“Rhetorical figures start to sound natural once one has spent so much time with them that they come to mind without effort, and finally serve as shapes into which words assemble themselves by instinct when the situation calls for it.” (Ward Farnsworth, Farnsworth’s Classical English Rhetoric)
Writing Exercise: Instinctive Rhetoric in Character Voice
Key Techniques:
1. Natural Integration of Rhetorical Figures – The quotation emphasizes that rhetorical techniques should become second nature, shaping expression instinctively rather than feeling forced.
2. Character-Driven Language – Strong writing aligns rhetorical choices with a character’s personality, background, and emotional state.
3. Situational Emphasis – The most effective rhetorical devices emerge organically from the moment’s tension, rather than being imposed for effect.
500-Word Writing Prompt:
Write a scene in which a character—who is neither a writer nor an academic—uses rhetorical devices naturally in their dialogue or internal monologue. The character should not be aware they are using them; instead, their speech patterns should reflect their emotional state, upbringing, or profession.
Choose one of the following scenarios:
• A lawyer delivering an impassioned closing argument in an otherwise minor case, revealing personal stakes.
• A grandmother telling a bedtime story that subtly conveys her regrets about a past decision.
• A con artist persuading a mark to trust them, weaving parallelism and repetition into their pitch.
• A coach giving a halftime speech that is more about their own insecurities than the game.
The rhetorical techniques should serve character, not overshadow them. Consider devices such as anaphora, antithesis, or epizeuxis—used naturally, not self-consciously.
Evaluation Criteria:
• Authenticity of Voice – The character’s use of rhetoric must feel organic to their personality, rather than inserted to sound literary.
• Emotional Undercurrent – The rhetorical choices should reflect the character’s unspoken emotions or deeper motivations.
• Situational Relevance – The devices must emerge naturally from the moment, rather than appearing as stylistic flourishes.
Examples of Strong vs. Weak Execution:
• Strong: A lawyer in an underwhelming case suddenly finds himself using grand rhetorical flourishes—not because he’s showing off, but because he’s trying to redeem his own career. His speech builds through tricolon and parallel structure, mirroring his increasing desperation. The devices feel inevitable.
• Weak: A grandmother randomly inserts chiasmus and alliteration into a bedtime story without any connection to her emotions or regrets, making the language feel ornamental rather than driven by her subconscious.
Follow-Up Questions for Workshopping:
• Does the rhetorical style align with the character’s background, emotional state, and intentions?
• Do any rhetorical moments feel unnatural or imposed?
• How does the use of rhetorical devices enhance or detract from the scene’s emotional impact?
• If the character weren’t using these devices, how would their speech or thoughts sound?
Recommended Reading:
• A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines (for the natural rhetorical weight in Grant Wiggins’ dialogue and internal struggle)
• “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor (for the grandmother’s unconscious rhetorical framing of morality and fate)
• Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (for characters whose voices are shaped by instinctive rhetorical forms)
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