Epithet

He was through, he had done it!

A.J. Cronin

Repeated unit is placed at the end of consecutive sentences.

2. “The reports are taking too long. Much too long.”

A. Hailey

3. “I haven’t got a job. I’m not looking for a job. Furthermore, I am not going to look for a job.”

J. London

The author repeats a word “job” at the end of consecutive sentences.

Aposiopesis

1. “Good afternoon”, said Mr. Cowlishaw “Have you…Can I…”

A. Bennett

The character is worried, this why he can’t end his statements.

2. “But, George, maybe it’s very important for you to go and learn all that about – cattle judging and soils and those things… Of course, I don’t know.”

O. Wilde

The author uses aposiopesis to show the nervousness and worry of the character.

3. “Listen, Emily, I’m going to tell you why I’m not going to Agriculture School. I think that once you’re found a person that you’re very fond of… I mean a person who’s fond of you, too, and likes you enough to be interested in your character… Well, I think that’s just as important as college is, and even more so. That’s what I think.”

O. Wilde
Hyperbaton

1. “I know there was a bit of misunderstanding between your Tom and me. But it’s Christmas – and – oh, well, I want – ” he broke down lamely, - “I mean, I’d be awfully pleased if the three of you would come round and help us eat our Christmas dinner.”

A.J. Cronin

The author uses hyperbaton to show the high-strung state of the speaker’s mind.

2. “The fact is I’d begun to ask myself if you weren’t too slight, too much of a kid ever to – oh, well, I’m delighted. But we’re not going to get sentimental. Slushy, I mean. No,no! Let’s leave that sort of thing to Mr. And Mrs. Smith.”

A.J. Cronin

3. “I slipped in. Nobody knows I am here. I wanted to see you. I came to tell you I have been very foolish. I came because I could no longer stay away, because my heart compelled me to come, because…because I wanted to come.”

J. London Framing

1. A mistake had been made, and yet it was not a wanton mistake.

A. Hailey

The author reiterates the same word “mistake” at the beginning and at the end of a sentence.

2. He was no speaker and he knew that he was no speaker.

A. J. Cronin

The author reiterates the same phrase “he was no speaker” at the beginning and at the end of a sentence.

3. A bubble of mucus came from one tiny nostril, a joyful iridescent bubble.

A.J. Cronin

4. “My brain is the same old brain.”

J.London

Detachment

1. “Perhaps it’s a call, Chris! Think of it! My first Aberalaw case.”

He dashed into the hall.

A.J.Cronin

The author makes detachments to enhance their emphasis.

2. “Well, well! This is splendid. Delighted to meet you. Come along in here.”

A.J.Cronin

3. “But we’re not going to get sentimental. Slushy, I mean. No,no!”

A.J.Cronin Onomatopoeia

1. Ping! Went the door again. Before Andrew could answer, Doctor Philip Denny and Hawkins disappeared into the wet darkness.

A. J. Cronin

Direct onomatopoeia.

2. It sometimes amused outsiders to see snow removal groups, plow blades down, blowers roaring, on a hot, sunny day.

A.Hailey

Direct onomatopoeia.

3. “Krr – krr – krr – ki – ki – ki – krr.” “Damn!” said Christine concisely. Only one motor horn in Aberalaw could sound like that.

A. J. Cronin

Direct onomatopoeia. The author imitates natural sound of the horn of the car.

Coupling

1. Heavily, like a dying man, he took stock of them: his patients, gathered, despite the fine summer evening, to pay tribute to his manner, his personality.

A. J. Cronin

The author sets side by side two analogous phrases: “his manner, his personality” in order to reinforce the point.

2. Mel, airport general manager – lean, rangy, and a powerhouse of disciplined energy – was standing by the Snow Control Desk, high in the control tower.

A.Hailey

3. He spoke very angrily and pitterly, and looked straight ahead while he talked.

E. Hemingway

Anastrophe

1. Here she would sit, sewing and knitting, while he worked at the table.

A.J. Cronin

The author uses a purposeful reversal of the natural order of words with a view to heightening their effect.

