Rhetorical Devices and Their Effects

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Example of Asyndeton

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"On his return he received medals, honors, treasures, titles, fame."

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Importance of Polysyndeton

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Structurally the opposite of asyndeton, often used for building up.

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Chiasmus is a rhetorical device where the second part of a grammatical construction is balanced or paralleled by the first part, but in reverse order.

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Example: "What is learned unwillingly is gladly forgotten" can be written as "What is now great was little at first."

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Antithesis creates a definite and systematic relationship between ideas.

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Example: "That short and easy trip made a lasting and profound change in Harold's outlook."

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Zeugma can involve one subject with two or more verbs.

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Example: "The moat at its base, and the fens beyond comprised the whole of his prospect."

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Antithesis often uses parallel structure to contrast ideas.

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Example: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

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Antithesis can be used to highlight contrasting ideas.

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Example: "To err is human; to forgive, divine."

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Chiasmus can create a balanced and memorable statement.

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Example: "What is now great was little at first."

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Epistrophe

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Repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences.

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Simile

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A comparison between two different things that resemble each other in at least one way, often introduced by "like."