root Ever wondered how some words just stick in your brain, like that one catchy tune you can’t stop humming? Be it ‘Miao miao miao miao’, ‘I am Groot’, or ‘One small step for man’, good writing transcends its one-dimensional medium to populate our minds like catchy little earworms!
The book Elements of Eloquence illustrates the rhetorical devices that make these words so irresistible, and while you may think that you are no Shakespeare, a succinct sentence somewhere at the end of the book argues otherwise: “These figures(devices) grow like wildflowers, but they can be cultivated too.”
I agree! So, I’ve read the book for you, and I’ll list some of these storytelling MVPs you can use in your next essay.
You could write like him! (Image: Death Note, 2003)
- Alliteration
Alliteration is simply saying strings of words starting with the same sound, setting up sentences with style. Ok, I think I overdid it; It definitely didn’t flow as well as the classic “She sells sea shells by the sea shore.”
Image: X.com: UofAconferences
But you cannot deny that your brain went wild from the intense pattern recognition taking place at the start, and that’s why I think this is so good.
Here are more examples!
“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers”
“Whispering winds whirled wildly”
“The Fast and the Furious”
“Fast & Furious”
“Fast & Furious 6”
Alliteration creates rhythm, mood, or emphasis in writing and speech. It can also set a tone—soft sounds like “s” can feel soothing, while harder sounds like “k” can add intensity. It’s a versatile tool that adds texture and musicality to language! What emotions did you feel when you read the last few alliterations?
The next device I’m introducing is somewhat similar to alliterations, and equally irresistable!
- Assonance
Assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words, is a powerful literary device that adds musicality and rhythm to language. Unlike alliteration or rhyming, assonance creates a subtler harmony by echoing vowel tones within phrases or sentences.
For example, “The cool moon soothed the gloom” evokes a sense of calm and serenity, while also tying the sentence together with a smooth, flowing cadence.
Assonance can evoke emotions, emphasise particular ideas, or make sentences sound sophisticated, without doing too much! By weaving similar vowel sounds into their writing, you can craft passages that linger at the back of the reader’s mind, almost like a melody.
It doesn’t have to be a full sentence too! You can use it in healthy doses: like a soft song against the waves of the deep seas that is the rest of your prospective essay.
It’s also much easier to implement (and pronounce) than the next device!
- Antanaclasis
Antanaclasis (don’t worry, I cant pronounce it either) is using the same word in different ways in a sentence. For example, Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote, “Your argument is sound, all sound,” uses “sound” first to mean “logical” and then to mean “empty or hollow.”
This clever play on words can add humor, wit, or emphasis to a statement. It makes the speaker (or writer) look really funny, and that’s hot!
Another example would be ‘Content consuming content’, where you take the double meaning of content: You feel ok (content) with/while doomscrolling (consuming content). If you noticed, it’s also an alliteration!
Actually, the whole ‘I am Yu, he is Mi’ scene in Rush Hour 3 is an Antanaclasis!
Image: Rush Hour 3 (2007)
As fun as it is, It’s not the easiest to implement in your writing, especially when you’re writing a technical essay and don’t have the luxury of picking words with double meanings. The next one should be easier though!
- Parallelism
Consider the old adage: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” It’s memorable because of its matching sentence structure between both sentences. It has this rhythmic vibe to it that makes it just a little more impactful!
Parallelism enhances clarity, rhythm, and emphasis by maintaining a uniform structure in sentences. It helps ideas flow smoothly and makes them more memorable and cohesive by using the same grammatical form for similar elements.
It doesn’t have to be long sentences too.. Easy come, easy go..
Even movies have parallelism! The Hunger Games Series (2008)
I like this device because it can be employed into all kinds of writing, be it technical or expository. It’s just as good as giving concise instructions as it is painting descriptive scenes!
- Conclusion
Incorporating these rhetorical devices into your writing can transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. Whether you’re crafting a catchy phrase or delivering a precise message, devices like alliteration, assonance, antanaclasis, and parallelism are your secret tools for creating rhythm and depth.
Like any good writer, you don’t need to be Shakespeare to make your words stick, just a little creativity and a sprinkle of technique can go a long way!
The book covers many more literary devices that I failed to mention here, and sure, there were a good five chapters or so explaining how words can be uniquely stressed to certain effect (I was NOT having it). But all things considered, without a doubt, I put it to you to read the book, or even just a summary of it!
A reference of what I was NOT having (Elements of Eloquence, 2013)
So, the next time you’re putting pen to paper, remember: These literary devices are for anyone who wants their writing to stand out and make an impression.
As the new semester starts, may your essays elicit nothing but wonder and brilliance!!