: Students use this interactive tool to help them track their notes they take in preparation for their essay.
: Students use this worksheet to examine and answer questions regarding their peer's essay.
: This rubric is used as a guide for students as they are writing their essay, and for teachers to use as a grading tool.
Nearly everything we read and hear is an argument. Speeches are special kinds of arguments and should be analyzed as such. Listeners should keep in mind the context of the situation involving the delivery and the audience-but a keen observer should also pay close attention to the elements of argument within the text. This assignment requires students to look for those elements.
"Since rhetoric is the art of effective communication, its principles can be applied to many facets of everyday life" (Lamb 109). It's through this lesson that students are allowed to see how politicians and leaders manipulate and influence their audiences using specific rhetorical devices in a manner that's so effective that the speeches are revered even today. It's important that we keep showing our students how powerful language can be when it's carefully crafted and arranged.
Further Reading
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This website contains audio of the Top 100 speeches of all time.
Included on this site is audio of famous speeches of the 20th century, as well as information about the speeches and background information on the writers.
The "Great Speeches Collection" from The History Place are available here in print and in audio.
This website includes information on finding and documenting sources in the MLA format.
Students will
Discuss the audience and the author’s manipulation of the audience. Consider posing questions such as
Martin Luther King, Jr. uses an appeal to pathos in his “I Have a Dream” speech through his historical allusion to Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation: “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.” This is particularly effective for his audience of people sympathetic to the cause of African American men and women who would have been especially moved by this particular reference since it had such a significant impact on the lives of African Americans.
Students explore the ways that powerful and passionate words communicate the concepts of freedom, justice, discrimination, and the American Dream in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.
While drafting a literary analysis essay (or another type of argument) of their own, students work in pairs to investigate advice for writing conclusions and to analyze conclusions of sample essays. They then draft two conclusions for their essay, select one, and reflect on what they have learned through the process.
Useful for a wide variety of reading and writing activities, this outlining tool allows students to organize up to five levels of information.
This strategy guide clarifies the difference between persuasion and argumentation, stressing the connection between close reading of text to gather evidence and formation of a strong argumentative claim about text.
Brevity: Lincoln delivered his speech near the end of the consecration ceremony. Before his address, statesman Edward Everett delivered a 13,000-word, two-hour speech entitled “The Battles of Gettysburg,” intended to be the featured address of the day. In stark contrast, Lincoln’s speech, at only 250 words, was over in two minutes. The audience was astounded by Lincoln’s brevity. Yet the concision of the speech has contributed to its lasting power.
Repetition: One of the key rhetorical devices Lincoln employs in the Gettysburg Address is repetition. At several points through the speech, Lincoln constructs successions of phrases which follow the same structure and which build toward a unified effect. One such example is “that government of the people, by the people, for the people,” which has entered the American lexicon for its forcefulness and memorability.
Appeals to Nationalism and to American Values: Much of the rhetorical power of the Gettysburg Address comes from the way Lincoln appeals to his audience’s sense of national identity and pride. Lincoln’s intent is to underscore the worthiness of the American experiment and of the values set forth by the founding fathers: liberty, equality, and democracy. By focusing on the nobility of the nation’s ideals, Lincoln succeeded in framing the necessity of the war and the meaning of the lives lost.
Text of lincoln's speech.
"We are met on a great battle-field of that war..." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
This short, declarative sentence contains evocative visual imagery that powerfully conveys the magnitude of the Battle of Gettysburg. Lincoln’s use of a passive verb construction here also emphasizes the power of the place—Lincoln conveys that something brought them all to Gettysburg. Years later, Lincoln would use this notion of a divine plan, or fate, in his second inaugural address to portray the Civil War as an inevitable confrontation.
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"or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure..." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
The United States was founded in 1776 on principles of democracy and freedom that were revolutionary for the time. Lincoln states that the Civil War is the first true test of whether or not a country founded on liberty and democracy is capable of surviving. His use of the word “conceived” emphasizes the singularity of the country’s origin and employs a birth metaphor that returns at the end of the speech.
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth..." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
Lincoln begins his speech by alluding to the founding of the United States and the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776—four score and seven, or eighty-seven, years ago. Lincoln draws on the nation’s history to use the ideas of the founders as a key element of his own speech. In doing so, Lincoln aligns the Northern cause with the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence.
"of the people, by the people, for the people,..." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
In this address, Lincoln coined the phrase “of the people, by the people, for the people,” which has since entered the national lexicon as an elegant and concise definition of American democracy. Just as Lincoln began the speech with a reference to the Declaration of Independence , this final statement nods to the same founding document. The spirit of the declaration, with its insistence that “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,” can be heard echoing through the Gettysburg Address and, in particular, its stirring conclusion.
