...ironies as those produced by transposing a Yankee to King Arthur’s Court). It seems clear when retracing the development of Twain’s style through his career that his use of irony—always one of his key rhetorical devices—becomes increasingly heavy- handed the older and the angrier he became. Huck’s “failure” is innocent; that of the con- gregation in “The War-Prayer” is not. Albert Bigelow Paine quotes Twain as writing on New Year’s Eve 1900-01: A GREETING FROM THE NINETEENTH TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY I bring you the stately nation named Christendom, returning, bedraggled, besmirched, and dishonored, from pirate raids in Kiao-Chou, Manchuria, South Africa, and the Phil- ippines, with her soul full of meanness, her pocket full of boodle, and her mouth full of pious hypocrisies. Give her soap and a towel, but hide the looking-glass. (Europe xxxiv) Here, only the adjective “stately” tells us that the intended tone is irony, before Twain starts hammering home his point; and it is precisely the behavior of Christendom in the Philippines that would lead, in 1904-5, to the barely disguised fury that makes “The War- Prayer”’s irony so unsubtle. Unsubtle is not the same as ineffective, of course, but insidi- ousness usually serves irony better. It was still Twain’s only appropriate rhetorical device, however, given that irony is inherently dualistic: it says or implies one thing, it means another; it has a stated (often false) meaning, and a silent (true)...
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...cinematic, and Bragg exemplifies an awareness of time. “All Over but the Shoutin'” is a haunting memoir about the struggle of accepting a parent who has abandoned his own flesh and blood. It emphasizes on both personal history and on the historical context in which the events took place. The memoir hooks the reader and peaks their interest, further forcing them into inquiring for more. The author recalls when, as a teenager, he paid a final visit to his dying father. He explained how hard it was visiting him for the first and last time since he left, and how difficult it was to confront his abandonment. Through strong diction and tone, rhetorical devices, and the conflict shown, Bragg displays the theme of being trapped between forgiving and hating his father. Before Bragg allows the reader to fully...
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...Moore−Parker: Critical Thinking, Ninth Edition 5. Persuasion Through Rhetoric: Common Devices and Techniques Text © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2009 Chapter Persuasion Through Rhetoric 5 It’s just the way things are: Images and impressions tend to sell more products than good arguments do. At least some of the images are fun. Common Devices and Techniques W hen the military uses the phrase “self-injurious behavior incidents” regarding detainees at Guantánamo Bay, it means what most of us call “attempted suicides.” In fact, when the word “detainees” is used, it means what most of us call “prisoners.” “Waterboarding” sounds at first like something you’d expect to see young people doing on a California beach, not a torture technique that involves forced simulated drowning. Less remarkable, perhaps, but possibly more relevant for most of us, we’ve heard the term “downsized” used when someone is fired or laid off. “Ethnic cleansing” covers everything from deportation to genocide. What we have to say may be important, but the words we choose to say it with can be equally important. The examples just given are cases of a certain type of linguistic coercion—an attempt to get us to adopt a particular attitude toward a subject that, if described differently, would seem less attractive to us. Words have tremendous persuasive power, or what we have called their rhetorical force or emotive meaning—their power to express and elicit images, feelings, and emotional...
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...Figures of Speech (Stylistic Devices) What are stylistic devices? In literature and writing, a figure of speech (also called stylistic device or rhetorical device) is the use of any of a variety of techniques to give an auxiliary meaning, idea, or feeling. Sometimes a word diverges from its normal meaning, or a phrase has a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of the words in it. Examples are metaphor, simile, or personification. Stylistic devices often provide emphasis, freshness of expression, or clarity. A simile is a figure of speech comparing two unlike things, often introduced with the word "like" or "as". It takes the form of: * X is (not) like Y * X is (not) as Y * X is (not) similar to Y Examples of simile: * He fights like a lion. * He swims as fast as a fish. * He slithers like a snake. * "My dad was a mechanic by trade when he was in the Army, When he got the tools out, he was like a surgeon." What is a metaphor? Unlike simile, metaphor (from the Greek language: meaning "transfer") is language that directly compares seemingly unrelated subjects. It is a figure of speech that compares two or more things not using like or as. In the simplest case, this takes the form: X - is - Y Examples of metaphor: All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; (William Shakespeare, As You Like It, 2/7) Example: “Henry was a lion on the battlefield”. This...
