Persuasive Speech

Common rhetorical devices

repetition

• Repeating the same words or images but expressing different ideas

• Used to reinforce concepts and unify the speech

Examples of repetition

• “But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.” (MLK)

Parallelism

• Repeating a grammatical structure or arrangement or words

• Creates a sense of rhythm and momentum

Examples of parallelism

• A grouping of similar words (below – nouns)• “This note was a promise that all men … would

be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” (MLK)

Example of parallelism

• Repeating a grammatically similar phrase• “Now is the time to rise from the dark and

desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.” (MLK)

Rhetorical question

• A question that does NOT expect or require an answer

• A question posed for persuasive effect