Tropes and Schemes

Alliteration

Repetition of the same initial consonant sound through a line or verse.

Allusion

A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art.

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines. (Appeals to feelings of audience).

Chiasmus

Repetition of words in reverse order. Authors use to lay emphasis on what needs to be communicated.

Antithesis

Opposition, or contrast of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel construction. Contrasting two different ideas in the same or two sentences.

Asyndeton

Omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words (eliminates conjunctions)

Polysyndeton

The repetition of conjunctions in a series of coordinate words, phrases, or clauses. Conjunctions purposely slow down the text as a sense of continuity.

Synecdoche

Figure of comparison in which a word standing for part of something is used to stand in for the whole of that thing or vise versa. (Genus to species, species to genus)

Metonymy

Refers to the use of the name of one thing to represent something related to it. (Replaces object or concept with a term)

Personification

Figure which represents abstractions or inanimate objects with human qualities.

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration of a person, thing, quality, or event to emphasize a point external to the object of exaggeration for rhetorical effect.

Litotes

Understatement used deliberately. often creates ironic effect. (Someone: “do you like this?” You: “it’s not bad”)

Rhetorical question

Figure which asks a question, not for the purpose of further discussion, but to assert or deny an answer implicitly.

Hypophora

The technique of asking a question-then proceeding to answer it. Often speakers will provide an answer.

Irony

A figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning. (3 types: verbal, situational, and dramatic)

Paradox

Figure that employs an apparent contradiction which, nonetheless, evokes some measure of truth. (Moves against normalcy)

Schemes

A change in standard word order or pattern.

Syntax

The analysis of syntax is going to help support the analysis of the tone of a text - how use creates general effect.

Cumulative sentence

Sentences that houses the main idea at the beginning of the sentence, then additional phrases add on successive points.

Periodic sentence

Has the main clause or point at the end. Used for emphasis and can be persuasive by putting reasons at beginning.

Imperative sentence

Sentence used to command, enjoin, implore, or entreat.

Inversion

Inverted order of words in a sentence (variation of subject, verb, and object order)

Juxtaposition

Placement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts.

Parallelism

Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses. (May notice anaphora, or other types of repetition in parallelism)