Figures of Diction

Within Rhetorica Ad Herennium, a list of some 45 different figures of diction are presented. Each figure is presented with a very short description, followed by several examples. The list is located online at http://rhetoric.byu.edu/primary%20texts/Ad%20Herennium-Book4.htm. The reading caused me to question what the best approach, for this blog, would be. As it is very straight forward with specific terms and examples of those terms. Because of this, I have decided to choose one I found interesting and explain why. 

The first figure (term) I found interesting was Antistrophe (p.254, Column 1). Antistrophe refers to the repeating of the last word in a phrase. This particular style may not always be effective, but in some cases, it is. In fact, it has been very effective in our day. Barack Obama has applied this style to his speeches and it has worked like a charm. For example:

For when we have faced down impossible odds, when we've been told we're not ready or that we shouldn't try or that we can't, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes, we can. It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can.
It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can.
"It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can.
It was the call of workers who organized, women who reached for the ballot, a president who chose the moon as our new frontier, and a king who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the promised land: Yes, we can, to justice and equality. Yes, we can, to opportunity and prosperity. Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can repair this world. Yes, we can. (Senator Barack Obama, speech following a primary loss in New Hampshire, Jan. 8, 2008)

This speech had an enormous effect on Barack Obama's presidential campaign and may have been one of the largest contributing factors to his election into the white house. Ever since this speech was given, rhetorical studies on "yes we can" have been conducted to determine it's effectiveness (an example can be viewed here).

It is truly incredible the effect a few words, if given at the right moment in time, can have on an audience. An example many people may think of, including myself, is an army about to charge into battle. Picture an army with the leader out in front, making his best attempt to distill confidence into the soldiers. A story I heard in my childhood follows this same story line. The religious troops were about to fight for their freedom and the leader out front exclaimed: "together, we'll fight. In the strength of God, we'll fight! Until the death, we'll fight!"

Though I'm not sure where this story actually came from, it goes on to say that the army won the battle because of a few inspiring words from their leader. I find Antistrophe very interesting and a very effective tool if used in the right place at the right time.