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This lesson covers structural devices that make arguments more memorable and impactful.
Have you ever wondered why phrases like 'I have a dream' or 'Veni, Vidi, Vici' stick in your brain for centuries while other speeches are forgotten by lunchtime?
Parallelism is the use of matching grammatical structures in a series of related words, phrases, or clauses. Think of it as a 'mirror' for your sentences. When you list items or ideas, they should follow the same pattern. For example, 'I like hiking, swimming, and to fish' feels 'broken' because the last item changes the pattern. A parallel version would be: 'I like hiking, swimming, and fishing.' This symmetry makes your writing feel balanced, intentional, and much easier for the reader's brain to process. In rhetoric, we can express this as a structural formula: if the first part is , the following parts should also be .
Let's fix a sentence that lacks balance:
1. Original: The manager was told to write the report quickly, accurately, and in a thorough manner. 2. Identify the pattern: 'Quickly' (adverb), 'accurately' (adverb), 'in a thorough manner' (prepositional phrase). 3. Apply Parallelism: Change the last part to an adverb to match the others. 4. Result: The manager was told to write the report quickly, accurately, and thoroughly.
Quick Check
Which of these sentences is parallel: 'She loves to dance, to sing, and acting' or 'She loves to dance, to sing, and to act'?
Answer
'She loves to dance, to sing, and to act' is parallel because all three items use the infinitive 'to [verb]' form.
Anaphora is a specific type of repetition where a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. This isn't just 'repeating yourself'—it is a deliberate tool used to build momentum and emotional intensity. When a speaker uses anaphora, they create a rhythmic 'beat' that the audience begins to anticipate. This makes the message more memorable because the human brain is naturally wired to recognize and enjoy patterns. Famous examples include Winston Churchill’s 'We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields...'
Observe how anaphora creates a 'crescendo' effect:
1. Start with a base phrase: 'It takes...' 2. Repeat for emphasis: 'It takes courage to speak. It takes strength to listen. It takes wisdom to know when to do which.' 3. Effect: The repetition of 'It takes' emphasizes the difficulty of all three actions equally, making the final 'wisdom' point feel more significant.
Quick Check
In the phrase 'Go big or go home,' which rhetorical device is primarily being used?
Answer
Parallelism (specifically, the repetition of the 'Verb + Adjective/Noun' structure).
Why do we often see parallelism and anaphora in groups of three? This is known as the Rule of Three. In cognitive science, three is the smallest number required to create a pattern. One is an occurrence; two is a coincidence; three is a trend. When you combine parallel structure with the Rule of Three, you create a 'rhetorical punch.' For example, Julius Caesar’s 'I came, I saw, I conquered' uses three parallel verbs to imply a swift, complete victory. Using this structure helps move your audience from with logical and emotional flow.
Transform a boring argument into a persuasive one using both devices:
1. Boring: 'We need to recycle because it helps the earth, saves money, and is good for the future.' 2. Step 1 (Parallelism): Match the verbs. 'We need to recycle to save the earth, to save money, and to save the future.' 3. Step 2 (Anaphora): Repeat a strong opening. 'For our planet, we must act. For our wallets, we must act. For our children, we must act.' 4. Final Result: Combining these creates a rhythmic, urgent call to action.
Which of the following is the best definition of Anaphora?
Identify the error in this sentence: 'The athlete enjoys running, jumping, and to throw the javelin.'
True or False: Parallelism is only used in poetry and has no place in formal business writing.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to explain the difference between parallelism and anaphora to a friend without looking at your notes.
Practice Activity
Find a famous speech online (like MLK's 'I Have a Dream') and highlight every instance where a sentence structure or opening phrase is repeated three or more times.