anaphora Antistrophe Asyndeton Climax Metaphor Syllepsis Simile Tautology Pleonasm Anadiplosis Antithesis Aporia Apostrophe Cacophyn Chiasmus Euphemism Hyperbole Irony Oxymoron Paradox Personification http://www.virtualsalt.com/rhetoric.htm http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/jtomlins/rhetorical_devices.htm

Alliteration Definition: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of a word. Ex: “Let us go forth to lead the land we love.” – President John F. Kennedy Reason: It drives emphasis to a certain phrase.

Allusion Definition: A reference in a literary work to a well-known person, place or thing in history or another work of literature. Ex: “Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether”. – Abraham Lincoln (2nd Inaugural Address) Reason: They allow the reader / listener to understand a difficult concept by relating to an already familiar story. Evokes a more powerful image.

Anaphora Definition: A repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases or lines. Ex: He has refused to assent to laws… He has forbidden his governors… He has refused…. “The Declaration of Independence” Reason: To re-emphasize that a person, place or thing is important to the topic.

Antistrophe Definition: A repetition of the same word or group of words at the end of successive clauses, phrases or lines. Ex: "In 1931, ten years ago, Japan invaded Manchukuo -- without warning. In 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia -- without warning. In 1938, Hitler occupied Austria -- without warning. In 1939, Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia -- without warning. Later in 1939, Hitler invaded Poland -- without warning. And now Japan has attacked Malaya and Thailand -- and the United States --without warning." - President Franklin D. Roosevelt Reason: To re-emphasize that a person, place or thing is important to the topic.

Asyndeton Definition: Lack of conjunctions between phrases, clauses or words. Ex: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.(Preamble – The US Constitution) Reason: Offers a feeling of speed and concision to lists.

Climax Definition: An arrangement or words, phrases or clauses in an order of increasing importance. Ex: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. (The Declaration of Independence) Reason: Every point hits harder than the last and leaves the reader / listener with a powerful last image.

Modes of Persuasion Ethos “character” – Ethical appeal. To Convince an audience of the author / speaker’s credibility or character. Pathos “suffering/experience” – Emotional appeal. To persuade an audience by appealing to their emotions. Logos “word” – Appeal to logic. To convince an audience by use of logic or reason.