rhetorical devices 10 1

7/21/2019 Rhetorical Devices 10 1

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Frederick Douglass

Rhetorical Devices in



Birth of LogosBirth of Logos

Logos = One’s reasoned argumentLogos = One’s reasoned argument

Exigence = The drive to speakExigence = The drive to speak

urposeurpose

!udience!udience

LogosLogos



Rhetorical DevicesRhetorical Devices

De"nition# speci"c. identi"a-leDe"nition# speci"c. identi"a-le

language techni/ues used inlanguage techni/ues used in

rhetoric+rhetoric+

T$o t)pes of Rhetorical devices are T$o t)pes of Rhetorical devices are

*+*+ content0centered %$hat&content0centered %$hat&

,+,+ form0em-edded %ho$&form0em-edded %ho$& SpeakersSpeakers

utilize form-embedded devices toutilize form-embedded devices to

emphasize content.emphasize content.



1ontent01entered# athos1ontent01entered# athos

!ppeal to emotion!ppeal to emotion

2 e+g+. eme+g+. empath

path). compassion. outrage). compassion. outrage

Example#Example#

2 3434after rolling up his sleeves. heafter rolling up his sleeves. he

commenced to la) on the heav)commenced to la) on the heav)

co$skin. and soon the $arm. red -loodco$skin. and soon the $arm. red -lood%amid heart0rending shrieks from her.%amid heart0rending shrieks from her.

and horrid oaths from him& cameand horrid oaths from him& came

dripping to the 'oor5 %6&+dripping to the 'oor5 %6&+



1ontent01entered# Ethos1ontent01entered# Ethos !ppeal to common values and communit) expectations+!ppeal to common values and communit) expectations+ Ethos re'ects4Ethos re'ects4

2 Ethical values and7or the character or spirit of a cultureEthical values and7or the character or spirit of a culture

2 shared assumptions of a peopleshared assumptions of a people

2 universal components of the human experienceuniversal components of the human experience

Example#Example#

2 338 $ould sometimes sa) to them 9the $hite8 $ould sometimes sa) to them 9the $hite

-o)s $ho helped Douglass learn to read:. 8-o)s $ho helped Douglass learn to read:. 8

$ish 8 could -e as free as the) $ould -e $hen$ish 8 could -e as free as the) $ould -e $hen

the) got to -e men+ ;<ou $ill -e free as soonthe) got to -e men+ ;<ou $ill -e free as soon

as )ou are t$ent)0one. -ut 8 am a slave for lifeas )ou are t$ent)0one. -ut 8 am a slave for life

>ave not 8 as good a right to -e free as )ou>ave not 8 as good a right to -e free as )ou

have?’ 5 %,@&+have?’ 5 %,@&+



1ontent01entered# 8ron)1ontent01entered# 8ron)

! contrast -et$een $hat is expected! contrast -et$een $hat is expectedto happen and $hat actuall) happensto happen and $hat actuall) happens

The general characteristic of iron) is The general characteristic of iron) isto make something understood -)to make something understood -)

expressing its oppositeexpressing its opposite



1ontent01entered# 8ron)1ontent01entered# 8ron)

@ t)pes of iron) in literature#@ t)pes of iron) in literature#2 Aer-al#Aer-al# a $riter or speaker sa)s one thinga $riter or speaker sa)s one thing

and means something entirel) dierentand means something entirel) dierent

2 Dramatic#Dramatic# a reader or audience perceivesa reader or audience perceives

something that a character in the stor) doessomething that a character in the stor) does

not kno$ %RC exampleuliet is not dead4&not kno$ %RC exampleuliet is not dead4&

2 ituational#ituational# a $riter sho$s a discrepanc)a $riter sho$s a discrepanc)

-et$een the expected results of some action-et$een the expected results of some action

or situation and the actual results %Of Giceor situation and the actual results %Of Gice

and Gen examplefriendship7murder&and Gen examplefriendship7murder&



Form0Em-edded# !lliterationForm0Em-edded# !lliteration

Repetition of initial consonant soundsRepetition of initial consonant sounds

Example#Example#

2 338 nerved m)self up again. and started8 nerved m)self up again. and started

on m) $a). through -ogs. -rier.on m) $a). through -ogs. -rier.