"and that government..." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
This passage reveals the threading together of two separate strands of repetition. The long final sentence of the speech is divided by em dashes, each of which proceeds a statement about “the great task remaining before us” beginning with the word “that.” In the final such statement, Lincoln embeds another piece of repetition—“of the people, by the people, for the people”—thus ending the speech on a rhythmically and rhetorically powerful note.
"a new birth of freedom..." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
In the conclusion of the address, Lincoln emphasizes “a new birth of freedom,” reiterating the birth metaphor he introduced at the start of the speech. The implication is that through conflict, sacrifice, and even death, there is the possibility for a rebirth and renewal of the nation’s values—democracy, equality, and freedom. Lincoln’s use of sustained metaphor brings the important themes and ideas to the forefront again and again, an effective rhetorical strategy.
"in vain..." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
To do something “in vain” is to do it uselessly, without effect or purpose. The word derives from the Latin vanus , which means “empty” or “void.” Lincoln’s aim is to ensure that the Union dead did not die without meaning, and therefore to call on the living to fulfill the purpose of the dead.
"we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion..." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
Lincoln carefully transforms the deaths of the soldiers at Gettysburg into a call to action for his fellow citizens of the Union. Rather than viewing the battle as a tragedy, Lincoln attends to the greater cause and purpose for which the soldiers fought. In such a light, the proper way to honor the dead is to further the cause they died for.
"nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here...." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
In this passage, Lincoln conveys the idea that actions speak louder than words. As he puts it, the words used to consecrate the battlefield will fade in time, but the efforts of the soldiers will not. In a twist of irony, Lincoln’s words in this speech—“what we say here”—have been canonized for their eloquence, and thus will be long remembered, despite his predictions to the contrary. The construction of this statement is an example of antithesis , a technique which contrasts opposing ideas to emphasize a larger point.
"far above our poor power to add or detract..." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
One of Lincoln’s primary themes in the Gettysburg Address is the weakness of words compared to actions. Lincoln claims that the battlefield cannot be consecrated by an exchange of words; rather, it has already been consecrated by the deeds of the soldiers who fought at the Battle of Gettysburg. One of the great ironies, both of this address and of Lincoln’s political career, is that Lincoln’s words are powerful, despite the claims he made otherwise throughout his life. The humility of his presentation is integral to his rhetorical power.
"hallow..." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
To “hallow” means to sanctify or purify a person, place, or object. The word derives from the Old Saxon “hêlagôn,” from which we also derive “holy.” Lincoln uses a series of related words— dedicate , consecrate , and hallow —in order to emphasize his point that the ground at Gettysburg has already been rendered sacred by the sacrifices of the fallen soldiers.
"we can not dedicate..." See in text (Text of Lincoln's Speech)
Throughout the Gettysburg address, Lincoln uses the literary device of anaphora —the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of a series of statements. In this passage, Lincoln repeats “we can not” in order to drive home his point that Gettysburg has already been consecrated, by the dead rather than the living.
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Rhetorical devices offer a way for speakers to arrange language in an artful way so as to make the conversation more engaging and subsequently, more memorable for audience members. Professional and amateur speech writers can employ any number of rhetorical devices to spice up the delivery of a presentation (see Table 7.1).
Greek and Roman scholars in the classical period developed and identified most rhetorical devices. Four of the most popular ones used in speeches include alliteration, antithesis, parallel structure, and repetition.
Alliteration occurs when the speaker uses the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Alliteration appears in everyday uses of language, such as television shows ( Mad Men ), sporting events (Final Four), company names (Dunkin Donuts), and in famous phrases (home sweet home; right as rain). When used sparingly, alliteration can spice up the language of delivery, such as “We owe it to our city to help the hungry, the homeless, and the helpless among us.” However, speakers can overuse alliteration, turning an otherwise innocuous statement into an exercise in pure silliness: “Nick’s nephew needed new notebooks now.”
The antithesis rhetorical technique juxtaposes two dissimilar or contrasting ideas. Consider President John F. Kennedy’s famous example: “ Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country .” Neil Armstrong used an antithesis as he took his first steps on the moon: “ That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind .” Consider this technique when trying to draw attention to an important point. Other examples include:
Parallel structure uses the technique of arranging phrases or clauses of a sentence in parallel form, such as in the following examples:
Martin Luther King, Jr. masterfully used parallel structure and combined it with repetition to add engagement to his oratory. Consider his famous I Have a Dream speech :
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!
Repetition occurs when the speaker repeats certain words or phrases to garner emotional effect. Those repeated phrases sound pleasant to the human ear, because they carry with them a certain rhythmic quality, adding emphasis and aiding in memory retention. Repetition as an element of public speaking works differently than it does in written communication. In public speaking, presenters should use repetition because it helps the audience remember key ideas. In written communication, repetition often gets avoided because a reader can review the original reference for memory and comprehension.
