Frederick DouglassRhetorical Devices in

Birth of LogosBirth of Logos

Logos = One’s reasoned Logos = One’s reasoned argument argument

Exigence = The drive to speak Exigence = The drive to speak

PurposePurpose

AudienceAudience

LogosLogos

RhetoricRhetoric Definition: the art of using words in Definition: the art of using words in

speaking (or writing) to advance the speaking (or writing) to advance the author’s Logos so as to persuade or author’s Logos so as to persuade or influence othersinfluence others

We study rhetoric for two reasons:We study rhetoric for two reasons:1.1. to perceive how oral and written to perceive how oral and written

language is at worklanguage is at work2.2. to become proficient in applying the to become proficient in applying the

resources of language in our own resources of language in our own speech and writingspeech and writing

Rhetorical DevicesRhetorical Devices

Definition: specific, identifiable Definition: specific, identifiable language techniques used in language techniques used in rhetoric.rhetoric.

Two types of Rhetorical devices are Two types of Rhetorical devices are

1.1. content-centered (what)content-centered (what)

2.2. form-embedded (how) form-embedded (how) Speakers Speakers utilize form-embedded devices to utilize form-embedded devices to emphasize content.emphasize content.

Content-Centered: PathosContent-Centered: Pathos

Appeal to emotionAppeal to emotion– e.g., eme.g., empathpathy, compassion, outragey, compassion, outrage

Example:Example:– “…“…after rolling up his sleeves, he after rolling up his sleeves, he

commenced to lay on the heavy commenced to lay on the heavy cowskin, and soon the warm, red blood cowskin, and soon the warm, red blood (amid heart-rending shrieks from her, (amid heart-rending shrieks from her, and horrid oaths from him) came and horrid oaths from him) came dripping to the floor” (5).dripping to the floor” (5).

Content-Centered: EthosContent-Centered: Ethos Appeal to common values and community expectations. Appeal to common values and community expectations. Ethos reflects…Ethos reflects…

– Ethical values and/or the character or spirit of a cultureEthical values and/or the character or spirit of a culture– shared assumptions of a peopleshared assumptions of a people– universal components of the human experienceuniversal components of the human experience

Example: Example: – ““I would sometimes say to them [the white I would sometimes say to them [the white

boys who helped Douglass learn to read], I boys who helped Douglass learn to read], I wish I could be as free as they would be when wish I could be as free as they would be when they got to be men. ‘You will be free as soon they got to be men. ‘You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life! as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life! Have not I as good a right to be free as you Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?’ ” (23).have?’ ” (23).

Content-Centered: IronyContent-Centered: Irony A contrast between what is expected A contrast between what is expected

to happen and what actually happensto happen and what actually happens

The general characteristic of irony is The general characteristic of irony is to make something understood by to make something understood by expressing its oppositeexpressing its opposite

Content-Centered: IronyContent-Centered: Irony 3 types of irony in literature:3 types of irony in literature:

– Verbal:Verbal: a writer or speaker says one thing a writer or speaker says one thing and means something entirely differentand means something entirely different

– Dramatic:Dramatic: a reader or audience perceives a reader or audience perceives something that a character in the story does something that a character in the story does not know (R&J example—Juliet is not dead…)not know (R&J example—Juliet is not dead…)

– Situational:Situational: a writer shows a discrepancy a writer shows a discrepancy between the expected results of some action between the expected results of some action or situation and the actual results (Of Mice or situation and the actual results (Of Mice and Men example—friendship/murder)and Men example—friendship/murder)

Form-Embedded: AlliterationForm-Embedded: Alliteration Repetition of initial consonant soundsRepetition of initial consonant sounds

Example: Example: – ““I nerved myself up again, and started I nerved myself up again, and started

on my way, through bogs, brier, on my way, through bogs, brier, barefoot and bareheaded, tearing my barefoot and bareheaded, tearing my feet sometimes at nearly every step…” feet sometimes at nearly every step…” (40).(40).

Form-Embedded: AssonanceForm-Embedded: Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds within a Repetition of vowel sounds within a sentence or across several sentencessentence or across several sentences

Example: How now brown cow? Example: How now brown cow? (Repetition of the vowel sound “ow”)(Repetition of the vowel sound “ow”)

Form-Embedded: RepetitionForm-Embedded: Repetition Repeating of words and/or phrases Repeating of words and/or phrases

throughout a passage or text for throughout a passage or text for dramatic effectdramatic effect

Example: Example: – ““Work, work, work, was scarcely more Work, work, work, was scarcely more

the order of the day than of the night” the order of the day than of the night” (37-38).(37-38).

Form-Embedded: ParallelismForm-Embedded: Parallelism Repetition of a grammatical patternRepetition of a grammatical pattern

– Used to emphasize and link related ideasUsed to emphasize and link related ideas– Adds balance, rhythm, and clarity to the Adds balance, rhythm, and clarity to the

sentencesentence

Example: Example: – ““He [Covey] was always under every He [Covey] was always under every

tree, behind every stump, in every bush, tree, behind every stump, in every bush, and at every window, on the plantation” and at every window, on the plantation” (36).(36).

