Rhetorical Devices Used by
Speakers and Writers
• Rhetorical devices are the nuts and bolts of speech and writing; the
parts that make a communication work. Separately, each part of is
meaningless, but once put together they create a powerful effect on
the listener/reader.
Parallelism
• Writing structures that
are grammatically
parallel helps the
reader understand the
points better because
they flow more
smoothly.
If there is anyone out
there who still
doubts…who still
wonders…who still
questions
Hypophora
• A common technique is to
start a speech with a
hypophora, in which the
speaker first asks a
question and then
answers it.
• In Obama’s speech, the
word answer is used
regularly as an obvious
signpost of the speaker’s
intention to give his
audience answers. The
questions, however, are
implied here.
Repetition
• Repetition can be
effective in creating a
sense of structure
and power. In both
speech and literature,
repeating small
phrases can ingrain
an idea in the minds
of the audience.
• Yes, we can, to
opportunity and
prosperity. Yes, we
can heal this nation.
Yes, we can repair
this world. Yes, we
can.
Antithesis
• A figure of speech in
which sharply
contrasting ideas are
juxtaposed in a
balanced or parallel
phrase or
grammatical structure
• Obama is famous for
having said “There
are no red states or
blue states. There are
only the United States
of America.”
•
"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,
we had everything before us, we
had nothing before us, we were all
going direct to Heaven, we were
all going direct the other way."
(Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)
Figurative speech
• People like to think in
metaphors. The image of
bending the arc of history
up towards hope is
powerful. Figurative
speech tends to work
best when set off by
concrete images.
• “the arc of history with
the backyards of Des
Moines and the living
rooms of Concord and
the front porches of
Charleston”
Tricolon
• A tricolon is a list of three,
or a sentence in which
there are three parts or
clauses. The cumulative
effect of three has a
powerful effect on an
audience.
– Here, the backyards, living
rooms and front porches
build a strong picture of
“plain folks”
Polysyndeton
• using several
conjunctions in close
succession,
especially where
some might be
omitted—used to
stress the importance
of each item
• $5 and $10 and $15
Juxtaposition
• the act of positioning
close together
– Obama talks about the
“not-so-young people
who braved the bitter
cold and scorching
heat to knock on doors
of perfect strangers”
• The juxtaposition of
“bitter cold” and
“scorching heat”
stresses the extreme
conditions in which
people campaigned for
Obama, convincing the
audience of their
dedication
Allusion
• By using allusion, you not only associate
yourself with the ideas of the original text
but also create a bond with the audience
by evoking share knowledge
– The words government of the people, by the
people, and for the people are lifted from the
“Gettysburg Address”
Varied Sentence Length
• Varying the sentence length is always a
good way to strengthen any writing style,
be it speech writing or essays.
--“To the best campaign team ever assembles in the
history of politics: you made this happen, and I am
forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly
belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.”
Rhetorical & Persuasive Appeals
• Ethos—appeal to ethics; asks the reader/listener
to look favorably on the writer/speaker; stresses
the writer/speaker’s intelligence, competence,
fairness, morality, and other qualities desirable
in a trustworthy leader.
--“I promise you, we as a people will get there.”
--“But I will always be honest with you about the challenges
we face. I will listen to you, especially when we
disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the
work of remaking this nation . . .”
Rhetorical & Persuasive Appeals
• Logos—rational appeal; asks the readers
to use their intellects and powers of
reasoning. It relies on established
conventions of logic and evidence.
--Can you find any use of logos in this speech?
Rhetorical & Persuasive Appeals
• Pathos—an emotional appeal; asks readers to
respond out of their beliefs, values, or feelings.
It inspires, affirms, frightens, angers.
--“Tonight we proved one more that the true strength of our nation
comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but
from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty,
opportunity, and unyielding hope.”
--“Yes we can.”
--“So tonight, let us ask ourselves—if our children should live to see the
next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as
Ann Nixon Cooper, what changes will they see? What progress will
we have made?”