parallelism figure of speech

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Parallelism

Parallelism Definition

What is parallelism? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have the same grammatical structure. These "parallel" elements can be used to intensify the rhythm of language, or to draw a comparison, emphasize, or elaborate on an idea. The following well-known adage is an example of parallelism: "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." The grammatical structures of the first and second sentences parallel each other.

Some additional key details about parallelism:

• Parallelism can be as simple as choosing grammatically similar elements when writing a list, as in "First do X, second do Y, third do Z."
• In some cases, parallelism involves the exact repetition of words, but all that is required to fit the definition of parallelism is the repetition of grammatical elements.
• Parallelism is a prominent feature of Hebrew and Middle Eastern poetry, and it appears frequently in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

How to Pronounce Parallelism

Here's how to pronounce parallelism: par -uh-lel-iz-em

Parallelism in Grammar vs. in Rhetoric and Literature

The term "parallelism" is used to describe both a figure of speech and a principle in grammar, although its use in each context is slightly different.

Parallelism in Grammar

In grammar, parallelism is the principle that using similar grammatical elements in certain contexts—when making a list, for example—leads to sentences that flow in a more natural way. In the following sets of sentences, the first version is parallel while the second is not. Note how the examples without parallelism are awkward and a little confusing.

In this first set of sentences, the first sentence contains a list of three parallel nouns , while the second combines two nouns with a verb .

• Parallelism: Their son loved playing chess , video games , and soccer .
• No parallelism: Their son loved chess , video games , and to play soccer .

In the second set of sentences, the first contains parallel adjectives , while the second combines two adjectives with a verb .

• Parallelism ( adjectives ): The Bach Sonata was beautiful , moving , and inspiring .
• No parallelism: The Bach Sonata was beautiful , moving , and it inspired .

Parallelism in Rhetoric and Literature

In contrast to the strictly grammatical view of parallelism, in rhetoric and literature parallelism can do much more than just create a pleasing and grammatical sentence structure. Writers use parallel grammatical elements within one sentence or, more broadly, between and among different sentences in a paragraph, for effect : to emphasize ideas or themes , suggest connections, or highlight contrasts, all while adding rhythm to the structure of their expression.

Parallelism and Related Figures of Speech

While parallelism is itself a figure of speech, it can also be seen as a kind of "umbrella" category of a number of different figures of speech. Put another way: there are a number of figures of speech that make use of parallelism in specific ways. It's useful to know what these other terms mean, since technically speaking they are specific types of parallelism.

Parallelism and Antithesis

One literary device that often makes use of parallelism is antithesis . In antitheses, two elements of a sentence are placed in contrast to one another. This opposition is clearest when a writer puts the ideas in parallel positions. Neil Armstrong used antithesis with parallelism when he first stepped onto the surface of the moon in 1969, using the parallel structure of the two halves of his sentence to highlight the contrast between his "small step" and the "giant leap" that this step represented in the history of humanity.

That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

Parallelism and Anaphora

Another specific type of parallelism is anaphora . This figure of speech involves the repetition of at least one word at the beginning of successive clauses or phrases. In one of Winston Churchill's most famous speeches during World War II, he makes stirring use of anaphora :

.... We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender...

Note that there are also other uses of parallelism in this excerpt of Churchill's speech that do not fall into the category of anaphora. The different locations that Churchill names ("on the beaches...on the landing grounds...in the fields and in the streets...in the hills") create parallelism through their grammatical similarity.

Parallelism and Asyndeton

In asyndeton , a conjunction (such as "and") is omitted between parts of a sentence to create a certain rhythm. Often, this is made possible by parallelism, which helps the reader to interpret the sentence's meaning even when it is not (technically) grammatically correct. In Julius Caesar's famous boast to the Senate after his victory at the Battle of Zela, he makes use of asyndeton because he omits the word "and" before the final clause.

Veni, vidi, vici : I came, I saw, I conquered.

Technically this omission of "and" makes the sentence an example of "comma splicing," which is a grammatical no-no, but the parallelism allows the meaning to come through and creates a pleasing rhythm.