Messages that Matter: Public Speaking in the Information Age - Third Edition Copyright © 2023 by North Idaho College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
Rhetorical devices are parts of literature that are used to persuade audiences. They make use of the three “modes of persuasion.”
The modes are logos , pathos , and ethos . When writers use rhetorical devices , they liven up their text, making it far more interesting to read than if these devices hadn’t been used. They’re often necessary as well if the writer wants to convince the reader that what they’re describing is possible, realistic, and perhaps even an agreeable ideological principle.
Rhetorical devices are anything a writer uses in order to bring the reader over to their side. In academic writing, debates, speeches, and other formal documents, these devices are used to persuade the reader that the writer’s opinion is the correct one. For example, in a political speech , a politician is going to use every kind of appeal they kind, emotional, logical, etc., in order to convince the audience that their policies, politics, and personality are the right ones. They have a goal, and they have to achieve it through the use of rhetoric . The same can be said for those writing important academic research papers. Rhetorical devices, especially those that display the writer’s knowledge and professionalism, are important for convincing the reader that their thesis is correct.
Understanding Aristotle’s modes of persuasion is an important part of understanding how rhetorical devices operate. He defined them in Rhetoric, describing how they affect the audience and how they should be used. They are:
I have a dream speech by martin luther king jr. .
The “I have a dream speech” is one of the best-known and commonly quoted contemporary speeches. It is also a great example of enumeration. Consider these lines and how the rhetorical device works to King’s advantage:
When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!’
These lines demonstrate how the rhetorical device enumeration, or the use of a list to expand an idea, is used. King brings together different groups, all to celebrate the idea of freedom. He lists out groups, “Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics,” and so on. Without commas and the natural inflections of speech, it would be hard to interpret. But, due to the speaker’s skill with language, that’s not an issue.
William Shakespeare’s history play , Julius Caesar, relays the story of Caesar’s assassination and the resulting events concerning Brutus, Cassius, and Mark Antony. In the following passage, there is a good and quite well-known example of pleonasm, an interesting rhetorical device:
And as he plucked his cursèd steel away, Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it, As rushing out of doors, to be resolved If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no. For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel. Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him! This was the most unkindest cut of all.
The final line uses the phrase “the unkindest cut of all.” By using “most” in addition to “unkindest,” he maintains the meter in the line while also further emphasizing the “unkind” nature of Caesar’s death. The addition of “most” here elevates the emotions of the moment, ensuring that the reader is as moved as possible by the nature of the scene.
Explore William Shakespeare’s poetry .
‘Hymn to Christ’ is a dramatic monologue that touches on many topics familiar to readers of Donne’s poetry. He compares physical love, which he is known for writing about, to spiritual love. He eventually settles upon the latter as the stronger of the two. These four lines from ‘Hymn to Christ’ contain two examples of tmesis, a very effective rhetorical device. Take a look at them below:
In whattorn shipsoever I embark, That ship shall be my emblem Whatseasoever swallow me, that flood Shall be to me an emblem of thy blood.
The words ‘Whattorn shipsoever” and “Whatseasoever” stand out right away. The first inserts the words “torn ship” in-between “whatsoever.” The second brings in “sea” in the middle of “whatsoever.” While tmesis is usually used to create humor , in this instance, it is used more seriously in order to emphasize the moment.
Discover more John Donne poems .
A part of literature that’s used to influence the reader to feel a certain way or believe/trust a piece of information.
Some common rhetorical devices are antistrophe , amplification , and chiasmus .
They are used to improve a writer’s literary work and make it more appealing to readers.
The use of language that is employed in order to persuade someone to believe or support something.
They can be used to make someone’s speech feel more inspiring, believable, and persuade the audience to agree with whatever is being said.
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Baldwin, Emma. "Rhetorical Devices". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/literary-device/rhetorical-devices/ . Accessed 11 August 2024.
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COMMENTS
Teaching rhetorical analysis is one of my absolute favorite units to complete with my students. I love teaching my students about rhetorical strategies and devices, analyzing what makes an effective and persuasive argument, and reading critical speeches with my students. Here is a quick list of some of my favorite speeches for rhetorical analysis.
An expression of real or pretended doubt or uncertainty especially for rhetorical effect. to be, or not to be: that is the question. cacophony | see definition ». Harshness in the sound of words or phrases. chiasmus | see definition ». An inverted relationship between the syntactic elements of parallel phrases.
A rhetorical analysis is a type of essay that looks at a text in terms of rhetoric. This means it is less concerned with what the author is saying than with how they say it: their goals, techniques, and appeals to the audience. A rhetorical analysis is structured similarly to other essays: an introduction presenting the thesis, a body analyzing ...
A speech is a very common non-fictional text form that you will need to analyze in your exams. This video helps you identify, select, and describe rhetorical...
