Literary Devices and Rhetorical Strategies for Analyzing Texts

Allusion

A reference to a famous person, place, event or work

Analogy

A comparison used to explain an idea or show similarities

Anaphora

Repeating the last word of one clause at the beginning of the next sentence.

Anadiplosis

Repeating the last word of one clause at the beginning.

Anecdote

A short story used to illustrate a point

Antimetabole

Repeating words in reverse order

Antithesis

Placing opposite ideas close together, for contrast

Aphorism

A short statement expressing a general truth

Aporia

Expressing doubt or uncertainty

Apostrophe

Addressing someone or something that isn't present

Asyndeton

Leaving out conjunctions between words or phrases

Chiasmus

Reversing the order of ideas in parallel phrases

Colloquialism

Informal language or slang

Connotation

The emotional or implied meaning of a word

Denotation

The literal dictionary definition of a word

Diction

An author's choice of words

Didactic

Intended to teach or instruct

Epistrophe

Repeating a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses

Euphemism

A mild expression used instead of a harsh one

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration for emphasis

Hypophora

Asking a question and then immediately answering it

Imagery

Language that appeals to the senses

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality.

Juxtaposition

Placing 2 things side by side to highlight differences or similarities.

Litotes

Understatement using negatives.

Metaphor

A direct comparison without using 'like' or 'as'.

Metanoia

Correcting or revising what was just said.

Metonymy

Replacing something with a closely related term.

Oxymoron

2 contradictory words placed together.

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a truth.

Parallelism

Using the same grammatical structure in multiple parts of a sentence.

Parataxis

Placing short clauses side by side without subordinating words.

Periodic Sentence

A sentence whose main idea comes at the end.

Personification

Giving human characteristics to non-human things.

Polysyndeton

Using many conjunctions in close succession.

Procatalepsis

Raising an objection and answering it before the audience can.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect, not an answer.

Satire

Using humor or exaggeration to criticize society or people.

Simile

A comparison using 'like' or 'as'.

Symbolism

Using an object or action to represent a deeper meaning.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and sentences.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject.

Understatement

Making something seem less important than it is.

Verbal Irony

Saying the opposite of what you mean.

Situational Irony

When the outcome is the opposite of what is expected.

Dramatic Irony

The audience knows something the characters don't.

Invective

Harsh, insulting language meant to attack someone.

Enumeration

Listing details or examples one after another.

Claim

A statement or position that needs support.

Thesis

The main argument of an essay or speech.

Counterargument

An opposing viewpoint to the main claim.

Rebuttal

A response that disproves a counterargument.

Concession

Admitting that an opposing point has some merit.

Evidence

Facts, data, or examples that support a claim.

Commentary

Explanation of how evidence supports the claim.

Reasoning

The logical connection taking audience to the claim.

Warrant

The underlying assumption linking evidence to the claim.

Assumption

An idea accepted as true without proof.

Ethos

Appeal based on credibility or trustworthiness.

Pathos

Appeal to emotion.

Logos

Appeal to logic and reason.

Credibility

The trustworthiness or expertise of a source or speech.

Bias

A preference that may affect fairness or objectivity.

Audience

The people the writer or speaker is addressing.

Purpose

The reason for creating a text.

Context

The circumstances surrounding a text or event.

Exigence

The issue or situation that motivates someone to write or speak.

Kairos

The right or most opportune time to make an argument.

Line of Reasoning

The logical sequence of ideas that supports a claim.

Qualification

Limiting or modifying a claim to make it more accurate.

Refutation

Proving that an opposing argument is false or weak.

Fallacy

An error in reasoning that weakens an argument.

Ad Hominem

Attacking the person instead of the argument

Non Sequitur

A conclusion that doesn't logically follow from the evidence.

Straw Man

Misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack.

Red Herring

Introducing an irrelevant topic to distract from the issue.

False Dilemma

Presenting only 2 choices when more exist.

Slippery Slope

Claiming 1 event will inevitable lead to extreme consequences.

Hasty Generalization

Forming a broad conclusion from too little evidence.

Circular Reasoning

Using the conclusion as evidence for itself.

False Analogy

Comparing 2 things that aren't similar enough.

Appeal to Authority

Claiming something is not true since an authority says so, even without evidence.

Bandwagon

Arguing something is true because many people believe it.

Burden of Proof

The responsibility to provide evidence for a claim.

Call to Action

A statement urging the audience to believe or do something.

Persuasion

Trying to convince an audience to believe or do something.

Organization

The overall arrangement of ideas in a text.

Structure

The framework or pattern used to present ideas.

Chronological Order

Arranging events by time.

Cause and Effect

Showing how one event leads to another.

Compare and Contrast

Explaining similarities and differences.

Problem and Solution

Presenting an issue and how to fix it.

Repetition

Repeating words or ideas for emphasis.

Emphasis

Giving special importance to an idea.

Unity

All parts support one central idea.

Coherence

Ideas flow logically and smoothly.

Transition

Words or phrases that connect ideas.

Motif

A recurring image, symbol, or idea in a work.

Theme

The central message or lesson of a work.

Point of View

The perspective from which a story is told.