Parallelism and Epistrophe

Epistrophe is the opposite of anaphora . Instead of repeated word(s) at the beginning of successive phrases, epistrophe involves repeating words at the end of successive phrases. Abraham Lincoln employed epistrophe when he declared in his Gettysburg Address that the Union was fighting to defend a government "of the people , by the people , for the people ." Again, this is an example of parallelism as well as epistrophe, since epistrophe is just a specific type of parallelism.

Parallelism Examples

Parallelism examples in literature.

Parallelism occurs frequently in poetry and prose, from ancient Hebrew poetry to contemporary fiction.

Parallelism in Psalms of the Old Testament

Parallelism is found throughout both the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible. In this pair of verses from Psalm 24, there are two examples of what biblical scholars call synonymous parallelism , meaning that the idea of the first clause is repeated and rephrased with a parallel grammatical structure in the second clause to emphasize or amplify the point.

The earth is the LORD's and everything in it , the world, and all who live in it ; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters .

Parallelism in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar , Mark Antony is given the opportunity to speak at the funeral of his recently assassinated friend, Caesar. He uses this chance to incite a riot in the hopes of winning back control of the Senate from the conspirators who assassinated Caesar in the first place.

Friends, Romans, countrymen , lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar , not to praise him . The evil that men do lives after them ; The good is oft interred with their bones ...

The first use of parallelism in Antony's speech comes in the list of nouns with which he calls the crowd to attention, naming their reasons to be loyal listeners as friends and patriotic citizens. Antony then uses parallelism again (with antithesis ) to state his intended purpose by contrasting the verbs "to bury" and "to praise." The third instance of parallelism is also an example of antithesis.

Parallelism in Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms

In this passage from A Farewell to Arms , Hemingway uses repetition and parallelism to create a rhythm that gives his simple style a precise and powerful effect. This repetition continues the matter-of-fact tone in which the narrator is describing the events of the war. This particular parallelism could also be called an example of epistrophe because its repetition occurs at the end of successive clauses.

Up the river the mountains had not been taken ; none of the mountains beyond the river had been taken . That was all left for next year.

Parallelism in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "Paul Revere's Ride"

In this famous poem, Longfellow chronicles the ride of Paul Revere on his way to warn colonists of the attacking British soldiers. The first two instances of parallelism are simple repetitions of grammatical elements— first the repetition of a verb phrase, and then a series of adjectives . The third instance is also an example of antithesis (as well as anaphora , with the repetition of "now"). This third parallelism also sets the scene with the striking imagery of the horse's hooves.

He has left the village and mounted the steep And beneath him, tranquil and broad and deep , Is the Mystic, meeting the ocean tides; And under the alders, that skirt its edge, Now soft on the sand , now loud on the ledge , Is heard the tramp of his steed as he rides.

Parallelism in Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake

In this short excerpt from Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake , there are several examples of parallelism used to create rhythm within a sentence while elaborating on an idea. Here you can see how even without using the more elaborate versions of parallelism (anaphora, antithesis, asyndeton, etc.), the simple choice to use elements that are grammatically parallel within a sentence helps these sentences to flow effectively.

Without a single grandparent or parent or uncle or aunt at her side, the baby's birth, like most everything else in America, feels somehow haphazard , only half true . As she strokes and suckles and studies her son, she can't help but pity him. She has never known of a person entering the world so alone , so deprived .

Parallelism Examples in Rhetoric

Parallelism can add pleasing rhythm to speech that makes it seem more eloquent, can help to highlight or emphasize ideas, and through its use of repetition can make a speech more persuasive. No wonder politicians and other speech-makers use it all the time.

Parallelism in President John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address

In his first speech to the American public as President, JFK explicitly sent a message to the nations of the world that the United States would undergo any difficulty to defend liberty around the world. In just this one sentence, he uses parallelism in a few places, two of which could also be classified as antitheses .

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill , that we shall pay any price , bear any burden , meet any hardship , support any friend , oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

Parallelism in President George W. Bush's Address to the Nation on Terrorism (September 20th, 2001).

