Tropes vs. Rhetorical Figures

In poetry, there are two branches of figures of speech: rhetorical figures and tropes. From the Greek tropos, meaning "turn, direction, way," tropes twist or play on the meanings of words and phrases. On the other hand, rhetorical devices are more straight forward. While they do not play on the meanings of words, they do play on the sounds. The goal of the rhetorical device is to persuade one towards a particular point of view or emotion; therefore, sentences employing rhetorical figures are used to provoke a emotion and/or action.

Here's a look at the most commonly used figures of speech:

Figures of Speech

• Rhetorical figures

• alliteration - two or more words in close proximity begin with the same sound. (example: He's one cool cat).
• assonance - two or more words in close proximity contain the same vowel sounds.(example: He's one cool dude).
• consonance - two or more words in close proximity that end in the same sound. (example: He struck a streak of bad luck).
• onomatopoeia - The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named. The word tries to imitate the sound. (example: "boom" "sizzle" "cuckoo")
• apostrophe - An address to an absent person or an abstract element. (example: "o, wind!" or "O western wind, when wilt thou blow/ That the small rain down can rain?")
• pun - A play on words by exploiting the different possible meanings of a word. (example: "Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight" [grave here means "serious" but also hints to those who are marked for death.]).

• Tropes

• metaphor - comparison between two seemingly unlike things that have something important in common. (example: He was a lion in battle).
• simile - comparison between two unlike things using the words "like" or "as." (example: Her eyes are like diamonds.)
• metonymy - An idea or word is substituted with a concept closely associated with it. (example: We use the term "Hollywood" when referring to the U.S. cinema industry.)
• synecdoche - Parts of something represent a whole. (example: "All hands on deck." 
• personification - Giving inanimate objects human-like qualities. (example: "The leaves danced in the wind.")

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Connotation vs. Denotation

If you have taken or ever plan on taking a poetry class, you are more than likely to come across these two terms. Let's make sure that you know what they mean and how to tell the difference between the two.

Denotation

In poetry, the term "denotation" means the literal meaning or "book definition" of a word. Basically, the meaning of the word is found in the dictionary.

For example, let's look below at some words and their denotative meanings:

Rose - A type of red-colored flower.

Dismember - To divide into parts; to cut to pieces; to take apart.

Dismantle - To divide into parts; to cut to pieces; to take apart.

Mother - A female parent.

House - A building where people live.

Home -  A building where people live.

Father - A male parent.

Dad - A male parent.


Connotation

In poetry, the term "connotation" means the secondary attributes--such as feelings, emotions, and/or symbols--associated with a word. Basically, "connotation" is when you hear a word and your mind automatically associates something with it. For instance, when you hear the word "city," your mind automatically thinks of a large, vivacious population. In reality, the literal definition of a "city"  is an incorporated municipality governed by a mayor (in the U.S.)

For example, let's look below at the same words from above with their connotative meanings:

Rose - Love, romance, Valentine's Day.

 (These are the symbols or feelings we think of when we hear or see the word rose).

Dismember -  The tearing of limbs. The ripping of body parts.

(We tend to think of body parts when we hear the word dismember, even though it has the same meaning as "dismantle").

Dismantle - The breaking down of a solid object such as a fireplace or a chair.

("Dismantle" is more associated with electronics or furniture. While you could theoretically use "dismember" and "dismantle" interchangeably as synonyms, you would want to use "dismember" when talking about humans/animals and "dismantle" when talking about furniture/inanimate objects.)

Mother - Motherly, affectionate, caring, loving, nurturing.

(Even though a mother is simply a female who gives birth to offspring, we tend to associate feelings of great nurturing and love with the term mother. Unless you had a traumatic past, you don't tend to think of the Evil Queen from Snow White when you hear the word "mother." In fact, "step-mother" has a negative connotation to it due to all the portrayals of evil step-mothers in the media.)

House - A place of living. A hovel, shack, estate, mansion, palace, castle, etc.

 (House has a very detached, clinical feeling to it. It sounds hollow or empty. You associate different kinds of abodes with house but there really is no emotion attached to the word.)

Home - A place of warmth, affection, happy memories, childhood, and comfort.

(Though "house" and "home" have the same definition, the feelings attributed to each word is very different. A house is simply where you live. A home is the place where you start a family, raise children, make memories, etc.).

Father - A detached authority; the man who sired you.

(When you hear the word "father," you think of the man in very clinical, emotionally detached terms. In other words, a "father" is simply a sperm donor.)

Dad - The man you raised you, affection, an association with children.

 (More often than not, you hear the phrase "He may be my father but he's not my dad." That's because the term "dad" is really a word of affection. A dad is someone who has taken an active hand in raising his children. He's a fond parent. He's the one that takes the kids to the park or plays baseball with them. Where the term "father" has a strict, detached, authority-like emotion attached to the word, "dad" has a sort of fondness and association with happy children attached to it.)



For more help or information of the difference between connotation and denotation, here are some helpful links:


http://www.chegg.com/homework-help/definitions/connotation-vs-denotation-41
http://classweb.gmu.edu/bhawk/101/semiotics/decon.html
http://www.eng.fju.edu.tw/English_Literature/terms/denotation.htm

Alliteration, Assonance, and Consonance

Poets often use alliteration, assonance, and consonance to help with the fluidity of a poem. Thus, making it more pleasing to the ear and easier to speak aloud. For beginners, however, the problem is identifying the differences between the three devices.

Alliteration

Alliteration refers to the repetition of consonants in words of close proximity. It generally refers to the sounds at the beginning of the adjacent words. For example:


                                               The black bat sat on the back porch.


In this sentence, the words "black" and "bat," which are right next to each other, both begin with the letter "b." Also, though not right next to the "black" and "bat," three words down is the word "back," beginning with the letter "b" as well.

Therefore, you could say that this sentence contains alliteration with the letter "b."


Assonance

Assonance refers to the repetition of vowel sounds within a series of words. For example:


                                             The black bat sat on the back porch.


In this sentence, notice that the vowel sound for the letter "a" is consistent in the words "black," "bat," "sat," and "back."


Consonance

Consonance refers to the repetition of consonant sounds at the end of and within words of close proximity. For example:


                                            The black bat sat on the back porch


Notice that, in this sentence, we have two forms of consonance. The words "black" and "back" both end it "-ck" while "bat" and "sat" end in "-t."

Further examples:

Let's look at a few lines of poetry from "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allen Poe.

It was many and many a year ago,
     In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
     By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
     Than to love and be loved by me.

Notice that the letter "m" is repeated at the beginning of several words. (Alliteration).

Notice that the short vowel sound of "i" is repeated within several words. (Assonance).

Notice that the "m" sound is found at or towards the end of "kingdom," "whom," and "name." (Consonance).

For more examples and further explanation, go to:

 http://ezinearticles.com/?Alliteration,-Assonance-and-Consonance&id=675686