From ancient Greek amphitheaters to the far corners of bookstores and even the Internet, rhetorical devices have long been the cornerstone of effective communication.
Though often associated with persuasive speeches, the art of rhetoric extends far beyond the podium, weaving its magic into every type of writing, including fiction. Using rhetorical techniques can make any type of writing compelling, turning simple messages into memorable narratives.
Read on to learn about rhetorical devices – from what they are to how you can use them in your writing to captivate your readers
What is rhetoric?
What exactly is rhetoric? It is the art of speaking or writing effectively and persuasively, especially using certain techniques called rhetorical devices.
In writing, rhetoric is used to persuade, inform, or entertain the reader.
Elements of rhetoric
To use rhetoric, you need to understand the elements needed to make it work effectively. These elements are:
Credibility
Establishing the credibility and authority of a writer or speaker is crucial when it comes to convincing an audience of anything. This can be done by demonstrating expertise or shared values with your audience. In fiction, this may also apply to the main character. More often than not, we must be able to trust our narrator and believe that he has some authority to guide us through his journey.
Emotion
People are emotional beings. Appealing to your reader’s emotions will help you connect with them, making it easier for you to persuade, persuade, or lead. Using this element involves creating an emotional response through the use of anecdotes, descriptive language, and rhetorical devices, which we will discuss shortly.
Logic
Simply put, everything must make sense to the reader or listener if they are going to listen long enough to be convinced. Presenting a logical argument for your position, the rules of your world, or your character’s actions will make your story more believable. This requires providing clear reasons, evidence, and a logical structure to support the argument (or premise) being presented.
Depending on the type of writing you do, you will rely on some of these elements more than others. In nonfiction, logic and credibility will be at the forefront of your writing, so you will want to use rhetoric or a rhetorical device to prove your knowledge and credibility. You can also use rhetoric to help readers understand complex topics.
However, in fiction, emotions will play a leading role. While believability and logic will be important, the rules of your world will need to make sense, and readers will need to know which characters to trust. When writing fiction, you will want to create your readers feel.
Rhetoric or rhetorical tools can help you do this by helping readers understand a situation more deeply or relate to a character or situation they haven’t previously understood or had experience with.
How can you do this? Using rhetorical means.
Let’s look at the different methods of rhetoric, the tools you can use to apply rhetoric to your writing, and how they can help with different types of writing.
What are rhetorical devices?
A rhetorical device is a technique used by writers or speakers to convey a message to an audience or to evoke a specific reaction or emotion. To engage elements of rhetoric, you can use a rhetorical device. These devices can be used to enhance the meaning of a message, make it more memorable, or make an argument more persuasive. They are used in persuasive speeches, nonfiction, and fiction.
Here are just a few rhetorical devices you can use (because there are many).
Rhetorical question
Asking questions is not to get an answer, but to express an opinion or draw attention to something.
Examples: : “Is the Pope Catholic?” Or, “Are you joking?”
Alliteration
The repetition of the same initial sound in a series of words.
Example: “Peter Piper took a piece of pickled pepper.”
Anaphora
Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of subsequent sentences.
Example: “I have a dream” from a speech by Martin Luther King Jr.
Hyperbole
Exaggerating for emphasis or effect.
Example: “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”
Metaphor
A metaphor is a direct comparison of two different things with the statement that one is the other.
Example: “All the world is a stage and all the men and women are just players.” from Shakespeare.
Oxymoron
A combination of two contradictory terms.
Example: “deafening silence.”
Personification
Attributing human characteristics or characteristics to non-human entities or abstract ideas.
Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
Comparison
Comparing two different things using “as” or “as”.
Example: “He sings like an angel.”
Famous examples of rhetorical devices
Throughout the history of literature and speaking, rhetorical devices have been used to paint pictures, evoke an emotional response from audiences, or prove a point.
Oxymoron
From Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet: “Parting is such sweet sadness.”
The juxtaposition of the words “sweet” and “sad” conveys the complex emotions of love and longing.
Anaphora
From Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of stupidity…”
The repeated “it was” at the beginning of each sentence gives rhythm and emphasizes contrasts.
From Martin Luther King Jr I have my dream speech: “So let freedom ring from the tops of the wonderful hills of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the rising Alleghenies of Pennsylvania…
Alliteration
From Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet: “From now on, the mortal loins of these two enemies…”
The repetition of the sound “F” is rhythmic alliteration.
This is just a small sample of the examples that can be found in the literature. Rhetorical devices are, of course, also used in films and contemporary works, even in articles, blogs and videos.
Why is it worth using rhetoric in your texts?
Because rhetoric and rhetorical devices are so common and effective, it can be difficult to know when you are using them. This may make you wonder Why you should use them. This subtlety shows why they are worth using.
When an author compares a character’s emotions to an experience or emotion that the reader can relate to, it draws them into that emotion so effectively that they don’t even realize they are being “persuaded.”
While the average reader may not understand what it feels like to send a loved one on a journey from which they may never return, they probably understand the pain that grows in your stomach when you send your child off to their first day of school or even your spouse to train for the military. And while it’s not directly the same experience, they will immediately start to feel the pain and may be able to identify with the character more than before.
This is the power of a rhetorical device. So next time you write, give it a try. Use a rhetorical device to convince readers that you feel emotions or to help them understand the position you take.