In this speech, delivered just over a week after the attacks of September 11th, President Bush declared a "war on terror." There are three instances of parallelism in just these two sentences, with the first also being an example of anaphora , since it involves a repetition of words at the beginning of a phrase. The second and third uses of parallelism are lists whose parallel structures create rhythm and establishes a link between the many different responses to the terrorist attack.

We have seen the state of our Union in the endurance of rescuers, working past exhaustion. We've seen the unfurling of flags , the lighting of candles , the giving of blood , the saying of prayers —in English , Hebrew , and Arabic .

Parallelism Examples in Song

Parallelism is a common feature of many song traditions. Songwriters use parallelism to create rhythm and link ideas together.

Parallelism in "The House of the Rising Sun"

In this traditional folk song from the American South, made famous by The Animals, parallelism paints a picture of the singer's background, while contrasting his mother's honest profession (tailor) with his father's dishonest one (gamblin' man):

My mother was a tailor She sewed my new blue jeans My father was a gamblin' man Down in New Orleans.

Parallelism in "Days Like This" by Van Morrison

In this song , Van Morrison uses several forms of parallelism, including both anaphora and epistrophe —which, when used together, create symploce . This example makes the rhythmic potential of parallelism clear, and shows its usefulness in song-writing.

When it's not always raining there'll be days like this When there's no one complaining there'll be days like this When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch Well mama told me there'll be days like this .

Why Do Writers Use Parallelism?

Parallelism is an important tool at any writer's disposal, and can be used for a variety of purposes:

• To emphasize the relationship between two or more sentences in a paragraph, or two or more ideas within a single sentence.
• To compare or contrast two different things or ideas.
• To create a stronger sense of rhythm in a text.
• To drive home a point through repetition.
• To elaborate on an idea.

Notice how even the bulleted list above is an example of parallelism. It's easy to read in part because the grammatical structure of each line is identical, beginning with an infinitive ("to" + verb). Parallelism is everywhere because it's one of the rules of grammar that makes ideas (both simple and complex) easier to understand.

Other Helpful Parallelism Resources

• Sound bites from history: This website collects audio samples from speeches in American history, so that you can hear parallelism in action.
• University Webpage: This professor's page includes some helpful breakdowns of sentence structure and grammatically correct examples of parallelism.
• The Wikipedia Entry on Parallelism: A useful rundown of parallelism with relevant examples from throughout world history.

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Parallelism

Definition of parallelism, common examples of parallelism, examples of parallelism in the bible, famous examples of parallelism, difference between parallelism and repetition, writing parallelism, create sense of rhythm, create sense of relationship, difference between parallelism in grammar and rhetoric, parallelism in literature, synthetic parallelism, use of parallelism in sentences,   examples of parallelism in literature, example 1:  pygmalion (george bernard shaw).

If you can’t appreciate what you’ve got, you’d better get what you can appreciate.

Example 2:  The Things They Carried (Tim O’Brien)

To generalize about war is like generalizing about peace. Almost everything is true. Almost nothing is true.

Example 3: How Cruel Is the Story of Eve  (Stevie Smith)

Put up to barter , The tender feelings Buy her a husband to rule her Fool her to marry a master She must or rue it The Lord said it.

Synonyms of Parallelism

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Literary Devices

Literary devices, terms, and elements, parallelism, definition of parallelism.

Parallelism is the usage of repeating words and forms to give pattern and rhythm to a passage in literature. Parallelism often either juxtaposes contrasting images or ideas so as to show their stark difference, or joins similar concepts to show their connection. Authors often create parallelism through the use of other literary devices, such as anaphora, epistrophe, antithesis, and asyndeton. Parallelism encompasses all these possibilities of repetition and contrast.

The definition of parallelism can also refer to a grammatical construct, which we use commonly in everyday speech, for example “She enjoys gardening and cooking” instead of “She enjoys gardening and to cook.” The grammatical parallelism in the former sentence is a matter of using two gerunds instead of the second sentence’s use of one gerund and one infinitive. Most English speakers thus use grammatical parallelism all the time without realizing it.

Common Examples of Parallelism

Parallelism is popular in proverbs and idioms, as the parallel structure makes the sayings easy to remember and more rhetorically powerful. Here are some examples of parallelism in English:

• What you see is what you get.
• If you can’t beat them, join them.
• A penny saved is a penny earned.
• Easy come, easy go.

