Parallelism
The presentation of several ideas of equal importance by putting each of them into the same kind of grammatical structure.
Example: To think carefully and to write precisely are interrelated goals.
Poor: To think carefully and precise writing are interrelated goals.
Example: The carefully trimmed trees in the front yard and the spectacularly clean patio in the back revealed the meticulous nature of the homeowner.
Example: Mom went to Judy’s room and gave her a drink, pulled up her blanket, and kissed her forehead.
Example: Baking in the summer sun and rusting in the winter rains, the tractor deteriorated a little more each year.
CHIASMUS
Chiasmus is a type of parallelism in which the balanced elements are presented in reverse order rather than in the same order.
Example of parallelism
The code breakers worked constantly but succeeded rarely.
Example of chiasmus
The code breakers worked constantly but rarely succeeded.
Example:
If you come to them, thay are not asleep; if you ask and inquire of them, they do not withdraw themselves; they do not chide if you make mistakes; they do not laugh at you if you are ignorant. –Richard de Bury
REVISE FROM PARALLEL TO CHIASTIC FORM
- After startup, always check the pressure readings, but every hour check the voltage level.
- With wood you get easier cutting and nailing, but with steel you avoid termites.
BALANCES
ASYNDETON: consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses in a list.
Example: When he returned, he received medals, honors, riches, titles, fame.
The investigator spent the day in the ruins wondering, searching, thinking, understanding.
She was a winner, a hero.
POLYSYNDETON: is the use of a conjunction between each word, phrase, or clause—the opposite of asyndeton.
EXAMPLES:
They read and studied and wrote and drilled. I laughed and played and talked and flunked.
They had neither power, nor influence, nor money, nor authority; but they told a simple and persuasive tale that soon reached Congress.
ALLUSION
A short, informal reference to a famous person or event often from history, Greek and Roman mythology, Shakespeare, the Bible, and literature.
EXAMPLES:
Plan ahead: It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.—Richard Cushing
He had Herculean strength and Odyssean curiousity.
EPONYM
A specific type of allusion, substituting the name of a person famous for some attribute in place of the attribute itself.
He had the need of a Hercules to open the lid.
Is he very smart? Is he an ______?
ANTITHESIS
Contrasts two ideas by placing them next to each other, almost always in a parallel structure.
Advice for creating good explanations: First, say what something is like; then say what it is not like.
EXAMPLES:
To err is human; to forgive, divine.—Alexander Pope
That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.—Neil Armstrong
Success makes us proud; failure makes us wise.
PRACTICE:
- When we jumped out of the airplane, Amy said the feeling of free falling was thrilling; I was terrified, though.
- Contrast single words
- Contrast phrases
CLIMAX
The presentation of ideas (in words, clauses, sentences, etc.) in the order of increasing importance.
EXAMPLE
When the bucket fell off the ladder, the paint splashed onto the drop cloth, the small rug, the sofa, and the Rembrandt painting.
PRACTICE:
- Today we enjoy many benefits of modern technology, including life-saving antibiotics, ballpoint pens, and refrigerator.’
- Create your own climactic sentence using your typical school day.
EXPLETIVE
A word or short phrase, often interrupting a sentence, used to lend emphasis to the words immediately before and after the expletive.
EXAMPLE
The lake was not, if fact, drained before April.
Clearly, the engineers now had several options.
Many of the customers, however, demanded a refund.