Rhetorical devices

In this section, you can read about some of the rhetorical devices Beth Macy uses in her article “‘I Am Going to Die if I Keep Living the Way I Am.’ She Was Right.”

Note that these devices may also be useful to refer to when you describe how the writer conveys her attitude to the issues explored, a focus point in the exam assignment from May 20th 2019.

Antithesis

Macy often presents two contrasting alternatives to make a rhetorical point. This is most clearly seen when she presents the two contrasting strategies for treating opioid addiction: “...on one side, kind but abstinence-oriented recovery coaches and, on the other, M.A.T.” (ll. 32-33). The contrast between these two kinds of treatment is repeatedly explored throughout the text, as Macy tries to argue that M.A.T. is a promising alternative to abstinence with a higher chance of leading to recovery.

She also uses antithesis to make a more general comparison between the healthcare system before and after the opioid cr...