-arefoot and -areheaded. tearing m)-arefoot and -areheaded. tearing m)

feet sometimes at nearl) ever) step45feet sometimes at nearl) ever) step45%HI&+%HI&+



Form0Em-edded# !ssonanceForm0Em-edded# !ssonance

Repetition of vo$el sounds $ithin aRepetition of vo$el sounds $ithin a

sentence or across several sentencessentence or across several sentences

Example# >o$ no$ -ro$n co$?Example# >o$ no$ -ro$n co$?

%Repetition of the vo$el sound 3o$5&%Repetition of the vo$el sound 3o$5&



Form0Em-edded# RepetitionForm0Em-edded# Repetition

Repeating of $ords and7or phrasesRepeating of $ords and7or phrasesthroughout a passage or text forthroughout a passage or text fordramatic eectdramatic eect

Example#Example#

2 33(ork. $ork. $ork. $as scarcel) more(ork. $ork. $ork. $as scarcel) more

the order of the da) than of the night5the order of the da) than of the night5

%@J0@K&+%@J0@K&+



Form0Em-edded# arallelismForm0Em-edded# arallelism

Repetition of a grammatical patternRepetition of a grammatical pattern2 sed to emphasiMe and link related ideassed to emphasiMe and link related ideas

2 !dds -alance. rh)thm. and clarit) to the!dds -alance. rh)thm. and clarit) to the

sentencesentence Example#Example#

2 33>e 91ove): $as al$a)s under ever)>e 91ove): $as al$a)s under ever)

tree. -ehind ever) stump. in ever) -ush.tree. -ehind ever) stump. in ever) -ush.and at ever) $indo$. on the plantation5and at ever) $indo$. on the plantation5

%@N&+%@N&+



Form0Em-edded# !ntithesisForm0Em-edded# !ntithesis

Esta-lishes a clear. contrastingEsta-lishes a clear. contrastingrelationship -et$een t$o ideas -)relationship -et$een t$o ideas -)

oining them together. often in oining them together. often in

parallel structureparallel structure

Example#Example#

2 33 The longest da)s $ere too short for him The longest da)s $ere too short for him

and the shortest nights $ere too long forand the shortest nights $ere too long for

him5 %@K&+him5 %@K&+



Form0Em-edded#Form0Em-edded#

!postrophe!postrophe (hen a speaker addresses an a-sent person.(hen a speaker addresses an a-sent person.

an a-stract /ualit). or something non0humanan a-stract /ualit). or something non0humanas if it $ere present and capa-le of respondingas if it $ere present and capa-le of responding

Example#Example#2 33G) thoughts $ould compel utterancePG) thoughts $ould compel utteranceP

and there. $ith no audience -ut theand there. $ith no audience -ut the

!lmight). 8 $ould pour out m) soul’s!lmight). 8 $ould pour out m) soul’s

complaint. in m) rude $a). $ith ancomplaint. in m) rude $a). $ith anapostrophe to the moving multitude ofapostrophe to the moving multitude of

ship# 00 ;<ou are loosed from )ourship# 00 ;<ou are loosed from )our

moorings. and are free4’ 5 %@K&+moorings. and are free4’ 5 %@K&+



Form0Em-edded# !llusionForm0Em-edded# !llusion

! -rief %usuall) indirect& reference to! -rief %usuall) indirect& reference toa person. place. or event. or toa person. place. or event. or to

another literar) $ork or passageanother literar) $ork or passage

Example#Example#2 338n coming to a "xed determination to8n coming to a "xed determination to

run a$a). $e did more than atrickrun a$a). $e did more than atrick

>enr). $hen he resolved upon li-ert) or>enr). $hen he resolved upon li-ert) or

death5 %6*&+death5 %6*&+

2 Patrick Henry: “I know not what coursePatrick Henry: “I know not what course

others may take but as for me! "ive meothers may take but as for me! "ive me

liberty or "ive me death#$liberty or "ive me death#$ -from Speech in the-from Speech in the



