Rhetorical Devices

Question 1

Parallelism

Answer 1

Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses

ex. The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of misery

Question 2

Isocolon

Answer 2

A kind of parallelism where a series of structured elements have the same length (# of words, syllables, etc.)

ex. That government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth

Question 3

Antithesis / Juxtaposition

Answer 3

Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in the same sentence

ex. That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind

Question 4

Asyndeton

Answer 4

The omission of conjunctions between clauses

ex. They sat in one room, princes, dukes, barons, earls, kings.

Question 5

Polysyndeton

Answer 5

Employing many conjunctions between clauses

ex. The buffet table was a riot of beef and lamb and fish and vegetables and candied fruits and all sorts of wonderful sweets

Question 6

Anadiplosis

Answer 6

The repetition from the end of one phrase to the beginning of the next

ex. In education we find the measure of our own ignorance; in ignorance we find the beginning of wisdom

Question 7

Anaphora

Answer 7

Repetition at the beginning of phrases that is often used in parallelism

ex. This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle, this earth of majesty. this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, this fortress built by nature for herself

Question 8

Epistrophe

Answer 8

Repetition at the end of phrases (the opposite of anaphora)

ex. What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny compared to what lies within us

Question 9

Ellipsis

Answer 9

Omission of a word or short phrase that is easily understood in context

ex. The average person thinks he isn’t

Question 10

Parenthesis

Answer 10

Insertion of a phrase or whole sentence that interrupts the normal syntactical flow

ex. This continued for many years-some would say longer than it should have-before the newly elected officials put an end to it

Question 11

Zeugma

Answer 11

Unexpected items in a sentence are linked together by a shared word

ex. The runner lost the race and his scholarship

Question 12

Anastrophe

Answer 12

Departure from the normal word order for the sake of emphasis

ex. Sure I am of this, that you have only to endure to conquer

Question 13

Antimetabole

Answer 13

Repetition of words in reverse grammatical order. All antimetabole are chiasmus, but not all chiasmus are antimetabole

ex. Eat to live, not live to eat

Question 14

Chiasmus

Answer 14

Repetition of ideas in inverted order or repetition of grammatical structures in inverted order. It is a special form of parallelism that flips the original form around

ex. Instead of: He smiled happily and laughed joyfully, a Chiasmus of the sentence would be: He smiled happily and joyfully laughed. (verb/adverb switches to adverb/verb)

Question 15

Erotema

Answer 15

The rhetorical question: A question in which the answer is readily implied

ex. In this modern age can we truly condone such horrific acts

Question 16

Hypophora

Answer 16

A question that one poses then immediately answers

ex. Why direct action?…Isn’t negotiation a better path? You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Indeed this is the very purpose of direct action.

Question 17

Epiplexis

Answer 17

A question that is meant to chide, express grief, or denounce

ex. What kind of an idiot are you? Didn’t you think about the consequences of your actions? Can you ever think about anyone but yourself?

Question 18

Metonymy

Answer 18

Referring to someone or something by naming an associated object

ex. In a corner, a cluster of lab coats made lunch plans

Question 19

Synecdoche

Answer 19

Referring to someone or something by naming a part of it

ex. Pigskin = football
The ivories = a piano
Wheels = a car

Question 20

Anecdote

Answer 20

A short story meant to illustrate a point

Question 21

Analogy/Metaphor/Simile

Answer 21

A comparison; A direct comparison; An indirect comparison using “like” or “as”

Question 22

Alliteration

Answer 22

The repetition of a letter sound, usually a consonant sound, many times in close proximity

ex. …grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore…

Question 23

Litotes

Answer 23

Stating a negative to communicate it’s opposite positive

ex. She’s not bad looking
Hey, not bad!

Question 24

Understatement

Answer 24

A statement that represents something as smaller or less intense, or less important than it really is

ex. To fail an exam and then say, “it didn’t go well.”
To have a very bad day and then say, “it was alright…”