Writing Devices - Rhetoric Epiplexis Effect: Epiplexis to express lamentation or hopelessness - Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly? - Job 3:11 - Why, God? Why? - Miss Saigon - O how little a thing is all the greatness of man, and through how false glasses doth he make shift to multiply it, and magnifie it to himselfe?" - John Donne - Who am I to be blind, pretending not to see their needs? - Michael Jackson Effect: To rebuke or reproach - Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator. You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency? - Joseph Welch (layered with diacope) - You think what I do is playing God, but you presume you know what God wants. Do you think that's not playing God? - John Irving - Canst thou with impious obloquy condemn The just Decree of God, pronounc't and sworn, That to his only Son by right endu'd With Regal Scepter, every Soule in Heav'n Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due Confess him rightful King? - John Milton - Ain't I a woman? - Sojourner Truth - Russian intelligence? Are you mad? - Austin Powers Effect: To persuade, or even inspire, the audience by reproaching them - Are we children of a lesser God? Is an Israeli teardrop worth more than a drop of Lebanese blood? - Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora - Aren't you worth it? - Barbara Ladrini - Have you shopped Strawberry today? - Commercial - Sleep with, keep the ep a secret, why not? Why blow up my spot 'cause we both got hot? - Biggie Smalls - Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend Upon thyself thy beauty's legacy? - Shakespeare, Sonnet 4 Effect: Epiplexis to amuse the audience by expressing disdain - Did you have a brain tumour for breakfast? - Heathers - What are you, dense? Are you retarded or something? - Frank Miller, Batman and Robin - You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, I'm a little fucked up maybe, but I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to fuckin' amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny? - Nicolas Pileggi - What am I? Some kind of schmuck? - Nicolas Pileggi - How many MC's must get dissed / before somebody says don't fuck with Chris? - KRS-ONE - How many times must I point you in the right direction? - KRS-ONE