Form-Embedded: AntithesisForm-Embedded: Antithesis Establishes a clear, contrasting Establishes a clear, contrasting

relationship between two ideas by relationship between two ideas by joining them together, often in joining them together, often in parallel structureparallel structure

Example: Example: – ““The longest days were too short for him The longest days were too short for him

and the shortest nights were too long for and the shortest nights were too long for him” (38).him” (38).

Form-Embedded: Form-Embedded: ApostropheApostrophe

When a speaker addresses an absent person, an When a speaker addresses an absent person, an abstract quality, or something non-human as if it abstract quality, or something non-human as if it were present and capable of responding were present and capable of responding

Example: Example: – ““My thoughts would compel utterance; My thoughts would compel utterance;

and there, with no audience but the and there, with no audience but the Almighty, I would pour out my soul’s Almighty, I would pour out my soul’s complaint, in my rude way, with an complaint, in my rude way, with an apostrophe to the moving multitude of apostrophe to the moving multitude of ship: -- ‘You are loosed from your ship: -- ‘You are loosed from your moorings, and are free…’ ” (38).moorings, and are free…’ ” (38).

Form-Embedded: AllusionForm-Embedded: Allusion A brief (usually indirect) reference to A brief (usually indirect) reference to

a person, place, or event, or to a person, place, or event, or to another literary work or passageanother literary work or passage

Example: Example: – ““In coming to a fixed determination to In coming to a fixed determination to

run away, we did more than Patrick run away, we did more than Patrick Henry, when he resolved upon liberty or Henry, when he resolved upon liberty or death” (51).death” (51).

– Patrick Henry: “I know not what course Patrick Henry: “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” liberty or give me death!” -from Speech in the -from Speech in the

Virginia ConventionVirginia Convention

Form-Embedded: HyperboleForm-Embedded: Hyperbole

To utilize exaggerated language to To utilize exaggerated language to call attention to the situation and/or call attention to the situation and/or to emphasize emotionto emphasize emotion

Examples: “I haven’t seen you in a Examples: “I haven’t seen you in a century!” “That necklace must have century!” “That necklace must have cost you your life’s savings!”cost you your life’s savings!”

Form-Embedded: OxymoronForm-Embedded: Oxymoron

An expression in which two [or more] An expression in which two [or more] contradictory words are put together contradictory words are put together for dramatic effectfor dramatic effect

Examples: free slave; benevolent Examples: free slave; benevolent slave owner; oppressive freedom; slave owner; oppressive freedom; benign dictatorship; cute uglinessbenign dictatorship; cute ugliness

Note: An oxymoron can be clever or it can Note: An oxymoron can be clever or it can be an error in diction; the context makes be an error in diction; the context makes all the difference.all the difference.

Form-Embedded: ParadoxForm-Embedded: Paradox

a contradictory statement which a contradictory statement which is nevertheless true or which is nevertheless true or which reveals a truthreveals a truth

Example: Example:

““It is a paradox that every dictator has It is a paradox that every dictator has climbed to power on the ladder of free climbed to power on the ladder of free speech. Immediately on attaining power speech. Immediately on attaining power each dictator has suppressed all free each dictator has suppressed all free speech except his own.” speech except his own.” Herbert Hoover

Form-Embedded: Form-Embedded: Compare/ContrastCompare/Contrast

To examine the similarities and differences To examine the similarities and differences between two (or more) people, places, between two (or more) people, places, objects, ideas, or situations. Often the objects, ideas, or situations. Often the similarities are established to set up and similarities are established to set up and emphasize the differences.emphasize the differences.

Example: Example: – ““There were horses and men, cattle and There were horses and men, cattle and

women, pigs and children, all holding women, pigs and children, all holding the same rank in the scale of being, and the same rank in the scale of being, and were all subjected to the same narrow were all subjected to the same narrow examination” (27).examination” (27).

Form-Embedded:Form-Embedded:Figurative Language or Figurative Language or

Literary/Stylistic DevicesLiterary/Stylistic Devices

Simile: a comparison between two Simile: a comparison between two different things using “like” or “as”different things using “like” or “as”

Metaphor: a direct comparison Metaphor: a direct comparison between two unlike things. Unlike a between two unlike things. Unlike a simile or analogy, metaphor asserts simile or analogy, metaphor asserts that one thing that one thing isis another thing. another thing.

Form-Embedded:Form-Embedded:Figurative Language or Figurative Language or

Literary/Stylistic DevicesLiterary/Stylistic Devices Sensory details/imagery: images and details Sensory details/imagery: images and details

that emphasize or appeal to the five senses that emphasize or appeal to the five senses (touch, taste, sight, smell, sound)(touch, taste, sight, smell, sound)

Personification: the act of giving Personification: the act of giving human qualities to a nonhuman human qualities to a nonhuman thing.thing.

Form-Embedded:Form-Embedded:Figurative Language or Figurative Language or

Literary/Stylistic DevicesLiterary/Stylistic Devices

Symbolism: any object, person, place Symbolism: any object, person, place or action that has a meaning in itself or action that has a meaning in itself and that also stands for something and that also stands for something larger than itselflarger than itself