After you've identified rhetorical devices in a text, the next step is to analyze their effectiveness. This involves understanding not just how these devices are used, but why they're used, and what impact they have on the audience. Here's how you can approach this analysis: 1. Assess the Context.
What are Rhetorical Devices? Rhetorical analysis prompts now ask for rhetorical choices (verb), but analyzing a rhetorical device (noun) is okay. ... Parallelism: Many times, this common device used in speech is actually in one of the other devices. However, it still deserves an honorable mention. If the writer uses the same or similar ...
Review this list of the essential rhetorical devices, including their meanings and examples, so you can add pizazz to your speaking and writing skills.
A rhetorical device is a linguistic tool that evokes a specific kind of understanding in a reader or listener. Generally, rhetorical devices are used to make arguments or bolster existing arguments. To understand rhetorical devices, you need to first understand rhetoric. Rhetoric is language that's used to connect with audiences and inform ...
There are many types of rhetorical devices such as: Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the first letter of the word in the same line.; Antithesis: An antithesis is a figure of speech that refers to the juxtaposition of opposing or contrasting ideas.; Anaphora: It refers to the repetition of a word or expression in the first part of some verses.
Rhetorical devices are language strategies that are used to make the speech more convincing. These devices are designed to make the message of the speech resonate with the audience, to engage their emotions and to make them think and act according to the speaker's wishes. When you bring up these devices in your analysis, it is important to ...
The following list contains some of the most important rhetorical devices to understand: Alliteration, a sonic device, is the repetition of the initial sound of each word (e.g. Alan the antelope ate asparagus). Cacophony, a sonic device, is the combination of consonant sounds to create a displeasing effect. Onomatopoeia, a sonic device, refers ...
Example 1. Hyperbole is a word- or sentence-level rhetorical device in which the author exaggerates a particular point for dramatic effect. For example: Berlin was flattened during the bombing. Because the city was not literally left flat, this is an exaggeration, and therefore hyperbole. But it still helps express the author's main point ...
Eutrepismus is another rhetorical device you've probably used before without realizing it. This device separates speech into numbered parts, giving your reader or listener a clear line of thinking to follow. Eutrepismus is a great rhetorical device—let me tell you why. First, it's efficient and clear.
Rhetorical devices are the "parts" of rhetorical communication. Just as you might attempt to understand how a car works by taking apart an engine and learning about the function of each part, like pistons and ball bearings, you can understand a speech, an essay, or an advertisement by breaking it into its parts (elements, pieces) and ...
Introduction. "I Have a Dream" is the most famous speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is also considered as the best and greatest speech that was proclaimed in the history of the United States. It gathered more than 200,000 Americans of all races at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. The speech is an excellent example of ...
A rhetorical precis has four parts: 1st sentence - presents author's name, title, and genre of work. Uses verbs such as "argue", "claim", or "assert". 2nd sentence - explains development and evidence of thesis. Done chronologically. 3rd sentence - state author's purpose and WHY the author composed the text. 4th sentence ...
What rhetorical devices aided the author's manipulation of his audience? Discuss a particular rhetorical device that the President used and the purpose it served. Share the Essay Rubric and explain to students the expectations for success on this assignment. Allow students to select a speech from the List of Speeches for Students. If they ...
Rhetorical Devices. Ethos. One of Patrick Henry's hallmarks as a speaker was his ability to persuade through common language. In his "Speech to the Virginia Convention," Henry eschews ...
Repetition: One of the key rhetorical devices Lincoln employs in the Gettysburg Address is repetition. At several points through the speech, Lincoln constructs successions of phrases which follow the same structure and which build toward a unified effect. One such example is "that government of the people, by the people, for the people ...
Rhetorical Devices. Rhetorical devices offer a way for speakers to arrange language in an artful way so as to make the conversation more engaging and subsequently, more memorable for audience members. Professional and amateur speech writers can employ any number of rhetorical devices to spice up the delivery of a presentation (see Table 7.1).
Definition of Rhetorical Devices . Rhetorical devices are anything a writer uses in order to bring the reader over to their side. In academic writing, debates, speeches, and other formal documents, these devices are used to persuade the reader that the writer's opinion is the correct one. For example, in a political speech, a politician is going to use every kind of appeal they kind ...
Allusion and direct references. In his "Tear down this wall" speech, Ronald Reagan makes several allusions and references meant to strengthen the impact of his message. For example, in the following sentence, Reagan refers to the survivors of bombing raids in Berlin, in 1945: "In this season of spring in 1945, the people of Berlin emerged ...
Rhetoric. Rhetoric is language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience. Some various types of Rhetoric include: Anaphora: The repetition of a repeated word, phrase or idea\. Paradox: a statement that contradicts itself. Metaphor: a comparison between two unlike things. Hyperbole: an exaggeration used for strong effect.