Rhetorical Devices for AP English Language Exam (new)

aesthetic

This rhetorical device references to artistic elements or expressions within a textual work.

allegory

This rhetorical device references the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence.

alliteration

This rhetorical device references the repetition of the same sound at the beginning of successive words.

Alliteration Example

Ronald Reagan's Address at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial (1988) - Our liberties, our values — all for which America stands — is safe today because brave men and women have been ready to face the fire at freedom's front.

Analysis of Alliteration

Reagan acknowledges that the veterans of the Vietnam War were prepared to "face the fire at freedom's front." Through his use of alliteration, Reagan emphasizes the soldiers' willingness to sacrifice themselves for freedom, focusing the audience's attention on the value of the veterans' deeds.

allusion

This rhetorical device is a reference, explicit or implicit, to something in previous literature or history.

Allusion Example

"I Have a Dream" by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963) - Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Analysis of Allusion

King begins his speech with both an indirect and direct allusion to Abraham Lincoln's "Emancipation Proclamation." The first phrase of King's speech, "Five score years ago," directly mirrors Lincoln's historic speech, which opens with "four score and seven years ago." By associating himself with a prominent figure in the fight against injustice, King implies that he shares Lincoln's values and establishes a sympathetic relationship with his audience.

ambiguity

This rhetorical device references a word, phrase, or sentence whose meaning can be interpreted in more than one way.

Ambiguity Example

The Awakening by Kate Chopin (1899) - Exhaustion was pressing upon and overpowering her. 'Good-by— because I love you.' He did not know; he did not understand. He would never understand.

Analysis of Ambiguity

At the end of Kate Chopin's The Awakening, Edna lends herself to the tide with the vague last words, "good-by— because I love you," leaving Victor to question whether her death was intentional. Chopin's use of ambiguity to depict Edna's death illustrates Victor's lack of closure and his feeling of utter helplessness and confusion as he watches his loved one, both physically and metaphorically, swept away by the current.

analogy

This rhetorical device references an extended comparison between two things/instances/people etc. that share some similarity to make a point.

Analogy Example

"What True Education Should Do" by Sydney J. Harris (1994) - Pupils are more like oysters than sausages. The job of teaching is not to stuff them and then seal them up, but to help them open and reveal the riches within.

Analysis of Analogy

Harris compares students to oysters whom we should help "open and reveal the riches within." Through her analogy, Harris establishes a basis on which readers can shift their perspective. Rather than simply listing specific traits of students, Harris helps her readers change their perception of how students should be treated, and gives readers a concrete and memorable lens through which readers should view the classroom.

anaphora

This rhetorical device references repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or lines.

Anaphora Example

"I Have a Dream" by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963) - I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

Continuation of Anaphora Example

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

anaphora

A rhetorical device where a phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

anecdote

This rhetorical device references a usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident.

antithesis

This rhetorical device references the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences.

assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds but not consonant sounds.

asyndeton

Conjunctions are omitted, producing a fast-paced and rapid prose.

chiasmus

Repetition of ideas in inverted order.

colloquial

characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech

connotation

the set of associations implied by a word in addition to its literal meaning

consonance

the repetition of consonant sounds, but not vowels, as in assonance

deductive reasoning

reasoning that works from the more general to the more specific, beginning with a theory that becomes a hypothesis, and using observations to confirm the original theory (top-down approach)

denotation

the literal meaning of a word, the dictionary definition

diction

a writer's choice of words, phrases, sentence structures, and figurative language, which combine to help create meaning

feminism

The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes.

civil disobedience

a nonviolent, public refusal to obey allegedly unjust laws

connotation

the associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning

empirical diction

the use of language that is based on observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic

logical option

a choice that follows logically from the premises or arguments presented

British commerce

the system of trade and economic activities conducted by the British in India

friendly negotiation

a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement in a cordial and amicable manner

evils

problems or injustices that are perceived as harmful or immoral within a society

equal love

a concept of having the same level of affection and respect for all individuals, regardless of their background

stoniest hearts

the most unfeeling or emotionally cold individuals

purified of greed

free from selfish desire for wealth or power

retrace their steps

to go back to a previous position or decision

sampled out

selected or identified specific examples or instances

misconceptions

incorrect or mistaken ideas or beliefs

quell

to suppress or put an end to something, typically a feeling or an expression

authority

the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience

analysis

a detailed examination of the elements or structure of something

example

a representative form or instance that illustrates a concept or principle

path becomes easy

the process of achieving a goal becomes simpler when obstacles are removed

negotiation table

a metaphorical or literal place where discussions take place to reach an agreement

