Anaphora is a rhetorical device that involves the deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences, phrases, or clauses. This technique is employed in literature, speeches, poetry, and prose to convey, emphasize, and reinforce meaning. By starting multiple sentences with the same word or phrase, anaphora adds rhythm, impact, and depth to written and spoken language.
Conversational Anaphora Examples
Anaphora is not limited to formal writing; it is often used in everyday conversations to express emotions and emphasize points. Here are some conversational examples:
- "Go big or go home."
- "Be bold. Be brief. Be gone."
- "Get busy living or get busy dying."
- "Give me liberty or give me death."
- "You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t."
- "Stay safe. Stay well. Stay happy."
- "So many places, so little time."
- "I wish I may; I wish I might."
- "Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country."
- "Give much, give often, give freely."
- "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
- "Run far, run fast."
- "Monkey see, monkey do."
- "Open heart, open mind."
- "Great haste makes great waste."
Examples of Anaphora in Speech and Writing
Anaphora is a powerful rhetorical tool that adds rhythm and emphasis to speeches and writings. Here are some notable examples from famous speeches and writings:
"We came, we saw, we conquered." (Julius Caesar)
Julius Caesar's triumphant declaration illustrates anaphora's ability to emphasize key points by repeating the phrase "we came, we saw, we conquered."
"It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog." (Mark Twain)
Mark Twain employs anaphora to emphasize the significance of internal qualities in his memorable quote.
"Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed." (Martin Luther King Jr.)
Martin Luther King Jr. uses anaphora to create a sense of urgency and a call to action in his iconic speech.
"Indifference elicits no response. Indifference is not a response. Indifference is not a beginning; it is an end. And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor–never his victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten." (Elie Wiesel)
Elie Wiesel's use of anaphora with the word "indifference" evokes powerful emotions and emphasizes the consequences of apathy.
"Do you realize that when you ask women to take their cause to state referendum you compel them . . . to beg men who cannot read for their political freedom? Do you realize that such anomalies as a college president asking her janitor to give her a vote are overstraining the patience and driving women to desperation? Do you realize that women in increasing numbers indignantly resent the long delay in their enfranchisement?" (Carrie Chapman Catt)
Carrie Chapman Catt uses anaphora to emphasize the implications and injustices faced by women seeking suffrage.
Famous Anaphora Examples in Music
Anaphora is also prevalent in song lyrics, creating memorable and impactful refrains. Here are some examples:
"Turn, Turn, Turn" (lyrics by Pete Seeger)
Pete Seeger's lyrics use anaphora to convey the cyclical nature of life, emphasizing the importance of time and seasons.
"All You Need Is Love" (lyrics by John Lennon and Paul McCartney)
The Beatles' iconic song employs anaphora to emphasize the simplicity and universality of love.
"Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town" (lyrics by Haven Gillespie)
The holiday classic uses anaphora to build anticipation and excitement around Santa Claus's arrival.
Difference Between Anaphora and Repetition
While anaphora involves repetition, it is specific in its intent. Anaphora repetitively starts successive sentences, phrases, or clauses with the same word or phrase, creating a deliberate and stylistic effect. In contrast, general repetition can occur anywhere in writing without this specific intentional structure.
Writing Anaphora
Using anaphora effectively in writing requires a balance between deliberate usage as a literary device and maintaining the natural flow of language. Writers should consider when and how to use anaphora to avoid overwhelming or disengaging readers. Here are scenarios where anaphora is effective:
- Evoke Emotion: Anaphora can evoke emotions by emphasizing key words or phrases, as seen in Elie Wiesel's speech.
- Reinforce Concepts: Writers can use anaphora to reinforce or emphasize concepts, as Mark Twain does in his quote about the size of the fight.
- Create Urgency or Call to Action: Anaphora can create a sense of urgency or call readers to action, as demonstrated in Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech.
Ultimately, anaphora is a versatile tool that enhances language, adds depth to writing, and engages readers, leaving a lasting impact on their memory.
Difference Between Anaphora and Epistrophe / Epiphora
While anaphora repeats words at the beginning of clauses or sentences, epistrophe (or epiphora) repeats words at the end of clauses, verses, or sentences. Both anaphora and epistrophe serve rhetorical purposes and enhance the rhythm and impact of language.
Anaphora in Everyday Sentences
- Whether you are with us or against us, you are with them or against them, you are with none or against none, it doesn't matter.
- People run to get goods, people run to get votes, people run to work for votes, but none run to correct others.
- If you are here and not with us, if you are here and not side us, if you are here and not help us, and if you are here and not here, it does not matter to us.
- Will you help me, will you assist me, or will you go with me is a simple question that I have asked you many times.
- One moment for that person, one moment for this person, one moment for your father and brothers, and none for me. This is your life!
Anaphora in Literature
Anaphora is a powerful literary device, often used to convey profound meaning and evoke emotions. Here are examples from well-known literary works:
"If you want the moon, do not hide from the night.
If you want a rose, do not run from the thorns.
If you want love, do not hide from yourself." — Rumi
Rumi's use of anaphora with "if you want" presents choices to the reader, creating a sense of urgency and action.
"You is kind. You is smart. You is important." — Kathryn Stockett, "The Help"
Stockett's anaphora reinforces the relationship between characters while highlighting the stark contrast in their circumstances.
"We Real Cool. We
Left school. We
Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon." — Gwendolyn Brooks
Brooks' anaphora, with "we," creates a visual and lyrical effect, emphasizing actions and culminating in a powerful conclusion.
"It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. But one hundred years later, the colored America is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the colored American is still sadly crippled by the manacle of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the colored American lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the colored American is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition." — Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. effectively uses anaphora to emphasize the persistence of injustice and the need for action.