LITERARY AND RHETORICAL DEVICES

 Literary and rhetorical devices are essential to effective writing and produce a specific effect. They add color, interest, and power to writing, making it more interesting and memorable. When used correctly, they can also make your point clear.  There are many different literary devices, and they can be used to achieve various effects from enhancing the plot to creating a more vivid description. Some devices are more commonly used than others, but each has the potential to create a powerful impact on the reader.

 

Some of the most commonly literary and rhetorical devices include alliteration， onomatopoeia， allusion, and personification. These devices are often used to create vivid images in the reader's mind or to make the story more interesting. Other devices include irony, symbolism, and stream of consciousness. Each device can be used to convey a different message or emotion. These devices are often used to create a more poetic or expressive effect in the text. Other devices, such as irony and satire, are used to create a specific effect on an audience. Irony is used to create humour, while satire is used humorously to make a political or social point

The irony is often used in advertising, where the product or service being sold is completely different from the message being sent. For example, an ad for a funeral home that says "We're here for you when you're gone" is using irony to create humour.

 

Satire is often used to make a political or social point. For example, an article that takes a satirical approach to climate change might be titled ‘’How to Stop Worrying and Love the Climate Change‘’

Lets look at some of the many literary devices there are;

1) Rhetorical question:

    These are questions that do not need (expect)an answer. They are meant to sway the emotions of the audience, to persuade or to impress.

For example, Derek Walcott’s poem,

‘parades, parades’

The rhetorical questions in Walcott’s poem communicate bewilderment and hopelessness.

2) Euphemism.

Euphemism is the use of a polite, pleasant, mild and indirect words or phases in place of more direct ones e.g. My father has died or my father kicked the bucket.

 3) Cacophony.

Cacophony is the use of direct words or phrases without an attempt of making it mild and indirect. For example, my father was slaughtered last night. I am going to defecate.

 4) Parody.

Just as she would suggests, parody is imitating one’s style of singing or writing (artistic style of speech and writing). Example: Timothy, Wangusa’s poem ‘Psalms 23 part II’.

 

Original Psalm 23.

The lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the lord forever.

 

PSALMS 23 PART II

The state is my shepherd, I shall not want;

It makes me to lie down in a subsidized house.

It leads me into political tranquility;

It restores my faith in a lucrative future.

It leads me into paths of loans and pensions, for its international reputation’s sake.

Yea, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Kivvulu I will fear no Kondos;

For the state is with me, its tanks and guns comfort me.

It preserves for me a bank account, in the presence of devaluation;

It fills my pocket with allowances, my salary over flows.

Surely increments and promotion. Shall follow me all the days of my life;

And I shall dwell in senior staff quarters for ever.

- Timothy Wangusa (Uganda)

5) Paradox; -

A paradox is a self-contradictory statement which may seem absurd, but expresses a felt truth, for example:

a. Eloquent silence

b. A good wedding without food

c. Sweet odor (smell)

d. Ugly beauty.

 

6) Spoonerism.

    Spoonerism is a faulty speech usually accidental whereby there is changing of initial sounds of words, for example, instead of saying oiled bicycles, one says boiled bicycle or coiled bicycle, instead of saying; district one says biscuit.

7) Ambiguity.

Ambiguity is when words, statements or phrases have two or more possible meanings compressed into this one word, statement, or phrase or even a whole poem. All the meanings may be important for example, spacious house (can mean, has a good or disorganized arrangement) it can also mean, the house is very large. 

8) Apostrophe/apostrophize.

This is an exclamatory address to a person or thing that may even be death as though they are present. It is also a direct address to a thing as if it were a person (human begin) For example the poem,

“Death be not proud”

Refer also to the, ‘Obituaries.’ In the news papers….

9. Oxymoron

This is a combination of contradictory or incongruous worlds such as cruel kindness, “…to make haste slowly”, “open …” Jumbo shrine’. They are used for a variety of purposes to create drama for the reader, to make a person stop and think, to reward a paradox.

10.  Metonym.

This is when a thing a concept is not called by its own name, but by the name of something intimately associated with that thing or concept e.g. use of capital cities to represent nations, chain to ref. to chairperson. 

11.  Synecdoche

In this, a part of something is made to represent the whole or vice versa, as in Uganda lost by six wickets (meaning ‘the English Cricket team’ It is used to add to visual imagery of the passage/poem and enhance vendors experience. e.g calling a car “wheels”, skirt walking.

