Rhetorics

Motif

is an object, idea, or concept that repeats throughout a literary work. It can be an image, sound, action, or other figures that have symbolic significance and contribute to the development of a theme.

Theme

This is usually considered the central idea. There can be several themes in a single work, such as endurance, loyalty, and bravery.

Anaphora

is a rhetorical and literary device in which a word, phrase, or expression is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences. This repetition creates rhythm, emphasis, and emotional impact, often to unify a passage or reinforce a central idea.

Tone

which can also be called attitude, is the way the author presents a subject. An author's use of this can be serious, scholarly, humorous, mournful, or ironic.

Allegory

is a fictional work in which the characters represent ideas or concepts. In Pilgrim’s Progress, for example, characters named Faithful and Mercy represent types of people rather than being characters in their own rights.

Allusion

is a reference, usually oblique or faint, to another thing, idea, or person. For example, using the word “Homeric” is this word to Homer’s works The Iliad and The Odyssey.

Imagery

is a mental picture that is conjured by specific words and associations, but there can be auditory and sensory components as well. Nearly all writing depends on this to be effective, and it is utilized in metaphors, similes, symbols, and personification.

Juxtaposition

When two contrasting things—ideas, words, or sentence elements—are placed next to each other for comparison, this occurs. For instance, a writer may use this to compare the coldness of one room with the warmth of another to shed light on both elements.

Metaphor

is a figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared directly, usually for emphasis or dramatic effect. For instance, the observation that "she lived a thorny life" relies on an understanding of how dangerous and prickly thorns can be.

Paradox

is a seeming contradiction that in fact reveals some truth. For example, the expression, "he lifted himself up by his bootstraps," suggests a physical impossibility and thus communicates a truth about the enormity of the person's achievement.

Rhetorical Question

is a question that is asked for the sake of argument. No direct answer is provided; however, the probable answer is usually implied in the argument.

Simile

is a commonly used figure of speech that compares one thing with another using the words "like" or "as". For example, the sentence, "He drank like a camel, he was so thirsty," contains this.

Symbol

is something that stands for something else. Literary ones often refer to or stand for a complex set of ideas; for instance, the moors in Wuthering Heights symbolize the wild and complex relationship of Catherine and Heathcliff.

Syntax

refers to the way words are arranged in a sentence. For example, "The big blue sky beckoned her" and "She was beckoned by the big blue sky" share a similar meaning but have different arrangements.

Alliteration

The repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the beginning of words. For example, the repeated “t” and “c” sounds in the sentence, “The tall tamarack trees shaded the cozy cabin,” are examples of this.

Atmosphere

is the emotional feeling—or mood—of a place, scene, or event. In Toni Morrison's Beloved, for example, the opening chapters convey an feeling of loneliness and grief.

Diction

refers to an author's choice of words. For instance, in the sentence, "That guy was really mad!" the author uses informal diction ("guy," "mad"), whereas in the sentence, "The gentleman was considerably irritated," the author uses more elevated diction ("gentleman," "irritated"). A writer's choice of words contributes to this of a text.

Ethos

is the characteristic spirit or ideal that informs a work. This also refers more generally to ethics, or values. In rhetorical writing, authors often attempt to persuade readers by appealing to their sense of this, or ethical principles.

Pathos

is a sympathetic feeling of pity or compassion evoked by an artistic work. In rhetorical writing, authors often attempt to persuade readers by appealing to their sense of this, or their emotions.

Logos

The word refers to the use of reason as a controlling principle in an argument. In rhetorical writing, authors often attempt to persuade readers by appealing to their sense of this, or reason.

Euphemism

is a mild or pleasant sounding expression that substitutes for a harsh, indelicate, or simply less pleasant idea. These are often used to soften the impact of what is being discussed. For example, the word "departed" is a milder word for the word "dead," just as the phrase "in the family way" is a mild word for the word "pregnant".