English - Literary Devices

Simile

A comparison using like or as.

Metaphor

A comparison without using like or as.

Euphemism

A mild/pleasant word/phrase used instead of one that is unpleasant/offensive

Allusion

A reference to a famous person or event

What is a rhetorical device?

A rhetorical device is any device or resource of language that an author/speaker uses to persuade or make an impact on their audience.

Understatement

A statement that minimizes the significance of something/says less than it means. *Often used for comedic effect

Name the rhetorical device: - "During the holidays, she acted like a Scrooge, purchasing presents only for herself."

Allusion

Hyperbole

An extreme exaggeration

Name the rhetorical device: - "We've got the iPod, best music player in the world. We've got the iPod Nanos, brand new models, colors are back. We've got the amazing new iPod Shuffle."

Anaphora (also Parallelism & Hyperbole)

Oxymoron

Combination of two words of opposite meaning *Typically for a dramatic, comedic or provocative effect

Name the rhetorical device: "Don't you ever talk about my friends! You don't know any of my friends. You don't look at any of my friends. And you certainly wouldn't condescend to speak to any of my friends."

Epistrophe

Name the rhetorical device: - "Sanitation engineer" "Pre-owned vehicle" "Economically disadvantaged"

Euphemism

Personification

Giving human qualities to something that isn't human

Name the rhetorical device: - "I'll love you, dear, I'll love you till China and Africa meet, And the river jumps over the mountain And the salmon sing in the street, I'll love you till the ocean Is folded and hung up to dry And the seven stars go squawking Like geese about the sky."

Hyperbole (also Anaphora, Personification, Simile)

Name *two* rhetorical devices: "We find ourselves rich in goods but ragged in spirit, reaching with magnificent precision for the moon but falling into raucous discord on earth. We are caught in war, wanting peace. We're torn by division, wanting unity.

Juxtaposition & Parallelism

Name *three* rhetorical devices: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

Juxtaposition, anaphora, parallelism

The following are examples of what rhetorical device?: - Original copy - Disgustingly delicious - Small crowd - Passive aggressive - Faithfully unfaithful

Oxymoron

Name the rhetorical device: - "We have seen the state of our Union in the endurance of rescuers, working past exhaustion. We've seen the unfurling of flags, the lighting of candles, the giving of blood, the saying of prayers -- in English, Hebrew and Arabic."

Parallelism

Juxtaposition

Putting two elements together that are very unlike. *Often occurs with parallelism

Rhetorical question

Question asked for effect, not requiring an answer

Parallelism

Successive words, phrases or clauses expressed with the same/similar grammatical structure. *Can add balance, rhythm or emphasis to an argument. *Often occurs with anaphora & epistrophe

Repetition

The repeated use of words or phrases to build to a climax or to add emphasis

Anaphora

The repetition of words at the beginning of a line

Epistrophe

The repetition of words at the end of a line

Name the rhetorical device: "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much distress."

Understatement