2. With all this behind them surely they would not starve.

A.J. Cronin

3. Gone now was his pretence of indifference.

A.J. Cronin

Polysyndeton

1. “A diputation from the Committee, five of them, including Ed Chenkin, and escorted by Parry – you know, the Sinai minister – and a man Davies.”

A.J. Cronin

The author uses polysyndeton to bring out every detail and to slow down the action.

2. It was possible to buy fruit and fish and vegetables cheaply there.

A.J. Cronin

3. He brought his arm down and stopped smiling and looked at the fire hydrant and beyond the fire hydrant the gutter and beyond the gutter the street, Ventura, and on both sides of the street houses and in the houses people and at the end of the street the country where the vineyards and orchards were and streams and meadows and then mountains and beyond the mountains more cities and more houses and streets and people.

W. Saroyan

Chiasmus

1. “If they’d done anything to you – after all you’ve done for me I’d – Oh! I’d have killed that old President.”

A. J. Cronin

The author juxtaposes two ideas.

2. “It looks to me,”continued Soames, “as if she were sweeter on him than he is on her. She’s always following him about.”

J. Galsworthy

3. Gratitude was no virtue among Forsytes, who, competitive, and full of commonsense, had no occasion for it; and Soames only experienced a sense of exasperation amounting to pain, that he did not own her as it was his right to own her, that he could not, as by stretching out his hand to that rose, pluck her and sniff the very secrets of her heart.

J. Galsworthy

4. “In the days of old men made the manners; Manners now make men”

J. Byron

This is a famous epigram by Byron, the author, who favoured chiasmus.

5. “Surely they don’t want me for myself, for myself is the same old self they did not want.”

J.London

Climax (Gradation)

1. He was sick, shattered, on the verge of a complete collapse.

A. J. Cronin

The author gives gradual increase in emotional evaluation of the condition of the character.

2. His startled sisters looked, and before the servant girl could get there, the bread plate wobbled, slid, flew to the floor, and broke into shivers.

K. Mansfield

3. “They looked at hundreds of houses; they climed thousands of stairs; they inspected innumerable kitchens.”

S.Maugham

Here the climax is achieved by simple numerical increase.

Alliteration

1. “So he sat and jawned, and gazed at the crowd crowding to the match at two o’clock, crowding back in the gloom at four o’clock…”

A. Bennett

Alliteration is the repetition of similar consonants at the beginning of neighbouring words.

2. She wrinkled her brows in a puzzled frown.

J. Galsworthy

The articulation of “r” is used to reinforce the expression.

3. “Forget and forgive”, she cried passionately.

J.London

4. But he was angry now, his nervousness lost in a swelling indignation at the ignorance, the intolerant stupidity of Chenkin’s accusation, and the acclamation with which the others had received it.

A.J.Cronin

Assonance

1. He wrote and wrote, never looking at the clock, filling sheet after sheet, until his head reeled.

A. J. Cronin

[   u –    u – u –     –  I: – I: – e – I:]

Assonance – deliberate repetition of like sounding vowels in neighbouring words with a view to heightening their effect.

2. When he opened his eyes again he started, seeing something creeping swiftly up a tree.

D.H. Lawrence

[ai – a: – I: – I:]

Rhetorical Question

1.  Could a man own anything prettier than this dining-table with its deep tints, the starry, soft-petalled roses, the ruby-coloured glass, and quaint silver furnishing; could a man own anything prettier than a woman who sat at it?

J. Galsworthy

Rhetorical question is a question which requires no answer, and is used merely to emphasise a point.

2. “Please, my dear fellow - ” Llewellyn entreated – “who could help an accident like that? I beg of you – go up and console your wife.”

A. J. Cronin

3. She took the vase of roses and left the room. Soames remained seated. Was it for this that he had signed that contract? Was it for this that he was going to spend some ten thousand pounds?

J. Galsworthy