 

 

Figures of Speech

 Figures of speech

(also known as rhetorical devices) are expressions or words that have a special meaning or effect beyond their literal meaning. Figures of speech often add colour, depth, and emphasis to writing. There are many different types of figures of speech, but they can generally be divided into three categories:

 a. Similes and metaphors: These are comparisons between two things, using the words "like" or "as." For example, "My love for you is as strong as a rock."

"Her thoughts in the morning are as tangled at her lain"

"He burst out of the door like an explosion."

A metaphor however compares two unlikely things or ideas without using "like" or "as"

 b. Hyperbole: This is an extreme exaggeration, used for emphasis or to make a point

Figures of speech make writing more interesting and can help to get a message across more clearly. They are often colourful expressions or comparisons that are not meant to be taken literally. Figures of speech can be divided into three categories:

 Similes are comparisons of two unlike things, using the words "like" or "as." For example, "My love is like a red, red rose."

 Metaphors are comparisons of two unlike things, without the use of the words "like" or "as." For example, 

"My love is a rose."

"A shirt walking."

"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested."

-Bacon.

 NB: Many slang expressions are metaphors.

Metaphors are more effective than similes e.g.

Simile would put it this way; “It’s laugh was shrill and high, like the sound of a cock crowing”

While a metaphor would put it this way.

“He had a shrill, high cock-crow of a laugh.”

c. An analogy is a comparison of two things that are alike in some way. Analogies can be used to help explain things or to make a point. They can be fun to use in writing and speaking, and they can help you to better understand complex concepts.

There are many different types of analogies. Some common ones include:

metaphor and similies.

d. Personification.

Personification is a kind of metaphor and it consists giving human (personal) attributes to inanimate objects (non human things) or abstract ideas.

For example, pregnant clouds, smiling shoes, laughing toes.

“The wind whistled, waited, sobbed, and whispered.”

e.  Deification.

Deification is a sister to personification; it is the giving of spiritual or godly attributes to non godly or spiritual beings. For example, Calling your beloved or referring to them as, ‘My angel.’

f. Hyperbole (figurative contrasts)

Hyperbole is an over statement. This is a deliberate exaggeration not intended to deceive. Some humorists like Mark Twain, for example uses hyperbole freely as a device for making people laugh.

Examples of hyperbole are;-

- His hands dangled a mile out of his sleeves.

- When he told me the joke, I almost died laughing.

- The movie bored me to death.

- His voice could be heard a mile away.

- Sea of porridge

- He was so tall that you could see the whole town through his legs.

 

g. Litotes: (figurative contrasts)

Litotes are under statements (under stating something) for example; The fruit was so small that it remained in my teeth.

 h. Irony; (figurative contrasts) 

In speech or writing, it is saying the opposite of what is meant in a tone or manner that shows what the speaker thinks. In other words, it’s the opposite meaning (contrary).

There are several types irony. That is,

- Situational irony:- This is when an event is contrary to what is expected or appropriate.

- Dramatical irony;- Occurs when the reader or spectator knows more about the true state of affairs then a character does.

- Verbal irony;- This is when what is said or written is the opposite of the intended meaning.

- Non-verbal irony;-

- Socratic irony;- a person pretends to be ignorant. Example of irony;

i) To cry like a baby – that is a fine way for a man to act.

ii) It was very kind of you to remind me of my humiliation.

iii) After Norman had wasted his evening in nonsense his father remarked, “Don’t you think you have studied too hard this evening?”

 

i.  Juxtaposition.

Juxtapositioning is putting two things or ideas side by side for the purpose of comparing.

 

 k.  Contrast:

Constrast is striking difference between objects or ideas. For example, “As communism calls for the collective co-operation of individuals for the greater good of the productive society, capitalism will call for individual independence of persons or firms in productive society. Its therefore a Laissez-fair type of government system.
                                                                                                             Opolot Simon.

h) Imagery;

Imagery is a figure of speech that develops from similes and metaphors appealing to the sense. Its formulation of pictures out of words or sensuous element of poetry. Mental images are formed which include one’s interests, values tastes, temperaments, and visions. It is important to classify these metal images according to the sense they stimulate; look at the following task. Does it help you in identifying the senses you are responsive to? Are they just five as commonly known or more? What are they?

 

Task 

Since “we interact with our environments so effectively and so effortlessly, it is difficult to appreciate the extensive computations that underlie even the simplest sensory experience”. In regard to this, let’s try to appreciate.

