Rhetorical devices

In her article “Why I Picked Up a Gun”, Tiffany Hyatt uses rhetorical devices to create a connection with the readers and make her arguments more interestin…

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Allusion and direct references

Throughout her article, the writer uses both allusions (indirect references) and direct references to support her arguments.

At the start of the article, the writer refers to the Baton Rouge Serial killer: “Little did I know then, but the Baton Rouge Serial Killer had just left his first calling card.” (ll. 6-7). This direct reference helps Hyatt create an image of how dangerous her town of Baton Rouge was starting to become – the famous killer murdered seven women and DNA evidence connected him to murders going back to 1992. In the following paragraph of the article, the writer also makes an allusion (an indirect reference) to the Baton Rouge Serial Killer, as she mentions the bodies found “dumped in Whiskey Bay.” (l.11). Two of this killer’s victims were found about 30 miles from Baton Rouge, at the Whiskey Bay Boat Launch.

The writer also refers to the other crimes against women that happened betw…

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Repetition and enumeration

The writer uses repetition and enumeration several times to underline various ideas in her article. The first example of enumeration we find is at the start of the article and is meant to create an image of how dangerous the city of Baton Rouge, the writer’s hometown, had become:

“There have been abductions, attempted abductions, women's bodies being dumped in Whiskey Bay, female college students stalked and brutally murdered, men dressed up as police officers attacking women in their homes, and worst of all, one woman was raped and beaten by men who actually are commissioned…