Stylistic Devices 5
Stylistic Devices 5
Stylistic Devices 5
alliteration?
Alliteration is the repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words.
Alliteration draws attention to the phrase and is often used for emphasis.The
initial consonant sound is usually repeated in two neighboring words
although sometimes the repetition occurs also in words that are not
neighbors.
Examples:
a dime a dozen,
keen camarad.
philosophy fan.
a cute child
Although they start with the same consonants, they are not instances of
alliteration since the sounds differ.
Stylistic Devices - Allusion
What is an allusion?
Allusion
Some examples of the literary works that use anaphora are listed below:
In time the savage bull sustains the yoke,
In time all haggard hawks will stoop to lure,
In time small wedges cleave the hardest oak,
In time the flint is pierced with softest shower.
Thomas Kyd, The Spanish Tragedy, I, vi. 3
Mad world! Mad kings! Mad composition!
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Neil Armstrong.
"Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice." - William
Shakespeare.
What is apostrophe?
Apostrophe is an exclamatory rhetorical figure of speech, when a speaker
or writer breaks off and directs speech to an imaginary person or abstract
quality or idea.
Examples
After he had received his orders, the soldier left the barracks. (he
is also a cataphoric reference to the soldier which is mentioned
later in the discourse)
Dead tree edition for the paper version of a publication that can
be found online
"There are three things that will endure: faith, hope, and love. But the
greatest of these is love."
1 Corinthians 13:13
3.
This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men,
would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the
pursuit of Happiness."
Martin Luther King, I Have a Dream
Lacy can do something about the problem, but I dont know what
(she can do.)
She can help with the housework; Nancy can (help with the
housework), too.
John can speak seven languages, but Ron can speak only two
(languages.)
The words between parentheses can be omitted and the sentences can still
be meaningful.
Hyperbole
What is hyperbole?
Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of
speech. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong
Dark light
Deafening silence
Living dead
Open secret
Virtual reality
Personification
What is Personification?
Part of something is used to refer to the whole thing A hundred head of cattle (using the part head to refer to the whole
animal)
The whole of a thing is used to represent part of it The world treated him badly (using the world to refer to part of the
world)
A specific class of thing is used to refer to a larger, more general class A bug (used to refer to any kind of insect or arachnid, even if it is not a
true bug)
A material is used to refer to an object composed of that material Glasses or steel ( referring to spectacles or sword)
"It stings a bit" - a soldier describing the pain he feels after he has just
lost his leg.
"It has rained a little more than the average" - describing a flooded
area.
The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws."
(Tacitus)
"Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put and end to
mankind." - John F. Kennedy
3. Situational irony:
This refers to the contrast between the actual result of a
situation and what was intended or expected to happen.
Examples of irony
The two identical twins were arguing. One of them told the
other: "You're ugly"
X is (not) like Y
X is (not) as Y
X is (not) similar to Y
Examples of simile:
"My dad was a mechanic by trade when he was in the Army, When he
got the tools out, he was like a surgeon."