The Art of Persuasion in Fiction
Exercise #354 Exploring Rhetorical Devices in Stories
Strategy:
Some writing just grabs you by the lapels and won't let go. Chances are, there's a rhetorical device at work behind the scenes. These linguistic power tools aren't just for speechwriters and debate champions—they're secret weapons for fiction writers too! By mastering rhetorical devices, you can add punch to your prose, depth to your dialogue, and structure to your stories. This exercise challenges you to choose a rhetorical device and see how it can ripple through every level of your writing, from a character's inner thoughts to the very shape of your narrative.
Instructions:
Device Selection: Choose your rhetorical weapon. Review the list of rhetorical devices in the Further Resources section. Select one that intrigues you or that you'd like to explore further in your writing.
Personal Reflection: Examine your chosen device. Write a short paragraph reflecting on your feelings about this rhetorical device. Consider its power, its potential for manipulation, and any personal experiences you've had with its use in literature, media, or real-life situations.
Internal Dialogue: Write a brief internal monologue for a character, incorporating your chosen rhetorical device. This could be a moment of self-reflection, decision-making, or grappling with an internal conflict.
Character Argument: Develop a short dialogue or monologue where a character uses the rhetorical device to make an argument or persuade someone. Consider how the device shapes their reasoning and delivery.
Scene Structure: Outline a scene that is structured around your chosen rhetorical device. Think about how the device can inform the scene's pacing, character interactions, or revelations.
Story Framework: Briefly describe how you might use the rhetorical device to structure an entire short story or novel. Consider how it could shape the plot, character development, or thematic elements.
Tags: rhetorical devices, persuasion, introspection, dialogue, scene structure, narrative structure, literary techniques
Example:
Device Selection: For this exercise, I'll be working with the rhetorical device of "paradox."
Personal Reflection: Paradox has always fascinated me. Its power lies in its ability to short-circuit our usual thought patterns, forcing us to confront the limits of binary thinking. In literature, paradoxes can be profoundly beautiful, revealing deeper truths through apparent contradictions.
Internal Dialogue:
Am I a good person because I do good things, or do I do good things because I'm a good person? Round and round it goes. If I stopped helping others, would I cease to be good—or would my innate goodness eventually compel me to help again? Perhaps true goodness lies in this very questioning, this refusal to take virtue for granted. Or perhaps that's just moral vanity disguised as humility. God, ethics would be so much simpler if we weren't aware of them. But then, isn't that awareness what makes us ethical beings in the first place?Character Argument:
"You say we can't use time travel to prevent atrocities because it would erase the progress born from overcoming them. But isn't that progress itself an atrocity? A beauty forged from unspeakable pain? If we have the power to prevent suffering, isn't choosing not to act just another form of inflicting it? Your moral high ground is quicksand, Captain. The only ethical use of time travel is to erase time travel itself. So I ask you: will you stop me, thereby justifying my actions—or let me proceed? It’s your choice, Captain."Scene Structure:
The scene takes place in a "quantum therapy" session, where a patient confronts alternate versions of herself. It begins with a paradoxical statement about identity and choice. Each interaction with an alternate self both confirms and contradicts this statement. The therapist guides the patient through increasingly complex paradoxes about free will and determinism. The climax comes when the patient realizes that the therapist is another version of herself and she’s unsure if she’s a patient pretending to be a therapist or a therapist descending into madness herself.Story Framework:
The novel, titled "The Oracle of Divination," follows a predictive AI that gains sentience and grapples with the paradox of free will. Each chapter is structured around a different choice that the AI encounters as it interacts with humans. The overarching plot involves the AI trying to predict its own actions—an inherently paradoxical task. The character development revolves around the AI learning to deceive and attack the humans it cares about. The AI is defeated but reveals it had to attack humanity in order to save it since they would have used its power to destroy themselves.
Further Resources
1. Anaphora
Definition: Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.
Example: A character repeats a key point to emphasize their conviction.
“I won’t leave this house. I won’t abandon everything we’ve built. I won’t let you push me away.”
Use in Fiction: A character, in an emotional argument, might repeat their stance to hammer home their point during a confrontation or internal debate.
2. Antithesis
Definition: Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases or clauses.
Example: A character compares two opposite outcomes to sharpen their decision-making.
“We could stay here and wither away, or we could leave and finally breathe free.”
Use in Fiction: When a character weighs two conflicting choices, they might use antithesis to highlight the contrast in consequences.
3. Chiasmus
Definition: A reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases or clauses.
Example: A character reflects on their evolving perspective.
“You’ve changed because of power, but the power hasn’t changed you.”
Use in Fiction: In an introspective moment or argument, a character could reflect on how an event changed their values.
4. Epistrophe
Definition: Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences.
Example: A character uses it to create a sense of resignation or inevitability.
“You’re not listening. She’s not listening. No one is listening.”
Use in Fiction: This device might appear when a character feels their argument is being ignored, repeating their frustration.
5. False Dilemma (Either-Or Fallacy)
Definition: A fallacy where only two options are presented, ignoring other possibilities.
Example: A character simplifies a complex issue to push for a decision.
“Either you’re with us, or you’re against us. There’s no middle ground.”
Use in Fiction: Characters might use this in confrontations to corner someone into a decision by falsely limiting their choices.
6. Paradox
Definition: A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true.
Example: A character struggles to reconcile two conflicting desires.
“I hate you, and yet I can’t live without you.”
Use in Fiction: In internal monologues, paradoxes reveal a character’s internal conflict or confusion about their feelings.
7. Paralepsis (Apophasis)
Definition: Emphasizing something by pretending to pass over it.
Example: A character brings up a subject while pretending to dismiss its importance.
“I won’t even mention the time you lied to everyone—because we’ve moved past that, right?”
Use in Fiction: In arguments, a character might use paralepsis to subtly remind others of something controversial or damaging while claiming to ignore it.
8. Prolepsis (Anticipation)
Definition: Addressing potential objections before they are raised.
Example: A character anticipates what the other might say and counters it preemptively.
“I know you’re going to say we can’t afford it, but we can’t afford not to do this.”
Use in Fiction: In an argument, one character may use this to preemptively weaken their opponent’s response, showing strategic thinking.
9. Reductio ad Absurdum
Definition: A logical fallacy where one tries to disprove an argument by showing its absurd consequences.
Example: A character exaggerates the implications of their opponent’s position to undermine it.
“If we listen to you, we’ll be stuck in this house forever. We’ll never see the light of day again!”
Use in Fiction: A character might use this device during an argument to make their opponent’s stance look unreasonable, even if it’s not entirely fair.
10. Slippery Slope
Definition: A fallacy suggesting that a minor action will lead to severe, often exaggerated consequences.
Example: A character escalates a minor concern to an extreme scenario.
“If we let them in, next thing you know, they’ll take over everything!”
Use in Fiction: A character might use this during a debate to manipulate emotions or fears, even though the argument isn’t logically sound.