Parallelism/Chiasmus: Repeat After Me - Rhetoric Series | Academy 4 Social

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Parallelism/Chiasmus: Lesson Plan

Topic

Parallelism is essentially similar or repeating grammatical structures within a

clause or sentence, which can also take the form of repeating words or phrases.
Meanwhile, chiasmus reverses the structure or word order of the second of two
parallel clauses or sentences to create a slightly different meaning and put
emphasis on the specific words that were reversed. Both parallelism and
chiasmus are literary devices that feature heavily in works of spoken word and
advertisement.

Possible subjects/classes Time needed

Linguistics, Literature, Poetry, English,

30-45 minutes
Public Speaking

Video link:

https://academy4sc.org/topic/parallelism-chiasmus-repeat-after-me/

Objective: What will students know/be able to do at the end of class?

Students will be able to...

● Define both parallelism and chiasmus.
● Identify literary samples as either examples of parallelism or chiasmus.
● Form original sentences that use parallelism and/or chiasmus.

Key Concepts & Vocabulary

Literary technique

Materials Needed

Worksheet

Before you watch

 Parallelism/Chiasmus: Repeat After Me - Rhetoric Series | Academy 4 Social
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Work in pairs: Give each pair a copy of the two pieces of writing on the
Worksheet. One student should read the poem, and one should read the speech.
Then, they should each answer the following questions:
1. What is the purpose of using repetition in this work?
2. Please come up with a specific pattern or formula that the author uses to
create a repetitive effect in their writing.
Then, with their partner, discuss the answers and compare and contrast the two
works.

While you watch

1. Define Parallelism.
2. Define Chiasmus.
3. What purposes do these rhetorical devices serve? (name at least 2)
4. Where might you see them commonly used?

After you watch/discussion questions

1. Name one other example of either parallelism or chiasmus from famous

literature. (If you can’t think of one, make up an example of either
parallelism or chiasmus.)
2. Parallelism and chiasmus often feature in religious texts. Why do you think
that is?
3. What might be one benefit and one drawback to using more parallelism in
your writing?

Activity Ideas

● Complete the Worksheet alone, in pairs, or groups, and share some

answers with the class.
● Have students imagine that they will be giving a speech to the school about
an issue or current event that they care about. Write a two minute speech
that uses either parallelism or chiasmus. This activity could be expanded
into a larger public speaking assignment that leads to class presentations.

Sources/places to learn more

1. Alice E. M. Underwood. “Parallelism.” Parallelism In Writing | Grammarly

Blog, 26 Jan. 2016, https://www.grammarly.com/blog/parallelism/.
 Parallelism/Chiasmus: Repeat After Me - Rhetoric Series | Academy 4 Social
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2. Berlin, Adele. The Dynamics of Biblical Parallelism. Indiana University Press,

1992.
3. Geller, Stephen A. Parallelism in Early Hebrew Poetry. Brill, 1979. brill.com,
https://brill.com/view/title/39164.
4. Nänny, Max. “Chiasmus in Literature: Ornament or Function?” Word &
Image, vol. 4, no. 1, Jan. 1988, pp. 51–59. caa.tandfonline.com (Atypon),
doi:10.1080/02666286.1988.10436219.
5. Welch, John W. “Criteria for Identifying and Evaluating the Presence of
Chiasmus.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies (1992-2007), vol. 4, no. 2,
1995, pp. 1–14.
 Parallelism/Chiasmus: Repeat After Me - Rhetoric Series | Academy 4 Social
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Parallelism/Chiasmus: Worksheet

Before you watch

Person 1: Read the poem “How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning:

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death."

Person 2: Read this excerpt from President John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address (1961),
paying special attention to the bolded parts:

“So let us begin anew—remembering on both sides that civility is not

a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never
negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate. . . .

Now the trumpet summons us again—not as a call to bear arms,

though arms we need—not as a call to battle, though embattled we are—but
a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out,
“rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation”—a struggle against the common
enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself. . . .

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been
granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do
not shrink from this responsibility—I welcome it. I do not believe that any of
 Parallelism/Chiasmus: Repeat After Me - Rhetoric Series | Academy 4 Social
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us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation.
The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light
our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light
the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do
for you—ask what you can do for your country.”

Activity
Read each of the following prompts. For each one, you will write a slogan or mini speech (no
longer than one paragraph).

1. An up-and-coming fast food joint named Taco Queen wants to hire you to create a
catchy slogan that will represent their brand and entice customers to try their food.
Taco Queen’s only specific request is that you must use parallelism in the slogan.

2. The Rainforest Protection League wants to put up billboards in New York City to
make people more aware of the problems that rainforests around the world are
suffering from, including pollution, deforestation, and the extinction of many rare
tropical species. Use parallelism to come up with a slogan/warning that will catch
people’s attention.

3. Lucciola is a luxury car brand founded in Italy. They want your help in marketing
their new car model to potential customers - it’s supposed to be fast and
aerodynamic, with ultra-comfortable seats and many built-in tech gadgets. Come up
with a smart tagline for Lucciola that uses chiasmus.

4. The Women’s Rights Organization has enlisted you to speak at their annual charity
dinner. To help inspire your speech-writing, the Women’s Rights Organization
reminds you that their main goals are to rally for equal pay and job opportunities,
 Parallelism/Chiasmus: Repeat After Me - Rhetoric Series | Academy 4 Social
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speak out against sexual harassment, and fight gendered stereotypes. Please
include both parallelism and chiasmus in your mini speech.

Complete the following multiple choice questions.

1. Circle all that are examples of chiasmus (if there are any):
A. Twist theories to suit facts, not facts to suit theories
B. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth
C. Life is a comedy for the rich but a tragedy for the poor
D. I flee who chases me and chase who flees me
E. Never let a fool kiss you, or a kiss fool you

2. Circle all that are examples of chiasmus (if there are any):
A. If you can change your mind, you can change your life
B. A lion never loses sleep over the opinions of sheep
C. Be sure to taste your words before you spit them out
D. The fool who knows he’s a fool is wise indeed
E. The price of being a sheep is boredom; the price of being a wolf is loneliness

3. Circle all that are examples of chiasmus (if there are any):
A. A wise person has money in their head, but not their heart
B. When you say “Yes” to others, make sure you’re not saying “No” to yourself
C. People can’t change the truth but the truth can change people
D. It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles
E. To err is human, to forgive, divine

4. Circle all that are examples of parallelism (if there are any):
A. Gain control of your money, or the lack of money will control you
B. Out of the quarrel with others, we make rhetoric; out of the quarrel with
ourselves, poetry
C. We’re all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars
D. If you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl
E. I am strong because I’ve been weak; I am fearless because I’ve been afraid
 Parallelism/Chiasmus: Repeat After Me - Rhetoric Series | Academy 4 Social
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5. Circle all that are examples of parallelism (if there are any):
A. Spending today complaining about yesterday won’t make tomorrow any better
B. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop
C. We should remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our
friends
D. If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together
E. No one will love you for who you are if you don’t love yourself