Form0Em-edded# >)per-oleForm0Em-edded# >)per-ole

To utiliMe exaggerated language to To utiliMe exaggerated language to

call attention to the situation and7orcall attention to the situation and7or

to emphasiMe emotionto emphasiMe emotion

Examples# 38 haven’t seen )ou in aExamples# 38 haven’t seen )ou in a

centur)5 3That necklace must havecentur)5 3That necklace must have

cost )ou )our life’s savings5cost )ou )our life’s savings5



Form0Em-edded# Ox)moronForm0Em-edded# Ox)moron

!n expression in $hich t$o 9or more:!n expression in $hich t$o 9or more:

contradictor) $ords are put togethercontradictor) $ords are put together

for dramatic eectfor dramatic eect

Examples# free slaveP -enevolentExamples# free slaveP -enevolent

slave o$nerP oppressive freedomPslave o$nerP oppressive freedomP

-enign dictatorshipP cute ugliness-enign dictatorshipP cute ugliness 'ote: (n o)ymoron can be clever or it can'ote: (n o)ymoron can be clever or it can

be an error in diction the conte)t makesbe an error in diction the conte)t makes

all the di*erence.all the di*erence.



Form0Em-edded# aradoxForm0Em-edded# aradox

a contradictor) statement $hicha contradictor) statement $hich

is nevertheless true or $hichis nevertheless true or $hich

reveals a truthreveals a truth Example#Example#

338t is a paradox that ever) dictator has8t is a paradox that ever) dictator has

clim-ed to po$er on the ladder of freeclim-ed to po$er on the ladder of free

speech+ 8mmediatel) on attaining po$erspeech+ 8mmediatel) on attaining po$er

each dictator has suppressed all freeeach dictator has suppressed all free

speech except his o$n+5speech except his o$n+5 >er-ert >oover>er-ert >oover

F E - dd dF E - dd d

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/herberthoo122373.html






1ompare71ontrast1ompare71ontrast To examine the similarities and dierences To examine the similarities and dierences

-et$een t$o %or more& people. places.-et$een t$o %or more& people. places.o-ects. ideas. or situations+ Often theo-ects. ideas. or situations+ Often thesimilarities are esta-lished to set up andsimilarities are esta-lished to set up andemphasiMe the dierences+emphasiMe the dierences+

Example#Example#2 33 There $ere horses and men. cattle and There $ere horses and men. cattle and

$omen. pigs and children. all holding$omen. pigs and children. all holding

the same rank in the scale of -eing. andthe same rank in the scale of -eing. and

$ere all su-ected to the same narro$$ere all su-ected to the same narro$examination5 %,J&+examination5 %,J&+




Figurative Language orFigurative Language or

Literar)7t)listic DevicesLiterar)7t)listic Devices

imile# a comparison -et$een t$oimile# a comparison -et$een t$o

dierent things using 3like5 or 3as5dierent things using 3like5 or 3as5

Getaphor# a direct comparisonGetaphor# a direct comparison

-et$een t$o unlike things+ nlike a-et$een t$o unlike things+ nlike asimile or analog). metaphor assertssimile or analog). metaphor asserts

that one thingthat one thing isis another thing+another thing+






ensor) details7imager)# images and detailsensor) details7imager)# images and details

that emphasiMe or appeal to the "ve sensesthat emphasiMe or appeal to the "ve senses%touch. taste. sight. smell. sound&%touch. taste. sight. smell. sound&

ersoni"cation# the act of givingersoni"cation# the act of giving

human /ualities to a nonhumanhuman /ualities to a nonhuman

thing+thing+






)m-olism# an) o-ect. person. place)m-olism# an) o-ect. person. place

or action that has a meaning in itselfor action that has a meaning in itselfand that also stands for somethingand that also stands for something

larger than itself larger than itself

rhetorical devices 10 1

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