narrative and nuance rhetorical choices

aesthetic

The overall sense of beauty or artistic style in a text

EX The poem creates a dark Gothic aesthetic through imagery of ruins and shadows

allegory

A story with a deeper symbolic meaning

EX animal farm is a allegory for the Russian revolution

Alliteration

repetition of initial consonant sounds

EX She sells sea shells down by the seashore

allusion

A reference to another text event or figure

EX calling someone a Scrooge alludes to Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol

analogy

A comparison between two unlike things to explain something

EX the brain is like a computer processing information

Anaphora

Repetition at the beginning of sentences or clauses

EX we shall fight… We shall win… We shall overcome

anecdote

A brief personal story used to make a Point

EX a speaker shares a childhood story to illustrate resilience

colloquialism

Informal everyday language used In casual conversation

EX y’all instead of you all

connotation

Emotional meaning of a word beyond its definition

EX home connotes Warmth and safety

denotation

Literal dictionary definition of a word

diction

Word choice and speech or writing

EX the author uses formal addiction, such as commence instead of start to create a serious authoritative tone

Epistrophy

Repetition at the end of clauses or sentence

EX see no evil hear no evil speak no evil

ethos

credibility or trustworthiness

EX a doctor sighting medical research builds ethos

euphemism

Mild expression for something harsh

EX passed away instead of died

extended metaphor

A metaphor developed over several lines or text

EX in a speech of writer compares life to a journey describing crossroads, rough roads, and new paths through throughout to develop the idea over several lines

foreshadowing

hints about future events

EX Dark clouds for shadow a coming storm

hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration

EX I’ve told you 1 million times

imagery

Descriptive language appealing to the senses

EX the sharp smell of pine filled the cold air

irony

contrast between expectation and reality

EX a fire station burns down

juxtaposition

placing contrasting ideas side-by-side

EX The author places are busy noisy city street next to a calm peaceful Park. It’s a highlight the contrast between chaos and tranquility

logos

logical appeal, using evidence and reasoning

EX Statistics showing why recycling reduces waist

metaphor

Direct comparison without like or as

EX time is a thief

mood

Feeling created in the reader

onomatopoeia

Words that imitate sounds

parallel structure

Repeated grammatical structure

EX likes reading, writing and painting

pathos

Emotional appeal

EX a story about a struggling family to evoke sympathy

personification

Giving human traits to non-human things

EX, the wind whispered through the trees

repetition

Reusing words or phrases for emphasis

rhetorical question

A question asked for effect not necessarily answer

rhyme

repetition of similar ending sounds

satire

Use of humor or exaggeration to criticize

EX a comedy, mocking political corruption

simile

Comparing something using like or as

symbol

Something that represents a larger idea

EX a dove symbolizes peace

syntax

sentence structure, and arrange arrangement

EX Short choppy sentences create urgency

Tone

Authors attitude toward the subject