An IntroductionRhetoric:

What makes certain speakers so effective?

Listen to the following excerpts from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and write down what you notice about his words.

Frederick DouglassRhetorical Devices in

RhetoricRhetoric Definition: the art of using words in Definition: the art of using words in

speaking (or writing) so as to speaking (or writing) so as to persuade or influence otherspersuade or influence others

We study rhetoricWe study rhetoric– To perceive how language is at work To perceive how language is at work

orally and in writingorally and in writing– To become proficient in applying the To become proficient in applying the

resources of language in our own resources of language in our own speaking and writingspeaking and writing

Rhetorical DevicesRhetorical Devices

Definition: specific, identifiable Definition: specific, identifiable language techniques used in language techniques used in rhetoric.rhetoric.

Rhetorical devices are Rhetorical devices are – content-centered (what)content-centered (what)– form-embedded (how)form-embedded (how)

Content-Centered: PathosContent-Centered: Pathos

Appeal to emotionAppeal to emotion– Empathy, compassion, outrageEmpathy, compassion, outrage

Example:Example:– “…“…after rolling up his sleeves, he commenced to lay after rolling up his sleeves, he commenced to lay

on the heavy cowskin, and soon the warm, red blood on the heavy cowskin, and soon the warm, red blood (amid heart-rending shrieks from her, and horrid oaths (amid heart-rending shrieks from her, and horrid oaths from him) came dripping to the floor” (5).from him) came dripping to the floor” (5).

Content-Centered: LogosContent-Centered: Logos Appeal to logicAppeal to logic Logos is one’s reasonable Logos is one’s reasonable

argument, which forms from argument, which forms from exigency (the pressing need to exigency (the pressing need to speak) with the audience and speak) with the audience and purpose in mind. purpose in mind.

Ethos and Pathos are used to Ethos and Pathos are used to support logos.support logos.

Content-Centered: EthosContent-Centered: Ethos Appeal to common valuesAppeal to common values

– Fundamental character or spirit of a cultureFundamental character or spirit of a culture– Dominant assumptions of a peopleDominant assumptions of a people

Example: Example: – ““I would sometimes say to them [the white boys who helped Douglass learn I would sometimes say to them [the white boys who helped Douglass learn

to read], I wish I could be as free as they would be when they got to be to read], I wish I could be as free as they would be when they got to be men. ‘You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for men. ‘You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life! Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?’ ” (23).life! Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?’ ” (23).

Content-Centered: IronyContent-Centered: Irony A contrast between what is expected A contrast between what is expected

to happen and what actually happensto happen and what actually happens The general characteristic of irony is The general characteristic of irony is

to make something understood by to make something understood by expressing its oppositeexpressing its opposite

Irony is an intellectually demanding form of Irony is an intellectually demanding form of communication that requires interplay between the writer communication that requires interplay between the writer and reader. The ability to recognize and understand irony and reader. The ability to recognize and understand irony is considered part of the liberal, enlightened intellect.is considered part of the liberal, enlightened intellect.

Content-Centered: IronyContent-Centered: Irony 3 types of irony in literature:3 types of irony in literature:

– Verbal: a writer or speaker says Verbal: a writer or speaker says one thing and means something one thing and means something entirely differententirely different

– Dramatic: a reader or audience Dramatic: a reader or audience perceives something that a perceives something that a character in the story does not character in the story does not knowknow

– Situational: the writer shows a Situational: the writer shows a discrepancy between the expected discrepancy between the expected results of some action or situation results of some action or situation and its actual resultsand its actual results

Form-Embedded: AlliterationForm-Embedded: Alliteration Repetition of initial consonant soundsRepetition of initial consonant sounds

Example: Example: – ““I nerved myself up again, and started on I nerved myself up again, and started on

my way, through bogs, brier, barefoot and my way, through bogs, brier, barefoot and bareheaded, tearing my feet sometimes at bareheaded, tearing my feet sometimes at nearly every step…” (40).nearly every step…” (40).

Form-Embedded: RepetitionForm-Embedded: Repetition Repeating of words and/or phrases Repeating of words and/or phrases

throughout a passage or textthroughout a passage or text

Example: Example: – ““Work, work, work, was scarcely more the Work, work, work, was scarcely more the

order of the day than of the night” (37-38).order of the day than of the night” (37-38).

Form-Embedded: ParallelismForm-Embedded: Parallelism Repetition of a grammatical patternRepetition of a grammatical pattern

– Used to emphasize and link related ideasUsed to emphasize and link related ideas– Adds balance, rhythm, and clarity to the Adds balance, rhythm, and clarity to the

sentencesentence

Example: Example: – ““He [Covey] was always under every He [Covey] was always under every

tree, behind every stump, in every bush, tree, behind every stump, in every bush, and at every window, on the plantation” and at every window, on the plantation” (36).(36).

