Senior RED Class: Rage for Words

Your senior classmates have provided some sentences that show a mastery of the English language, maybe even a "rage for words." Take a close look at each sentence and tell me what rhetorical "trick" gives these words "life" beyond their mere literal meanings.

What do I mean by a rhetorical trick?

Words come to life when they're arranged in figures of speech (metaphors, similes, paradoxes, oxymorons, personification, etc), images, sound patterns (alliteration, assonance), or rhetorical questions. Writing certain sentence patterns (parallel structure) add emphasis. Using crisp action verbs can kick-start a sentence.

The Greeks called this creation of powerful language "rhetoric." It was once a studied, practiced, and revered skill of the Greek citizenry. These days, the artful language and word gets a nasty reputation because rhetoric is usually associated with unctuous politicians or ambitious advertisers who are selling themselves or their products.

Written by your senior classmates, here are some good, solid sentences worthy of closer inspection and analysis. With a classmate (or by yourself), analyze each sentence to discover the "rhetorical trick." Post your "answers" on the blog, giving your initials and section color, of course (the first sentence is an example of what I'd like you to do). Some of these sentences will appear as questions on your first test.

When we arrived in Chicago, we could breathe the music. [music is being compared to air, a metaphor] jtf schoolsville

As soon as I was old enough, my older brother was there to show me the ropes of this weird new world.

I like to look at this experience as a detour in my life, and I just needed some help getting back on the right track.

She guides me into Chelsea's room, and the first thing I see is a beautiful baby boy radiating like an angel in his mother's protective arms.

We would sneakily slip some extra food from the breakfast table. Our normal loot include bread and Nutella packages ....

Each year brought new work projects, new obstacles, and new memories to make this an even more unforgettable summer.

The first year, Amber shoved me jokingly, and the second year, my faithful clumsiness did me in.

I rose from a bed that beckoned for me to stay for just another minute or two.

It was if I had pieced together the perfect guy on my own.

Once I have hit my final pose, I hear an explosion of applause like a thousand little gunshots.

Every word said, every favorite song sung during the funeral felt as if if bounced off of me, as if I was wearing an iron suit, protecting me from the truth I did not want to face.

My fingers curled into white-knuckled fists as I stared out the tinted window of my parent's SUV, watching the cars and trees blend into disfigured images before my eyes.

We have been able to weave together a sisterhood with the strings intertwined for eternity.

It was like the whole rest of the world was on mute, except for that pestering clock up on the wall.

This whole carefree mindset was switched off the moment those flashing red and blue lights switched on.

She paused for a brief moment, standing as still as a mannequin, waiting for the pitter-patter of Alicia's feet to end.

As we sat down, my mind was pushed into rewind mode and the past few weeks came flooding back to me in a blur.

When I had looked for several minutes and found no sign of her, panic spread like venom.

The weeks of the trip flew by. I could almost see the days on the calendar being crossed out right before my eyes.

I had never really considered my life much more than ordinary.

Kevin had become accustomed to the bombardment and casually answered every question fired at him.

I watched cars and people outside living their everyday lives, as I was in a cell swimming up to my neck in regret.

I wished I didn't know addiction, the wrecking ball that ruined my family.

But other times, like on the golf course after a four-putt, he pouts like a puppy and disappears from the rest of the world.

I decided that what I really wanted was to be the athlete who was cheered for and not the drummer boy cheering.