When Imposing Parallelism In Writing, What Should A Writer Pay Special Attention To?

The Style Guy

15 Stylistic Devices Every Writer Must Know

Complete with examples and explanations

Have you ever wondered why a phrase or sentence sounds so good?

There's a good chance that the writer created that memorable sound on purpose. If a writer is a craftsman, then the writer has tools to perform the craft. We often refer to the tools of the writer as words. This is true, but it's also an ambiguous characterization.

Stylistic devices are the tools for refi n ing words into memorable lines. Take, for example, the epitome of English literature: "To be, or not to be? That is the question — " In that two-sentence line, Shakespeare used four stylistic devices: rhetorical question, iambic meter, antithesis, and caesura.

This list includes 15 stylistic devices that will make your writing — whether it's in marketing, blogging, or in literature — more interesting, effective, and memorable.

1. Alliteration

Definition: Alliteration is the repetitive use of words with similar consonant sounds, usually in the same sentence. The consonant sound is often at the beginning of the words.

Examples:

The cool kids went about kicking the can.
The dog drooled like a waterfall.

Explanation: Alliteration draws attention to words you want to target. These words could be important for the message, important for action or imagery, or they could raise awareness in the reader about an important feature or characteristic.

An easy example from pop culture is Mickey Mouse. Note the two words that begin with the same consonant sound. What if Disney would have named the legendary character Mickey Rat or John Mouse?

2. Anaphora

Definition: Anaphora is the repetitive use of the same word or phrases at the start of successive sentences.

Examples:

Rise up against the racism that buttresses centuries-old systems of power. Rise up against the classism that is masqueraded as a meritocracy. Rise up against the technocrats that promise connectivity while dealing in social division.
Free the land, free the capital, free the people.

Explanation: Anaphora is a powerful tool that establishes meaning and excites emotions through repetition. It is a popular tool in political rhetoric.

3. Antithesis

Definition: Antithesis is when the writer places two contrasting ideas close to each other in the sentence.

Examples:

"To be, or not to be?" from Shakespeare's "Hamlet."
"Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee." from the former Sara Lee Corporation.

Explanation: Antithesis is great at establishing a contrast that will emphasize the key message to the audience. Notice the structure of the two examples. In "Hamlet," the protagonist spent five acts contemplating suicide after discovering that his uncle murdered his father, only to bear witness to the immediate marriage between his mother and the murderous uncle. Therefore, the critical point for the protagonist is "not to be." The prior use of "To be" sets the stage for "not to be."

The same structure and effect apply to Sara Lee's famous slogan. The principal message of the slogan is "nobody doesn't like Sara Lee." That message is amplified by the first part of the slogan.

4. Assonance

Definition: Assonance is like alliteration. Instead of repetitive consonant sounds, though, assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within a phrase or sentence.

Examples:

"The spider skins lie on their sides, translucent and ragged, their legs drying in knots," from "Holy the Firm" by Annie Dilliard.
"Think different," which was Apple's slogan until 2002.

Explanation: If alliteration forces the reader to remember words by imposing harsh, hard-hitting sounds, assonance creates a sense of fluidity and harmony through the reoccurring vowel sounds. Looking at the literary example from Dilliard, one might think this is a lyric from poetry. Actually, it's prose, although quite poetic prose. The repeating sounds of the long "i" and "e" create a flowing line that creates a stark contrast with the unpleasant image.

Apple used the sample principle in a much shorter fashion. The repeating sounds are also "i" and "e", which create a sense of harmony and elegance in their slogan. This was clever as Apple's attraction was the creation of elegant hardware.

5. Cacophony

Definition: Cacophony is the placement of explosive consonants close together. Explosive consonants are sounds that pack a punch when read. These sounds are usually generated by the following letters or letter-pairs: B, D, T, K, P, G, C, CH, Q, and X.

Examples:

"The jaws that bite, the claws that catch," from Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky."
"Have a Break, Have a Kit Kat," which has been one of the slogans used for the Kit Kat candy bar.

Explanation: Cacophony brings the subject to life. The combination of explosive consonants forces the reader to put extra emphasis on those sounds. When the writer wants to target keywords or phrases, cacophony is a common choice.

6. Chiasmus

Definition: Chiasmus requires two similar phrases that deal with the same concept. The defining characteristic is that the two phrases have inverse grammatical structures.

Examples:

"We shape our buildings, and afterward our buildings shape us," from Winston Churchill's 1943 speech to the British House of Commons.
"I am stuck on Band-Aid, and Band-Aid's stuck on me," from the Band-Aid brand's jingle in the '90s.

Explanation: Chiasmus is great for creating a sense of symmetry and balance in a sentence, phrase, or slogan. To be most effective, use the first phrase to set up your principal point.

7. Consonance

Definition: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in neighboring words. The repeating consonant sounds can occur at the beginning or end of the words.

Examples:

"I celebrate myself, and sing myself, / And what I assume you shall assume," from Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself."
Coca-Cola.