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...A Preface of Quotations Whoever desires for his writings or himself, what none can reasonably condemn,the favor of mankind, must add grace to strength, and make his thoughts agreeable as well as useful. Many complain of neglect who never tried to attract regard. It cannot be expected that the patrons of science or virtue should be solicitous to discover excellencies which they who possess them shade and disguise. Few have abilities so much needed by the rest of the world as to be caressed on their own terms; and he that will not condescend to recommend himself by external embellishments must submit to the fate of just sentiments meanly expressed, and be ridiculed and forgotten before he is understood. --Samuel Johnson Men must be taught as if you taught them not; And things unknown propos'd as things forgot. --Alexander Pope Style in painting is the same as in writing, a power over materials, whether words or colors, by which conceptions or sentiments are conveyed. --Sir Joshua Reynolds Whereas, if after some preparatory grounds of speech by their certain forms got into memory, they were led to the praxis thereof in some chosen short book lessoned thoroughly to them, they might then forthwith proceed to learn the substance of good things, and arts in due order, which would bring the whole language quickly into their power. --John Milton Introduction Good writing depends upon more than making a collection of statements worthy of belief, because writing is intended to...
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...Stylistic devices Repetition and Variation |stylistic device |definition |translation |example |effect | |alliteration |recurrence of initial sound |Alliteration |“The fair breeze blew, |to convey auditory images | | | | |the white foam flew.” | | |accumulation |series of expressions (adjectives, cliches, |Anhäufung |“He came, saw, fought and won” |to make the language livelier | | |examples, images) that contribute increasingly to | | | | | |meaning | | | | |anaphora |repetition of first word(s) of line/clause |Anapher |In every town, in every house...
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...Martin Luther King Jr. is an African American who is known for fighting for the rights of the blacks to make them equal. For example, in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in which it was delivered on August 28th of 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial of Washington D.C. he remarks that, “I have a dream that one day… I have a dream that one day… I have a dream that one day…” (King, page 18). This quote proves how King uses repetition as a rhetorical device to compel or persuade the readers and his audience to end racial inequality. He uses repetition to prove how crucial it is to do what is being repeated in order to help society. Furthermore, in the speech it states, “Let freedom ring from the… Let freedom ring from the… Let freedom ring from the…” (King, page 18). The repetition used in this quote proves how essential it became for King to end racial inequality where the readers and audience had to be persuaded. His technique of using repetition makes the readers mind to remember the importance of the speech. As you can see, the method that MLK has used, has kept his audience focused and...
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...Martin Luther King wrote a book that talks about the way black Americans were treated and their social conditions. The book was wrote in the 1960s, during the time of segregation. This is a passage of the introduction to the book that helps explain why the book was written. The rhetorical purpose of this passage is to inform the people of the reasons why black Americans can't wait for a revolution. Many rhetorical devices were used to make King's points stronger and have more meaning. Each of the three sections in the passage have their own achievements. They also have rhetorical devices that help strengthen the points within the section. The first section describes the living conditions of the blacks, allowing everyone to picture the terribly sad life style for the blacks. The next section uses rhetorical questions and parallelism to make you really think about how the history is covered up and only black Americans know it. Lastly, the third section uses current events and rhetorical questions. The current events were not being talked about but they boy and the girl knew all about it....
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...Martin Luther King Jr. uses specific rhetorical devices to tap into the emotions of a diverse audience. Throughout his letter MLK uses several rhetorical devices to stress important points and to allow the readers empathize and understand with black people in America who were lacking the civil rights they deserved. MLK uses devices such as metaphor and symbolism to make the audience sympathize with colored people, specifically the colored people in Birmingham. This helps the reader to understand the consequences that these people forced to deal with due to the extreme racism in the South. King utilizes diction to make his metaphor more powerful, “your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty… (P.264)”. His word...
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...anaphora and parallelism because they caught the audience’s attention and connected them to the speaker and the issue. In comparison of the two speeches, JFK’s Inaugural Address appealed to people's values while MLK’s speech used appeals directed towards their fear and terror. In JFK’s speech, JFK encourages people to help the less fortunate by saying, “We pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves… but because it is right” (Kennedy 28-30). Ethos is used in this statement to try to attract the audience towards the subject by talking about a subject concerning their ethics and morals. It is effective because it makes people want to do the right thing which is try to help those who are less fortunate. In the “I Have a Dream” speech, MLK explains the horrors about what happens to negroes by explaining, “... Negro is the victim of unspeakable...
