Stylistic Devices in an Article
No One Knows What Britain Is Anymore
- By Steven Erlanger, Nov. 4, 2017
| stylistic device | example | function/effect |
|---|---|---|
| metaphor (or simile) | l. 1 f.: “see their country as a brave galleon” | better understanding of a statement; express a comparison |
| enumeration | l. 1 f.: “bravegalleon banners waving, cannons firing, trumpets blaring” | getting a better picture of it |
| repetition | l. 13: “… for its pragmatism, its common sense, its political stability …”; l. 22 ff.: “After Brexit, no one is trying to help now. They’ve given up. Nobody on the Continent really cares that much about Britain anymore.”; l. 19 and 27: “controlled suicide” | drawing attention |
| personification | l. 26 f.: “… Brexit is a controlled suicide.” | better imagination |
| rethorical question | l. 20: “… how much worse can it get?” | make readers think about it |
| hyperbole | l. 17 f.: “… full-blown identity crises.” | reinforce, extreme, dramatic |