Explanation: the use of consonance will emphasize and amplify target words or phrases in your writing or advertising. We also call this intensifying. This technique forces the reader to pay more attention to target words and phrases, therefore drawing more attention to the message.

8. End Rhyme

Definition: End rhyme is when the last words of neighboring sentences rhyme.

Examples:

"On the fifteenth of May, in the jungle of Nool / In the heat of the day, in the cool of the pool," from Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hears a Who!"
"Beauty outside. Beast inside," which was used to market the 2009 Mac Pro.

Explanation: End rhymes are a simple way to create a clever and memorable line. Rhymes have incredible power. Similar sounds are easy to remember, which can help stick the message into the mind of the reader.

9. Epiphora

Definition: Epiphora is the repetitive use of the same word or phrase at the end of a sentence or clause.

Examples:

We want liberty. We need liberty, so we fight for liberty.
Survival is money. Dreams are money. Prisons are money.

Explanation: Just like the first line and the last line of an article, the most important parts of the sentence are the first few words and the last few words. They have the most impact on the reader. Epiphora and anaphora are powerful tools because of this.

10. Euphony

Definition: Euphony is the opposite of cacophony. It is the combination of easy-to-pronounce sounds. Usually, these are soft sounds created with L, M, N, F, soft C, and R.

Examples:

"When Zeus…stills the winds asleep in the solid drift," from Homer's "Illiad."
"Grace, Space, Pace," which was the famous slogan for Jaguar.

Explanation: Euphony is self-explanatory; by using soft, flowing sounds, the writer can transmit a message of elegance and fluidity. This will create a mood of beauty in the text.

11. Hyperbole

Definition: Hyperbole is the intentional exaggeration for emphasis.

Examples:

Here is an example taken from Kurt Vonnegut's "Cat's Cradle":

"I understand you were Dr. Hoenikker's supervisor during most of his professional life," I said to Dr. Breed on the telephone.
"On paper," he said.
"I don't understand," I said.
"If I actually supervised Felix," he said, "then I'm ready now to take charge of volcanoes, the tides, and the migrations of birds and lemmings. The man was a force of nature no mortal could possibly control."

2. "America Runs on Dunkin," which has been the Dunkin Donut's slogan since 2006.

Explanation: Hyperbole is an ancient stylistic device. Its benefits are obvious: life is rarely dramatic. By exaggerating statements, the message is further illustrated. Hyperbole offers opportunities for humor, importance, and drama.

12. Juxtaposition

Definition: Juxtaposition is the placement of two opposing ideas, statements, images, or actions next to each other.

Examples:

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," which was Neil Armstrong's first statement after stepping onto the Moon.
"Words kill wars." This excellent example comes from Adot Foundation. They partnered with the Ogilvy & Mather ad agency to create a peace-promoting campaign about the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

Explanation: Juxtaposition can deliver a quick, witty, and powerful blow to the reader. Juxtaposition has many uses: to create a contrast, to highlight differences, to create a surprise, to illustrate different perspectives, and to establish a common link between two uncommon elements.

13. Oxymoron

Definition: Oxymorons are two opposing words or ideas placed together. The intention is to show a truth.

Examples:

"The Sounds of Silence," which is the title of the popular song by Simon and Garfunkel.
This ad for the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI ("clean diesel") is full of oxymorons.

Explanation: Oxymoron is an excellent figure of speech for showing contradictions and revealing the hidden truths in those contradictions. Truth, though, isn't the limitation of this stylistic device. The writer can evoke the reader's sense of humor, curiosity, and anger through the use of oxymorons.

14. Parallelism

Definition: Parallelism is the intentional arrangement of two or more parts of a sentence or sentences that have the same grammatical structure, resulting in a parallel form. Anaphora, number two in this list, is a specific type of parallelism.

Examples:

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty," which is from John F. Kennedy's inaugural address.
"A different kind of company. A different kind of car," which was the slogan of the Saturn Corporation.

Explanation: Parallelism is a simple, important, and effective tool. First, it can emphasize the connection between sentences, ideas, and objects. Contrarily, parallelism can also highlight the differences between sentences, ideas, and objects. Finally, it can establish a sense of rhythm which helps plant the message into the mind of the reader.

15. Sibilance

Definition: Sibilance is the repetition of a hissing sound within a phrase or sentence. This sound is created by S, SH, the soft C, F, the soft TH, Z, and V. Keep in mind, this is the repetition of the sound, not the letter.

Examples:

"Eagerly I wished the morrow; — vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow — sorrow for the lost Lenore —" from Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven."
"The Citi that never sleeps, but your neighborhood may be put to rest," which was Citibank's slogan in 1976.

Explanation: Sibilance is very effective at creating memorable sounds. Like other stylistic devices, this forces the reader's attention to the keywords and targeted messages.

Recap

Whether you're a writer, a marketer, or another type of word-worker, familiarity with tools of the trade can help you produce better work.

There are hundreds of stylistic devices at the writer's disposal, but these 15 are easy to implement and they create powerful effects in the audience.

I suggest trying out one in your next headline or the critical opening line to see if they catch the reader's eye.