Please begin a new journal entry and label it:

12/9 Rhetorical devices Entry # 1: Parallel Structure

Rhetoric (Def)0 the art of effective speaking or writing

0 the purposeful use of figures of speech and other techniques to persuade

Targets:Identify parallel structure Create parallel structure

Parallel Structure

What is PARALLEL STRUCTURE?

Parallel Structure is a rhetorical device: a purposeful way to order ideas in language.

Recall that the order of language is its syntax: how words and sentences are placed together in writing.

Parallel structure is a syntax: a way of ordering language.

PARALLEL STRUCTURE

the repetition, or pattern of phrases (or words) in the same grammatical form

An example?

Copy down this old poet’s recipe for experiencing beautifully constructed language:

“We must read aloud; we must listen. We must roll vowels on our tongues; we must chew on consonants. We must keep the beat with arm and leg.”

~ Donald HallWhat are the repeating patterns?(underline the repeated words/phrases)

Now underline the phrases underlined below:

“We must read aloud; we must listen. We must roll vowels on our tongues; we must chew on consonants. We must keep the beat with arm and leg.”

~ Donald Hall

PURPOSE of Parallel Structure?

Parallel structure is an ordering of language (a syntax) and has two main persuasive (rhetorical) purposes:

•To demonstrate that two or more ideas have the same importance. (Impacting the intellect.)

•To please the reader/listener’s ear and eye with repetition and balance. (Impacting the emotions/senses).

Why do I need to know this? Parallel structure in your own sentencesBrings power and persuasiveness to your writing.

When you can identify parallel structure in others’ writing Enables you to analyze the IMPACT of specific kinds of writing on audiences.

This knowledge can give you the ability to look behind the scenes at a magician’s props and figure out HOW she does her tricks.

How do I learn to identify parallel structure?

Turn to page 12 in your work text.

Read the word, phrase, and clause examples under the heading, Syntax and Parallel Structure.

Highlight or underline the example sentences in each section (for quick future reference).

How do I learn to identify parallel structure?

Identify parallel words and parallel prepositional phrases in the lines below:

"Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him."

—William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

How do I learn to identify parallel structure?

Identify parallel words and parallel prepositional phrases in the lines below:

"Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him."

—William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

What kinds of parallel structure do you find in these famous sentences (word, phrase,clause)? Mark them!

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood...

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” —Martin Luther King, Jr., "I Have a Dream" speech

Application of new knowledge: Arrgh! YouTube is down for our district, so we cannot watch, but only listen to this fabulous speech by Al Pacino’s character in the film, Any Given Sunday.

Directions: Using PINK, highlight all the repetition, either during or after the audio version of the speech. AFTER this, we will read closely for parallel structure. Remember Parallel Structure is a subset of Repetition.

STOPPED HERE 12/8HW: find parallel structure in the text of “Inch by Inch,” and identify it on the word/phrase level, and by part of speech if you can.

For example, “inch by inch, play by play” is parallel structure on the word level (inch and play) and since inch and play in this sentence are both nouns, it is parallel structure on the word noun level.

Scholars:

0 If you are having trouble with this writerly craft, or want more practice to perfect it, continue on into this PPT.

Now look again at the 3 parts of King’s dream:

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood...

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” —Martin Luther King, Jr., "I Have a Dream" speech

How do I learn to create parallel structure?

Begin by writing out three sentences of your own below your notes: examples are provided on the next three slides.

1. Create one sentence on the word level of parallel structure:

Studying on the weekend takes persistence, discipline, and commitment.

(this is parallel structure on the noun word level)

2. Create one sentence on the verb phrase level of parallel structure:

My young pup Rondo Ray digs up our garden, brings in buried treasure, and deposits it at my feet.

This is parallel structure on the verb phrase level: digs, brings, deposits.

3. Create one sentence on the prepositional phrase level of parallel structure:

My young pup Rondo Ray finds his sort of treasure in the compost pit, under the sink, at the bottom of the trash pail, and on the kitchen floor, after his humans have eaten. This is parallel structure on the prepositional phrase level.

4.Create one final sentence on the independent clause level of parallel structure:

During the next several weeks of this pilot, we will dedicate ourselves to the experience of newness; we will respect ourselves for the effort we expend; and we will expect ourselves to master something challenging.

End here 12/9

0Pick up second half during EA 2, and the persuasive essay.