Form-Embedded: AntithesisForm-Embedded: Antithesis Establishes a clear, contrasting Establishes a clear, contrasting

relationship between two ideas by relationship between two ideas by joining them together or juxtaposing joining them together or juxtaposing them, often in parallel structurethem, often in parallel structure

Example: Example: – ““The longest days were too short for him The longest days were too short for him

and the shortest nights were too long for and the shortest nights were too long for him” (38).him” (38).

Form-Embedded: Form-Embedded: ApostropheApostrophe

Interruption of the narrative to Interruption of the narrative to directly address the audience directly address the audience

Example: Example: – ““My thoughts would compel utterance; My thoughts would compel utterance;

and there, with no audience but the and there, with no audience but the Almighty, I would pour out my soul’s Almighty, I would pour out my soul’s complaint, in my rude way, with an complaint, in my rude way, with an apostrophe to the moving multitude of apostrophe to the moving multitude of ship: -- ‘You are loosed from your ship: -- ‘You are loosed from your moorings, and are free…’ ” (38).moorings, and are free…’ ” (38).

Form-Embedded: AllusionForm-Embedded: Allusion A brief (usually indirect) reference to A brief (usually indirect) reference to

a person, place, or event, or to a person, place, or event, or to another literary work or passageanother literary work or passage

Example: Example: – ““In coming to a fixed determination to run In coming to a fixed determination to run

away, we did more than Patrick Henry, when away, we did more than Patrick Henry, when he resolved upon liberty or death” (51).he resolved upon liberty or death” (51).

– Patrick Henry: “I know not what course Patrick Henry: “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” liberty or give me death!” -from Speech in the -from Speech in the

Virginia ConventionVirginia Convention

Form-Embedded: Form-Embedded: Compare/ContrastCompare/Contrast

To examine the similarities and differences To examine the similarities and differences between two (or more) people, places, between two (or more) people, places, objects, ideas, or situations. Often the objects, ideas, or situations. Often the similarities are established to set up and similarities are established to set up and emphasize the differences.emphasize the differences.

Example: Example: – ““I would sometimes say to them [the white boys I would sometimes say to them [the white boys

who helped Douglass learn to read], I wish I who helped Douglass learn to read], I wish I could be as free as they would be when they could be as free as they would be when they got to be men. ‘You will be free as soon as you got to be men. ‘You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life! Have are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life! Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?’ ” not I as good a right to be free as you have?’ ” (23).(23).

Form-Embedded: AnalogyForm-Embedded: Analogy A comparison made between two A comparison made between two

things to show the similarities things to show the similarities between them. Often a familiar idea between them. Often a familiar idea or object is compared to an unfamiliar or object is compared to an unfamiliar one to clarify the unfamiliar.one to clarify the unfamiliar.

Example: Example: – ““By far the larger part of the slaves By far the larger part of the slaves

know as little of their ages as horses know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs” (1).know of theirs” (1).

Form-Embedded:Form-Embedded:Figurative Language or Figurative Language or

Literary/Stylistic DevicesLiterary/Stylistic Devices

Simile: a comparison between two Simile: a comparison between two different things using “like” or “as”different things using “like” or “as”

Metaphor: a direct comparison between two Metaphor: a direct comparison between two unlike things. Unlike a simile or analogy, unlike things. Unlike a simile or analogy, metaphor asserts that one thing metaphor asserts that one thing isis another thing. another thing.

Form-Embedded:Form-Embedded:Figurative Language or Figurative Language or

Literary/Stylistic DevicesLiterary/Stylistic Devices Sensory details/imagery: images and details Sensory details/imagery: images and details

that emphasize or appeal to the five senses that emphasize or appeal to the five senses (touch, taste, sight, smell, sound)(touch, taste, sight, smell, sound)

Personification: the act of giving human Personification: the act of giving human qualities to a nonhuman thing.qualities to a nonhuman thing.

Form-Embedded:Form-Embedded:Figurative Language or Figurative Language or

Literary/Stylistic DevicesLiterary/Stylistic Devices

Symbolism: any object, person, place Symbolism: any object, person, place or action that has a meaning in itself or action that has a meaning in itself and that also stands for something and that also stands for something larger than itselflarger than itself

REVIEWREVIEW

Now that we know the names of many Now that we know the names of many rhetorical devices, let’s revisit the rhetorical devices, let’s revisit the excerpts from Martin Luther King Jr.’s excerpts from Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech. speech.

Identify as many rhetorical devices as Identify as many rhetorical devices as you can in the following two passages. you can in the following two passages.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream.We will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty we are free at last!”

This presentation was created by

Michelle Lew and Eric Unti

in close cooperation with

Clare LePell and Kevin McKinney