Rhetorical Devices

English 10H

parallel structure definition

when phrases or sentances are expressed following the same patterns

parallel structure effects

• creates a connnection between the ideas written in parallel structure

• provides balance, showing that the ideas have equal weight (equally important)

• adds rhythm and clarity

anaphora definition

repetition of the same word/group of words at the beginning of sucessive clauses

anaphora effect

usually done to build emotion

epistrophe defintion

repetition of the same word/group of words at the end of successive clauses

rhetorical question definition

a question posed by the writer that is not answered because its answer is obvious or simply used to make us think

asyndeton defintion

the author pruposely leaves out conjunctions (and/or) in the sentence

asyndeton effect

quickens the pace, adds a feeling of tension, emphasis or suggests that something could continue forever

polysyndeton definition

the writer includes many deliberate conjunctions

polysyndeton effect

adds emotion, conveys a sense of confusion, emphasizes a point, slows the pace of the sentance and can suggest an overload of items.