Explore BrainMass

Explore BrainMass

    Rhetorical Devices

    A rhetorical device is a tool that can be used in language so that the deliverer can effectively communicate a topic to the audience by helping them understand it from a different perspective.  The goal of the deliverer is often to invoke emotion in the audience; however, it is not always the primary goal. 

    There are three categories of rhetorical devices: pathos, logos and ethos. Pathos requires that the deliverer appeal to the audience's emotions in order to communicate the message.  Logos uses logic and informational ideas to communicate the message to the audience.  Ethos draws upon ethics and attempts to credit the speaker by appealing to their ethical character.

    Two very common examples of rhetorical devices are irony and metaphor. Irony attempts to communicate an indiscretion in the topic through the use of humor.  This type of humor is subtle and is used primarily to ridicule the topic or an action within the topic.  Irony has a few categories: situational irony (the irony of events), cosmic irony (attributed to misfortune), dramatic irony (a miscommunication of characters within the portrayal of a story) and sarcasm (derogatory comments toward something or someone)

    An example of situational irony: an English teacher who stresses the importance of grammar fails a grammar test.

    An example of cosmic irony: the world's strongest metal is used in the construction of a building, but collapses.

    An example of dramatic irony: as a viewer of a horror film, you know there is a killer waiting in the room that the main character is about to walk into; however, you cannot warn them because you are not in the film.

    An example of sarcasm: "they are not the sharpest tool in the tool shed".

    A metaphor is used to communicate a new concept or idea to the audience by relating it to an existing idea that may help the audience better understand its context.  The new concept or idea is linked to a concept that is typically well known.  An example is  the saying "it's raining cats and dogs".  It would not literally be raining cats and dogs, but it is used to describe the intense and heavy rainfall. 

    There are also sonic rhetorical devices, which depend primarily on the use of sound in order to communicate the different perspective.  These sonic devices include alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia.

    Alliteration is the repetition of similar sounds: "I can smell the sweet sugar all the way from the shack".

    Assonance is the repetition of a set of vowel sounds: "Hear the mellow wedding bells" (the repetition of the 'e').

    Onomatopoeia are words used that attempt to copy a sound: "bam!", "pow!", "crack!" 

    © BrainMass Inc. brainmass.com April 18, 2024, 11:25 am ad1c9bdddf

    BrainMass Solutions Available for Instant Download

    Examples of Main & Subordinate Clauses

    In the sentences below, identify all main and subordinate clauses 1. The principal hired three new teachers. 2. Although it rained quite a bit last night, we did not experience any flooding. 3. The physician treated all the individuals who were in the accident.

    Evidence-Based Research and Effective Criminal Justice Policy

    Discuss the extent to which you believe evidence-based research informs the development of effective criminal justice policy and why. Support your response with an example from literature. Next, explain whether evidence-based research will inform your future role as a criminal justice professional and why.

    Social Control Theory: An Analysis

    Use examples from real life, experiences, research: - Travis Hirschi developed his social control theory on the basis of bonding towards society. Which of the four elements of this bond—attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief—is more important than the others? Why? - What environmental factor do you think ha

    Violent Victimization Data: Statistical Analysis

    See the attached file. Year M 12-14 M 15-17 M 18-20 M 21-24 M 25-24 M 35-49 M 50-64 M 65 or Older F 12-14 F 15-17 F 18-20 F 21-24 F 25-24 F 35-49 F 50-64 F 65 or Older 2012 503294 214582 313483 329238 762630 1018092 458047 109067 259795 233718 278741 335999 672533 771891 453933 127551 2013 529511 203214 186244 262328 6

    Public Perceptions of Punitive Penalties

    Read the following article: St. Amand, M. D., & Zamble, E. (2001). Impact of information about sentencing decisions on public attitudes toward the criminal justice system. Law and Human Behavior, 25(5), 515-528. Retrieve from: http://www.thecampuscommon.com Summarize the article, including the research questions, methodol

    Use of Rhetoric

    Go to http://www.americanrhetoric.com/ and find a passage that uses at least two rhetorical devices. define the specific rhetorical device, explain how it is used, and analyze whether the persuasive technique is designed to be credible, misleading, descriptive or used for some other purpose. Explain how the devices are or are

    The rhetorical triangle is a trilateral element of oral and written presentations. The rhetorical triangle is comprised up of a unique juxtaposition originating from Greek terminology. The purpose of the following elements as described by Greek philosopher Aristotle is to categorize the art of persuasion and appeal into three fundamental components such as: ? Logos/Writer-Logical reasoning- which "refers to the internal consistency of the message--the clarity of the claim, the logic of its reasons, and the effectiveness of its supporting evidence. The impact of logos on an audience is sometimes called the argument's logical appeal." (Rampage, and Bean, 1998). This component is usually based on the method of providing substantial evidence, statistics, and/or references to support your claim in an effort to maintain your position on a certain issue. Once evidence and/or facts are provided and evaluated an individual may draw his/her own conclusion based on inductive and deductive reasoning in which case a hypothesis is determined after all pertinent information is received, appropriately assessed and verified. In some cases the logical mode of reasoning is often based on what can be proven scientifically, for instance, if you wanted to explain the growing problem in domestic violence, in order to be persuasive aside from the prevalent case studies, one must provide adequate documentation to prove how much this epidemic has grown over the course of the years and what solutions would be used to alleviate the problem.

    The rhetorical triangle is a trilateral element of oral and written presentations. The rhetorical triangle is comprised up of a unique juxtaposition originating from Greek terminology. The purpose of the following elements as described by Greek philosopher Aristotle is to categorize the art of persuasion and appeal into thre