Persuasive Rhetoric Literary Terms

A Raisin in the Sun

ethos

way of convincing the audience via the authority or credibility of the persuader, be it a notable or experienced figure in the field or even a popular celebrity. (sometimes called an appeal to ethics)

pathos

way of convincing the audience by creating an emotional response to an impassioned plea or a convincing story. (appeal to emotion)

logos

way of persuading an audience with reason, using facts and figures. (appeal to logic)

alliteration

use of several words together that begin with the same sound or letter. (usually no more than 3)

allusion

brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.

anaphora

repetition of word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences, phrases, or clauses.

metonomy

use of a related or associated term to stand for an object or concept.

synecdoche

kind of metonomy where the part is made to represent the whole or vice versa.

hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

parallelism

repetition of similar grammatical forms (it usually follows the “rule of three”)

personnification

representation of a thing or quality as a person, in literature or art.

metaphor/simile

comparison of two unlike things. (similes use “like” or “as”)