didactic

tone; instructional, designed to teach an ethical, moral, or religious lesson

elegiac

a tone involving mourning or expressing sorrow for that which is irrecoverably past

epistrophe

ending a series of lines, phrases, clauses, or sentences with the same word or words

ethos

appealing to credibility

extended metaphor

differs from a regular metaphor in that several comparisons similar in theme are being made

imagery

descriptive language that provides vivid images that evoke the senses

inductive reasoning

reasoning that moves from specific observations to broader generalizations and theories; uses observations to detect patterns and regularities, and develops a hypothesis and later broader theories based on these observations (bottom-up approach)

irony

stating the opposite of what is said or meant

juxtaposition

placing two or more things side by side for comparison or contrast

logos

appealing to logic

metonymy

a figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated

pacing

the speed at which a piece of writing flows — use when discussing organization; point out where action/syntax begins to speed up, slow down, is interrupted, etc.

paradox

apparently self-contradictory statement, the underlying meaning of which is revealed only by careful scrutiny; its purpose is to arrest attention and provoke fresh thought

parallelism (parallel structure)

a repetition of sentences using the same grammatical structure emphasizing all aspects of the sentence equally

pathos

appealing to emotion

polysyndeton

the use of many conjunctions has the effect of slowing the pace or emphasizing the numerous words or clauses

rhetorical question

a question presented by the author that is not meant to be answered

Stream of consciousness

a technique that records the thoughts and feelings of a character without regard to logical argument or narrative sequence; reflects all the forces, internal and external, affecting the character's psyche at the moment

Example of stream of consciousness

"Ain't I a Woman" by Sojourner Truth (1851)

Synecdoche

the rhetorical substitution of a part for the whole

Example of synecdoche

"Falling Down is Part of Growing Up" by Henry Petroski (1985)

Syntax

the structure of sentences and/or phrases

Example of syntax

"Letter from a Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)

Analysis of Sojourner Truth's speech

In 1851, Sojourner Truth gave a moving speech at the Women's Rights Convention without preparation. Truth's stream of consciousness approach to the speech allows her to directly address her audience, beginning by mentioning 'that man over there' and refuting his beliefs that women are fragile.

Analysis of Petroski's use of synecdoche

Petroski refers to a child's parents and crib as 'beams and girders and columns' that the child must trust, emphasizing the structural aspect of a young child's support system.

Analysis of syntax in King's letter

We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights. The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter.

segregation

the stinging pain of segregation as seeing vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers, seeing hate-filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your brothers and sisters.

Funtown

a public amusement park that is closed to colored children.

thesis

a statement of purpose, intent, or main idea in a literary work.

Camp

a concept defined by Susan Sontag as something that can be both good and awful under certain conditions.

syntax

the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.

emotional appeal

a rhetorical strategy that aims to evoke an emotional response from the audience.

nobodiness

a degenerating sense of worthlessness experienced by individuals facing systemic discrimination.

inner fears

the psychological anxieties that plague individuals living under oppression.

outer resentments

the external frustrations and anger directed towards a society that perpetuates inequality.

humiliation

the feeling of being ashamed or foolish, often experienced by those subjected to systemic racism.

affluent society

a society characterized by wealth and material abundance, contrasted with poverty experienced by marginalized groups.

vicious mobs

groups of people who engage in violent acts against others, often motivated by hatred.

hate-filled policemen

law enforcement officers who exhibit racial bias and engage in violence against marginalized communities.

mental sky

a metaphorical representation of a person's psychological state, particularly in relation to self-worth and identity.

unconscious bitterness

a deep-seated resentment that develops without conscious awareness, often as a response to systemic injustice.

cross-country drive

a long journey across the country, highlighting the challenges faced by marginalized individuals in finding safe accommodations.

nagging signs

physical indicators of segregation, such as signs that designate areas for 'whites' and 'coloreds.'

title 'Mrs.'

a respectful designation often denied to women of color, reflecting systemic disrespect and dehumanization.

tiptoe stance

a metaphor for living in a state of constant alertness and anxiety due to unpredictable social conditions.

six-year-old daughter

a representation of innocence affected by societal racism, particularly in the context of exclusion from public spaces.

five-year-old son

a representation of youth questioning societal norms regarding race and treatment of individuals.

tears welling up

an emotional response indicating sorrow and confusion experienced by children facing racial discrimination.

Stylistic Devices

The use of stylistic devices that reveal an author's attitude towards a subject.

Example of Stylistic Device

"If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?" by James Baldwin (1979).

Black English

The creation of the black diaspora, formed under the conditions of slavery and cultural necessity.