Alchemical Compositions

We're not really here right now...

noreply@blogger.com (Alex R) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 11:47:00 +0000

Think about this for a second. How do you know you actually exist? Is it because of the conversations you have with other people? Is it because of the various sensations you experience? How do you actually know that any of that is real? According to Greek philosopher, Andromeda, there is no proof that you are reading this paper right now. Because our reality is determined by the meaning we give to certain events and people, we do not necessarily exist in this world. There is no proof we have everyday, real life interactions. This is because of the theory Johnny Depp has recently developed. He says, “Only we can acknowledge that we exist because we have created our world.” This means our day-to-day interactions are only illusions of the mind; there is no proof we actually engage in these. Instead, our own thought processes and figments of imagination make up our lives. I’ll leave you with this last thought, the Nobel Prize winning physicist Matt Thomas stated in his 250 page thesis that “I’m here or am I?” Nobody can answer that question for him, even himself.

YouTube Video on Health Care Reform

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Helpful, animated video that explains Health Care Reform.

Polysyndeton Example #3

noreply@blogger.com (Yoohee) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 03:47:00 +0000

"We lived and laughed and loved and left"

-James Joyce

Cartoon about Obesity

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 15:48:00 +0000

A friend shared this with me last week. Unfortunately, I'm not sure where it's from, but a search of John Cole (the artist) should help us locate it.

Example of Enumeratio

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 01:32:00 +0000

Using enumeratio would mean elaborating the details in the sentence, "I want to expand the business into overseas markets" to make the following:

"I have grown up with this business and it now needs to grow beyond our current borders into the green fields of opportunity in markets away from these shores, where we can excite new customers and build further on our outstanding success so far."

Citation: Changing Minds

Metaphor Example

noreply@blogger.com (alysadavid) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:28:00 +0000

Metaphors can be seen everywhere--even advertising!

"Life is a journey, travel it well."--United Airlines

Antithesis #3

noreply@blogger.com (John W) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:27:00 +0000

Referring to Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon:
"One small step for a man, one giant leap for all mankind."

Parallelism Example

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:14:00 +0000

"But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."
Amos 5:24

Bible (English Standard Version)

Alliteration example

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Thomas) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 22:29:00 +0000

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?"
-Mother Goose, Inspirational Story Teller

Climax Example #2

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Lee) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 22:05:00 +0000

"When we send our young men and women into harm's way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why they're going, to care for their families while they're gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return, and to never ever go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world."

(Barack Obama, "The Audacity of Hope," 2004 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address)

Aposiopesis Example

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Yanchulis) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 20:08:00 +0000

“If you can only live...” -- Princess Isabelle

From the movie Braveheart, the Princess is unable to complete this sentence because she is overcome by crying.

http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=1320

Assonance example # 2

noreply@blogger.com (Ebrahim) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:44:00 +0000

"In the brief span of thirty-odd years, the world has seen an inventors dream, first materialized by the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, become an everyday actuality" -Amelia Earhart

"e"sound in seen and dream is repeated.

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/figures/assonance.htm

Epitheton Example

noreply@blogger.com (Markbar72) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:29:00 +0000

Here is another example of Epitheton:

"I will give the people a vision of Rome and they'll love me for it. And they'll soon forget the tedious sermonizing of a few dry old men."
-Joaquin Phoenix, Gladiator

The underlined sections of this sentence, tedious sermonizing and few dry old men, are examples of epitheton because there is an adjective used to describe a person or thing.

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/figures/epitheton.htm

Scesis Onomaton Example #2

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandra Contreras) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 03:45:00 +0000

A man huge in stature, soft in voice, graceful in manner.
http://www.rhetorosaurus.co.uk/rhetoric/base/definition-show.aspx?item=23

Oxymoron Example! #2

noreply@blogger.com (greenis4money) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 03:14:00 +0000

More oxymorons...
1. I almost always go to my grandma's house.
2. The ending of the lacrosse season was bittersweet.
3. We can just agree to disagree.

Anesis Example 2

noreply@blogger.com (David Pratico) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 03:03:00 +0000

I love you without question. I adore you, above all others. But I'm not sure I want to go out with you.

http://changingminds.org/techniques/language/figures_speech/anesis.htm

Polysyndeton Example #2

noreply@blogger.com (Yoohee) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 22:24:00 +0000

I said, "Who killed him?" and he said, "I don't know who killed him but he's dead all right," and it was dark and there was water standing in the street and no lights and windows broke and boats all up in the town and trees blown down and everything all blown and I got a skiff and went out and found my boat where I had her inside Mango Bay and she was all right only she was full of water.

-Ernest Hemingway (After the Storm)

Allusion Example 2

noreply@blogger.com (Alex R) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 19:51:00 +0000

Love Story by Taylor Swift.

The whole song is basically an allusion. Swift is alluding to Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare's play. She talks about a love that is very similar to the romance most people are familiar with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKpAtxN0Sxo

Symploce example #2

noreply@blogger.com (RosaLQuin) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 01:09:00 +0000

"Much of what I say might sound bitter, but it's the truth. Much of what I say might sound like it's stirring up trouble, but it's the truth. Much of what I say might sound like it is hate, but it's the truth."
-- Malcolm X

Source: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/figures/symploce.htm

Diacope Example

noreply@blogger.com (Adil Haq) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:46:00 +0000

"Scott Farkus staring out at us with his yellow eyes. He had yellow eyes! So help me, God! Yellow eyes!"

Ralphie Parker, A Christmas Story, 1983

http://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/diacopeterm.htm

Epitheton Example

noreply@blogger.com (Markbar72) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 02:22:00 +0000

Here is another (very simple) example of an epitheton:

"Swift-footed Achilles"

http://rhetoric.byu.edu/Figures/E/epitheton.htm

Notice that the epitheton is swift-footed because it is an adjective to describe Achilles.

*Note: Epitheton are ubiquitous in The Illiad and The Odyssey. Basically, you can easily find them in Ancient Greek literature because of how the people described Gods.

p.s. Sorry I am a little late posting this!

NYTimes Article on the Future of Psychiatry

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I have yet to read this, but a Professor I was telling about our class suggested I read this NY Times article about psychiatrists who are being discouraged from including talk-therapy in their practice; instead, they are being encouraged to focus on prescribing medication, and referring their patients to other therapists for the talking portion.

Check it out:

Harris, Gardiner. "Talk Doesn't Pay, so Psychiatry Turns Instead to Drug Therapy."

Epistrophe Example

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:26:00 +0000

"Thou Shalt Always Kill (ft. Scrooius P)" - Dan Le Sac

lyrics

Within the lyrics there is a part where the words "Just a band." are repeated at the end of each statement.

Parallelism Example

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:05:00 +0000

"Buy a bucket of chicken and have a barrel of fun."
- a slogan from Kentucky Fried Chicken

Anesis Example

noreply@blogger.com (David Pratico) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:13:00 +0000

She had set more track records than any woman in the country. She had more stamina, skill, and perseverance than many of the best, but she had broken her leg and would not be competing this year.

http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/figures/A/anesis.htm