Fiveable Rhetorical Techniques Vol 3

epistrophe

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

ethos

Definition: appealing to credibility

extended metaphor

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

imagery

Definition: descriptive language that provides vivid images that evoke the senses

inductive reasoning

Definition: 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

Definition: stating the opposite of what is said or meant

juxtaposition

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

logos

Definition: appealing to logic

metonymy (“meh-tah-moe-knee”)

Definition: 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

Definition: 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

Definition: 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

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

pathos

Definition: appealing to emotion

polysyndeton

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

rhetorical question

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

stream of consciousness

Definition: 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

synecdoche

Definition: the rhetorical substitution of a part for the whole

syntax

Definition: the structure of sentences and/or phrases

thesis

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

tone

the use of stylistic devices that reveal an author’s attitude towards a subject

aesthetic

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

allegory

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

alliteration

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

allusion

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

ambiguity

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

analogy

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

anaphora

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

anecdote

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

antithesis

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

assonance

Definition: the repetition of vowel sounds but not consonant sounds