Picture yourself cycling along a quiet country road. As you pedal, sensors in your legs enable you to apply just the right pressure to maintain your speed. Your organs of balance keep you upright; your nostrils smell the aromas; your eyes absorb the panorama; your ears are attuned to the chirping of birds. Thirsty you grab your drink bottle, aided by touch receptors in your fingers. Your taste buds and hot and cold sensors reveal the flavor of the liquid and it is temperature. Sensors in your skin and those attached to your body hair tell how strong the breeze is and, in cooperation with your eyes, how fast you are going. Your skin also informs you of the ambient temperature and humidity, while your awareness of time tells you approximately how long you have been on the road.

Eventually, internal senses will compel you to rest and to eat. Yes, life truly is a superb symphony of the senses!

Extracted from Watch Towers publications

 

Where they just fine senses?

During such a bicycle ride, how many senses come into play-just the traditional five - sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch? If not what others have you registered in play interaction in you.

1) .Visual imagery;

This appeal to the sense of sight and yet stimulated by cloudily, brightness, colour and motion.

2) Audile/Auditory imagery;

Audile or Auditory imagery; appeals to the sense of hearing and are stimulated by sound.

3) Olfactory imagery;

Olfactory imagery appeals to the sense of smell.

4) Gustatory imagery;

Gustatory imagery appeals to the sense of taste. That is, sweetness, bitterness and sour.

5) Tactile imagery

Tactile imagery appeals to sense of touch. This has to do with the temperature and texture.

6) Thermol imagery

Thermol imagery specifically deals with temperature that is, how cold or hot.

7) Motile imagery; (appeals kinesthetic sense)

Motile appeals to the sense of movements and are concerned with muscle movement, action and tension.

8) Organic imagery;

Organic imagery appeals to the sense of organs (internal organs) figurative Associations(This is under imagery to)

9) Synecdoche;

Synecdoche is the calling of an object by a part of it, For example. Calling men, beards and women, breasts, or a skirt.

10) Metonym.

a figure of speech in which the name of one object or concept is used for that of another closely associated or suggested by it to which it is related:

Four common relations that give rise to metonym are;

i) Container and thing contained. e.g. please address the chair (chairman)

“A bottle is a metonym for alcoholism”

ii) Sign and thing signified e.g. The pen is mightier than the sword. In this example, the pen metonyms; books, news papers, magazines or in general education, where as the sword metonyms armies or navies.

“The crown” is a metonym for “royalty.”

iii) An Author and his books e.g. We are reading or acting out Richard Bolt. Here, Richard Bolt refers to his works of art e.g. His play; A man for all seasons.

iv) The part for the whole e.g. a) She has seen sixteen summers.

a) All hands to the deck!

The former takes ‘summers’ to refer to years while the latter uses ‘hands’ to refer to men.

k. Symbolism;

Symbolism is a presentation of one thing by another. In other words, it’s a representation of one object/idea by another. Symbolism builds images which have a fixed and universal profound significance and power. However, actual ‘meaning’ will vary in accordance with the context and the understanding of the reader. For instance, others may take a lion for symbols of courage and royalty yet others, for cruelty and terror depending on the context.

 

l.  Time symbol;

i. Morning:

The setting of a poem in morning in literature represents a new beginning. The sun is usually just rising, mild and even comfortable.

The subject matter usually tallies with physical conditions. Activities are usually at a beginning or in usual (normal) stages.

i. Midday afternoon.

As the day grows and the sun’s heat grows ups activity increases. There is an improvement or change of the subject matter. When the sun heat is at a peak, a subject matter also reaches a peak in either negative or positive.

 

ii. Evening/Night or Dusk; With the sun setting, activity could be coming to an end. A change in the opposite direction. If negative initially, by night, would have reached to an end. If position, then the situation gets back to normal. If, however, the subject matter begins at night, by the middle of the night, it is at the peak and, by dawn or morning, there is a definite change.

 

iii. Colour symbols.

a) White: White colour symbolize purity, innocence,

b) Black: Red Symbolize; evil, sorrow, death sadness.

c) Red: symbolize, love; danger, brotherhood.

d) Yellow: This symbolizes hope, jealousy

e) Green: Green symbolize; peace, nativity (childless, immaturity, and joy)

f) Blue: symbolizes romantic love.

g) Pink: Symbolizes love

Purple: This symbolizes royalty.