Rhetorical Devices/ Rhetorical Devices/ Figurative LanguageFigurative Language

American LiteratureAmerican Literature

RhetoricRhetoric is the study of public

speaking, using the art of persuasion.

A rhetorical device is a technique that an author or speaker uses with the goal of persuading his or her audience to consider a topic from a different perspective.

Allusion- Reference to a famous Allusion- Reference to a famous

person, place, historical event, piece of person, place, historical event, piece of

literature, etc. literature, etc.

Allusion is used for effect or to illustrate a point (Used often by authors, singers, rappers, politicians, etc.).

He acts like a Romeo in front of his girlfriend – Reference to William Shakespeare’s Romeo from his well known play Romeo and Juliet

“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation” –Martin Luther King Jr. referring to Abraham Lincoln

Allusions in Literature, Songs,Allusions in Literature, Songs,

and Film and Film

Rap/Literature “Mom, I love you but this trailer’s got to go / I

cannot grow old in Salem’s Lot” – Eminem, “Lose Yourself”-Reference to Stephen King’s vampire novel Salem’s Lot

Rap/Sports/Film “Hood phenomenon, the LeBron of rhyme / hard

to be humble when you stuntin’ on the Jumbo-Tron” – Kanye West, “Devil in a New Dress”-Reference to LeBron James, hyped NBA player-Reference to the movie Devil in a Blue Dress

Simile- Makes a comparison Simile- Makes a comparison

using like/asusing like/as “The late afternoon sky bloomed in the

window for a moment like the blue honey of the Mediterranean.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald (Author)

“Her face was quiet and a curious look was in her eyes, eyes like the timeless eyes of a statue.” - John Steinbeck (Author)

“Shine bright like a diamond”- Rihanna (Singer)

“How could you be so cold as the summer wind when it breeze” Kanye West (Rapper)

Metaphor-Making a comparison Metaphor-Making a comparison

not using like or asnot using like or as “Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player, / That

struts and frets his hour upon the stage.” -Shakespeare

"The apparition of these faces in the crowd; /Petals on a wet. black bough." – Ezra Pound

“His breath was a raging fire burning my flesh.” – Ms. King

“Baby you’re a firework. Come on show them what you’re worth.” – Katy Perry

Metonymy-When a writer/ speaker uses Metonymy-When a writer/ speaker uses

words or phrases to substitute for words or phrases to substitute for

something elsesomething else

"The pen is mightier than the sword.” (Writing/Violence)

"The House was called to order.” (Congress/House of Representatives)

"We have always remained loyal to the crown.” (Queen/King)

"He is a man of the cloth.“ (Preacher)

Hyperbole-An overly Hyperbole-An overly exaggerated sayingexaggerated saying

Some examples are hyperboles include the following:

I’ve walked a thousand miles today (I didn’t walk 1,000 miles).

I’m so hungry I could eat a horse (I’m extremely hungry).

I will die if we don’t win the game (extreme exaggeration).

We have a ton of homework to do (people don’t literally have a ton of homework, but they have a lot of it).

Onomatopoeia-Sound EffectsOnomatopoeia-Sound Effects

Buzz

Pop

Splash

Boom

Bang, bang

Pow

Rhetorical Question- A question Rhetorical Question- A question

asked for effect, not necessarily to asked for effect, not necessarily to

be answered be answered

"Must I argue the wrongfulness of slavery? Is that a question for republicans?” Frederick Douglass

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” William Shakespeare

Why should students be required to wear uniforms in school?

“Who do you think you are?” John Legend

Personification-Giving human Personification-Giving human

characteristics to something not characteristics to something not

humanhuman

Goldfish. The snack that smiles back. (Advertisement)

Great waves looked over others coming in.

The sun shone brightly down on me as if she were shining for me alone.

“Hip hop just died this mornin” Nas (Rapper)

Anaphora/ Parallelism-Using Anaphora/ Parallelism-Using

repetition in sentence structure, repetition in sentence structure,

words, or phraseswords, or phrases I came, I saw, I conquered.

Today's students can put dope in their veins or hope in their brains. If they can conceive it and believe it, they can achieve it. They must know it is not their aptitude but their attitude that will determine their altitude.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative.

Loaded Words / Charged WordsLoaded Words / Charged Words Examples of loaded words include:

The word democracy has strong, positive connotations throughout the western world. Many now consider anything "democratic" to be automatically "good."

Other words such as slavery, discrimination, racism, abuse, tyranny, patriotism, homosexual, prostitute, justice, peace, love, etc. also often create strong positive/negative feelings and emotions.

An opponent of Clinton said: “That filthy draft-dodger can’t find his way out of a paper bag, let alone run the country.”

Idiom-A phrase or saying that is Idiom-A phrase or saying that is

commonly used but doesn’t literally commonly used but doesn’t literally

mean what it saysmean what it says

Examples of Idioms

It’s raining cats and dogs (it’s raining extremely hard).

Break a leg (do well on a performance).

I got to hit the books (to study).