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...On April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a very important speech amongst the clergymen to protest against the Jim Crow laws and racial violence. King's reasoning for his speech was to argue for change and to justify his actions. While writing his letter, King uses rhetorical devices and appeals to develop his argument. In the beginning of MLK's speech he mentions that while being in jail, Martin Luther King Jr. said that their recent activities were "unwise and untimely". Ethos is shown being used when King makes a claim that he is not an "outsider". Martin Luther King Jr. established his credibility by mentioning that he and several members were here because they were invited. Paragraph 2, MLK states, "So I, along with several members of my staff, am here because I was invited here. I am here because I have organizational ties here." Furthermore, King expresses his biblical duties and says he is "compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town."...
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...Martin Luther King Jr, one of the greatest writers, speakers, and civil rights activists of all time, always includes a plethora of rhetorical strategies and devices in his works. Throughout his introduction to Why We Can't Wait, MLK Jr uses parallelism, biblical allusions, and rhetorical questions to develop his point. To begin, King uses the strategy of parallelism to reiterate his statements. He explains the work ethic of the blacks when he says "Wherever there was hard work, dirty work, dangerous work ... Negroes had done more than their share." He is using the repetition of the word work to show the spirit and determination of the negro during these times of oppression. This causes his audience to think about the times they have seen the negro people putting in more work than required, and it causes them to question the laws of "equality" and why freedmen still are not free. Secondly, King utilizes his Christian background in referencing The Bible to connect with other Christians or those of faith. He says "Separated by stretching miles, both of them squared their...
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...Martin Luther King Jr. was a sensational speaker. He has a way with words. A way that can sway you and your view of things. In “ Letter From Birmingham Jail”, it is clear this effect is not sacrificed in his writing. King may not have known the specific literary actions he has taken, however, he did an excellent job of y]using rhetorical devices to get his point across. In “Letter From Birmingham Jail” by MLK, King uses rhetorical devices such as, rhetorical appeals, metaphors, and allusions to strengthen his argument in the letter. This letter was written to address the biggest issues of the south. King, through his use of rhetorical devices, to further support his argument. King’s most effective way of getting his point across was his appeal to emotion, credibility, and logic. This is also known as Ethos, Pathos and...
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...both defend their actions that break the rules yet favor different rhetorical devices. Throughout Antigone’s speech she seems to favor pathos to convey her reason to break a law. When explaining her actions she evokes the emotion in her audience by explaining what would have happened if she had follow the laws she would have allowed her “own mothers son to not”, then explains how it would “have been agony”, the perspective draws an emotional response that she hopes to use as empathy. When threatened death as a punishment she expresses that if she “is to die before her time” that she would “consider that a gain”. She again uses pathos to draw motion from the king by explaining that death would be worth her action. This adds a more dramatic moment which in turn causes more emotion. Unlike Antigone Martin Luther King Jr uses logic through logos to make his argument after being called an “extremist” he explains this is not always a bad thing....
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... * Both deliberate and conscious of challenges of relating Biblical faith to Social issues * Housing and immigration are public policy issues * Daniel devotes a chapter to this question, using “Caesar vs. God” image from New Testament * Micah Shows up in both books (see below) * Differences? * Is immigration more of a “hot button” issue than housing? * If so, do we find different kinds of rhetoric? * Phil comment in class: Does Reckford focus more on system or structures or root causes (next slide) and Daniel more on individuals? * If so, do we have different kinds of solidarity in these two approaches? * Root Causes (“cycle”) of Poverty (structural analysis) (52-53) * Rhetorical device? * Cites 5 of them * “social capital” (56-58) is a rich illustration * Solidarity involves “learning” and “sensitivity” and “collaboration” (60) * Corresponding interventions/Solutions * E.g. “not charity but capital” (Clarence Jordan, cited 54) * 62-63: justice = level playing field (Sen. M. Fenwick, grandmother) * Housing is one of several interventions, but foundational (59) * Note structural components (infrastructure) of this intervention * E.g. ONE Campaign (http://www.one.org/us/) : 1% of US budget against extreme poverty * Immigration as “spiritual pilgrimage” * Religion/Public Square (ch.4) * “Do I believe in the moral teaching of my faith...
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