Rhetorical Devices

Enumeration

Enumeration

listing things in an orderly manner (EX: I lover her hair, eyes, face…)

Juxtaposition

putting to separate ideas near/next to each other to show contrast or highlight their differences (EX: Sweet and sour sauce)

Antithesis

a contrast between two things (EX: hope for the best; prepare for the worst)

Metonymy

a type of metaphor/figure of speech in which in the name of concept or an object is replaced with a word closely related to or suggested by the original (EX: let me give you a hand)

Synecdoche

part of something is used to refer to the whole thing (EX: your parents say they bought you a new set of wheels (part) meaning they bought you a car (whole))

Euphemism

the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive word for one that may offend (EX: adult beverages instead of alcohol)

Polysyndeton

a technique in whcih a conjuction appears over and over again to join different thoughts in one sentence (EX: Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds)

Asyndeton

the absence of a conjunction between parts in a sentence (EX: reduce, reuse, recycle)

Anaphora

repeating a sequence of words at the beginning of a sentence (EX: I have a dream speech)

Epistrophe

repetition of a word at the end of a sentence or clause (EX: one fish, two fish, green fish, blue fish)

Apostrophe

a speech or address to someone who is not present or to a personified object (EX:” oh nature, thou art my godess)

Synesthesia

describes or associates one sense in terms of another, most often in the form of a simile (EX: a scream of color)

Litotes

a figure of speech and form of irony in which understatement is used to emphasize a point by stating a negative to further affirm a positive (EX: she doesn’t seem the happiest)

Invective

the literary device in which one attacks or insults a person or thing through the use of abusive language and tone (EX:she is a sorry excuse for a teacher)

Zeugma

figures of speech in which a single phrase or word joins different parts of a sentence (EX:she broke his car and his heart)

Fallacy

flaws within the logic or reasoning of an argument

Paradox

the paradox is an anomalous juxtaposition of incongruous ideas for the sake of striking exposition or unexpected insight

Allegory

a narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a meaning with moral or political significance.