Rhetoric in literature is used to effectively convey the author’s ideas and create emotional responses in readers. Techniques such as metaphor and allegory are common, and authors aim to present arguments persuasively. Rhetoric is concerned with creating emotional responses and presenting logical content linguistically. Pathos is often used to make a point about a larger issue.
The role of rhetoric in literature is to efficiently convey the author’s ideas to the reading public. Rhetoric is used in literature in the same way as political speeches, to present the author’s underlying ideas in a persuasive way. The argument proposed by a writing is presented using rhetorical techniques and its general style or voice. Authors use rhetorical techniques such as metaphor, allegory, and oxymoron to persuasively convey their opinion on a topic. Rhetorical techniques can also help authors create emotional responses in the reading public.
The primary function of rhetoric in literature is the same as the function of rhetoric in any field. Rhetoricians aim to convey their opinions and arguments as effectively as possible. The underlying theme of fictional stories often refers to a topic presented by the author. For example, George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is a story, in a sense, but the underlying argument refers to totalitarianism and its dangers. Orwell uses rhetorical techniques such as irony to convey the brainwashing methods employed by his dystopian society, for example, the Ministry of Love is indeed the center of torture.
Rhetorical techniques are accepted methods of achieving a particular effect and can be found in many works of literature. Allegory is a common example of rhetoric in literature. This was used by Dante to create his “Divine Comedy” trilogy, which is a great allegory of his personal journey towards the Christian faith. Other techniques such as personification, alliteration and metaphor are also common in literature.
The use of rhetoric in literature is common because both concern the distinction between “logos” and “lexis,” or logic and the language used to express it. Rhetoricians are primarily concerned with how the logical content of their arguments can be presented linguistically to have the most profound effect on the audience. Similarly, authors who want to present an argument in the form of a scene or story need to consider the ways in which language can be used to convey it.
Pathos is a common part of rhetoric in literature, because many authors aim to create an emotional response in their readers. Rhetoricians are concerned with creating emotional responses in the audience in order to make people agree with the points being made. Authors may use rhetorical techniques for the same reason or to create an emotional response to a scene. A writer can create an emotional scene to make a point about a larger issue. For example, a scene centered around the parents of a soldier killed in battle can underscore the futility of war.
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