Rhetorical Choices 8/26/2026

aesthetic

the overall sense of beauty or artistic style in a text

allegory

a story with a deeper symbolic meaning

alliteration

repetition of initial consonant sounds

allusion

a reference to another text, event or figure

analogy

a comparison between two unlike things to explain something

anaphora

repetition at the beginning of sentences or clauses

anecdote

a brief personal story used to make a point

colloquialism

informal, everyday language used in casual conversation

connotation

emotional meaning of a word beyond its

denotation

literal dictionary definition of a word

diction

word choice in speech or writing

epistrophe

repetition at the end of clauses or sentences

ethos

credibility or trustworthiness

euphemism

mild expression for something harsh

extended metaphor

a metaphor developed over several lines or text

foreshadowing

hints about future events

hyperbole

extreme exaggeration

imagery

descriptive language appealing to the senses

irony

contrast between expectation and reality

juxtaposition

placing contrasting ideas side by side

logos

logical appeal using evidence and reasoning

metaphor

direct comparison without using “like” or “as”

mood

feeling created in the reader

onomatopoeia

words that imitate sounds

parallel structure

repeated grammatical structure

pathos

emotional appeal

personification

giving human traits to nonhuman things

repetition

reusing words or phrases for emphasis

rhetorical question

a question asked for effect, not necessarily answer

rhyme

repetition of similar sounding ends

satire

use of humor to exaggerate or criticize

simile

comparison using “like” or “as”

symbol

something that represents a larger idea

syntax

sentence structure and arrangement

tone

authors attitude towards the subject