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Rhetorical Devices In The Help

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Kathryn Stockett uses rhetorical tools to portray the differences between her black and white characters. The rhetoric influence affects both the narrative and the portrayal of the character such as the difference in language spoken by the characters. "Dramatic/Narrative criticism focuses on language and other sign systems. Critics believe that language and other sign systems are the grounding for human reality and motivation" (Brummelt 79). Stockett has chosen to write in a stereotypical African-American "slang-like" style filled with spelling mistaken and contractions, leaving the impression on the reader. Both Aibileen and Minny think and speak in less educated and highly accentuated manner which provides an impression of realism; "Course …show more content…

"But symbolism is very fallible, in the sense that it may induce actions, feelings, emotions, and beliefs about things which are mere notions without that exemplification in the world which the symbolism leads us to presuppose" (Whitehead 6). In The Help, chopping down the mimosa tree symbolizes Celia's willingness to take control over her own life. Celia hates the tree and finds it repugnant, but she leaves it for appearance's sake. In a similar way, she tries to adapt with Jackson society, but when she realizes they will never accept her; she decides to take control of her life. She is angry because of this situation, so she decides to express her anger by destroying and removing everything she hates and she starts with chopping the tree, "The rain is pouring down all over Miss Celia, but she doesn't care. She starts chopping at that tree" (Stockett 348). And rather than being a victim of circumstances, she determines to take control and have a new life. Also, Aibileen's bitter seed when she comments, "I . . . feel that bitter seed growing my chest, the one planted after Treelore died" (Stockett 30), is a symbol of the way that personal suffering can grow into a desire to prevent the pain. She feels that her anger is growing inside when Miss Leefolt tells Mae Mobley that Aibileen is dirty and

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1106 Words | 5 Pages

Mary Oliver’s The Black Walnut Tree displays a relationship between a family (the mother and daughter) and their tree. In the beginning of the poem towards the middle , both the mother and daughter are conflicted with the decision of tearing down the tree , and in return being able to pay off their mortgage. On the contrary , if the family decides to cut the tree they are afraid they may lose the strong family ties, and past generations that are connected to the tree. Ultimately the family of two has to make the decision to cut the tree or allow the tree to stay along with it’s symbolism. Mary Oliver utilizes figurative language devices such as imagery in reference to the appearance of the tree ; symbolism which corresponds to the symbolic

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151 Words | 1 Pages

Xander did nothing in class and told the substitute and Mr. Loftis that he did not have his device. He spent a lot of the period listening to music. Mr. Loftis asked him once again about the device and he discovered the device was in his Xander 's backpack. He continued listening to music instead of working.

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769 Words | 4 Pages

Escape from Camp 14 is the true story of Shin Dong-hyuk, who is the only known person to have been born in and escape from a North Korean labor camp. After numerous interviews, the book’s author, Blaine Harden, details the reader about Shin’s life both inside and outside the camp as he assimilates into different societies. As critical information is revealed, Harden uncovers the corruption in the political landscape in North Korea. Shin’s life in Camp 14 accentuates the struggles to gain basic human freedom and elucidates food as an even more precious commodity. The straightforward diction and intriguing combination of rhetorical devices effectively expresses the brutality and oppression in the North Korean prison camp.

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929 Words | 4 Pages

Rhetorical Analysis on Anzaldua’s How to Tame a Wild Tongue The passage How to Tame a Wild Tongue is a very defensive and straightforward argumentative essay which defends her language and the people who speak it against the discrimination that the author herself has experienced first hand (Ethos). From this text we can infer that the author is most likely from hispanic descent as she is speaking spanish a lot of the time throughout the text. This text mainly speaks about the discrimination many Mexican-Americans suffer because they are spanish speaking.

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445 Words | 2 Pages

Brian Doyle in his text Joyas Voladoras he uses vivid and clear imagery, repetition, comparison, syntax and effortless diction to show his purpose which is it does not matter the size of a heart but its ability to live life to its fullest and hopeful that each day will be good. In the first paragraph he repeats the words “ A hummingbird’s heart is,” this shows the reader how the hummingbird’s heart is. “ not soon” this is in the second paragraph and it describes the urgency of the want. “You” is repeated to show the timeline and how it is similar to the human life. “So much held in heart in a,” this is used to describe all the little precious moments at the end of our lives.

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1748 Words | 7 Pages

At its core, “The Black Walnut Tree” is a conflict between the sentimental and what practically needs to be done. Throughout the poem, the author utilizes a very matter-of-fact and almost dismissive tone as the daughter and her mother debate whether or not to sell the tree and finish paying off a loan that they owe. As the poem progresses, this matter-of-fact tone transitions into figurative language as the black walnut tree takes on a more symbolic view. Mary Oliver shows in “The Black Walnut Tree” that the tree symbolizes the family’s heritage and all that their father has sought to accomplish, and, while the mortgage weighs down the family, cutting down and selling the tree would, in a sense, betray the family and what it stands for. Written in free verse, “The Black Walnut Tree” takes a straight forward and casual approach to the topic and is most apparent

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304 Words | 2 Pages

The patient medical form, as a genre primarily used for information gathering and record keeping, is structured in such a way that it allows the reader the necessary information concerning the patient’s past medical history, as well as any other relevant or current information that would aid the physician in constructing diagnosis and treatment. This is another example of the rhetoric appeal for the genre. The audience of the genre, the patient when filling out the form, gets a sense of a __________ due the genre’s writing structure and rhetor. The rhetor utilizes basic vocabulary so that even an average person, even illiterate in the field of medicine is well aware about what is being asked.

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1167 Words | 5 Pages

In How to Tame a Wild Tongue, Gloria Anzaldua uses rhetoric and personal anecdotes to convey and persuade her argument that Latin Americans are forced to relinquish their cultural heritage, and to conform to white society. The evidence she provides comes in a variety of platforms, both literal and rhetorical. Rhetorical, being through emotional, logical, and credible appeals through her text. Literal being explicitly stated, without any further analysis necessary. When she utilises the modes of appeals, they are subtle within the texts, which leads the reader to analyse as they read.

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951 Words | 4 Pages

I 'd love to give it up. Quit. But I can 't think of anything else to do, so I keep chipping away at it" (p. 78). This shows how she wants the tree to be a perfect "strong old oak tree" and if it is anything different, it seems dead to her. This quote could be used to infer that she is picturing a perfect version of herself and because of what happened to her, she will not be that perfect version of herself that she wishes she could be.

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810 Words | 4 Pages

In a simile, she compares gardening to “boxing… The wins versus the losses” (Hudes 16). Through this comparison, Hudes conveys Ginny’s deep desire for a sense of control and success in her life. This desire is fed by the memory of her father, who was only bearable when he was gardening. Specifically, the assertion of this desire for control is evident as she recalls that her father “was a mean bastard…” but “became a saint if you put a flower in his hand” (Hudes 15). From those experiences of dealing with her father, a psychological analogy between nature and peace was instilled in Ginny’s mind at a young age, and is what she relies on as an adult to handle her emotional trauma.

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805 Words | 4 Pages

But after the rape, Melinda is not happy with anything in her life and she is always stressed out. This is represented when she states, “But when I try to carve it, it looks like a dead tree, toothpicks, a child’s drawing. I can’t bring it to life. I’d love to give it up” (78). Melinda has changed dramatically, and this is represented by the tree she sees versus the tree she tries to make.

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767 Words | 4 Pages

Pg. 80 This example can be tied back to my thesis and the seed this quote is trying to

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1213 Words | 5 Pages

Euripides forwards Medea’s revenge through her use of Rhetoric in her dialogue. Rhetoric is language used intended to persuade or influence another person’s decisions or ideology. Medea’s use of Rhetoric conveys her cunning and deceitful nature in the play: she appeals to the ethical standpoint of the all-female Chorus, she appeals to the emotion of Creon to persuade him and Aegeus for her own advantage. Jason’s use of Rhetoric against Medea is exposed by her argument on the ethics of marriage that he has tarnished. Medea uses Ethos, the persuasion through ethical arguments, to appeal to the female Chorus who live in a patriarchal land.

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646 Words | 3 Pages

Speak Essay: Figurative language has a tremendous influence on literature because it enlivens the words and makes them jump off the page. This allows the reader to visualize the scene in a unique, explicit way. Laurie Anderson’s Speak demonstrates an abundant use of figurative language. Figurative language appears in various forms; this includes simile, metaphor, personification, symbol, hyperbole and more.

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1102 Words | 5 Pages

Near the end of the novel she observes, “In the years she had been tying scraps to the branches, the tree had died and the fruit turned bitter. The other apple trees were hale and healthy, but this one, the tree of her remembrances, were as black and twisted as the bombed-out town behind it.” (Hannah 368) The apple tree represents the outcomes of war. It portrays the author’s perspective that lives wither and lose life due to such violence.

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