There are many famous quotes that also show parallelism:

• “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” —Dalai Lama
• “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” —Dale Carnegie
• “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” —Winston Churchill
• “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” —John F. Kennedy
• “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” ― Bernard M. Baruch

Significance of Parallelism in Literature

Parallelism has been an important literary device for cultures of oral storytelling from around the world. Many different poetic traditions have examples of parallelism. Some languages from around the world use parallelism as the primary aesthetic construction for poetry, such as Nahuatl in Mexico, Navajo in the United States, Toda in India, and in parts of Indonesia, Finland, Turkey, and Mongolia. The term “parallelism” comes from an eighteenth-century scholar of Hebrew poetry, while the Russian literary theorist Roman Jakobson pioneered the study of parallelism in non-religious texts. Parallelism remains a popular technique in poetry, prose, and plays.

Examples of Parallelism in Literature

JOHN OF GAUNT: This royal throne of kings, this scepter’d isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of war, This happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a wall, Or as a moat defensive to a house, Against the envy of less happier lands, This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England…

( Richard II by William Shakespeare)

In this famous monologue from William Shakespeare’s Richard II , the character John of Gaunt recites a list of England’s virtues. Each clause begins with “this” and then includes yet another image of just how perfect John of Gaunt seems to consider England to be. It is, to him, a “demi-paradise,” a “precious stone,” a “blessed plot,” and so forth. This parallelism is therefore also an example of anaphora. He ends the monologue, however, by contrasting all these paradisiacal images with the fact that England has now tarnished its beauty by setting out to conquer other nations. Thus there is parallelism in the entire passage that ends with the antithesis of England “bound in with shame, / With inky blots and rotten parchment bonds.”

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…

( A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens)

The opening of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens contains parallelism both in the anaphoric repetition of “it was” and the antithetical statements of “best of times” versus “worst of times,” “age of wisdom” versus “age of foolishness,” etcetera. The pattern set up in this paragraph is so striking that it is one of the most famous paragraphs in all of literature.

I  was a child and  she  was a child, In this kingdom by the sea, But we loved with a love that was more than love— I and my Annabel Lee— With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven Coveted her and me.

(“Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allen Poe)

Edgar Allen Poe used parallelism in many of his poems, including in this one, “Annabel Lee.” The first line of this stanza contains the epistrophic repetition of “was a child.” As parallelism, this serves to show that both the speaker and Annabel Lee were young when they first fell in love, but that their youth did not negate the depth of their love. Instead, as Poe writes, “we loved with a love that was more than love,” which is later paralleled by “with a love that the winged seraphs of Heaven….” The parallelism in this stanza creates rhythm and gives deeper meaning to the love that he and Annabel Lee shared.

To generalize about war is like generalizing about peace. Almost everything is true. Almost nothing is true.

( The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien)

Tim O’Brien’s marvelous story collection The Things They Carried has numerous examples of parallelism. Most notably, perhaps, is the title story in which O’Brien lists off the different items soldiers in the Vietnam War carried. That example of parallelism creates drama in the inanimate that begin to tell their own story. This excerpt shows a brilliant usage of parallelism in just three short sentences. O’Brien contrasts war and peace, as well as the concepts of truth and illusion.

From laden boughs, from hands, from sweet fellowship in the bins, comes nectar at the roadside, succulent peaches we devour, dusty skin and all, comes the familiar dust of summer, dust we eat. O, to take what we love inside, to carry within us an orchard, to eat not only the skin, but the shade, not only the sugar, but the days, to hold the fruit in our hands, adore it, then bite into the round jubilance of peach.

(“From Blossoms” by Li-Young Lee)

This lovely poem by Li-Young Lee, has many instances of repetition. There is parallelism in the first stanza of reciting where the peaches have come from: “From laden boughs, from hands, / from sweet fellowship in the bins.” The connection of these three images shows that the peaches are not just the work of nature, but also the work of humans picking them and providing them at roadside stands. Lee goes on to provide parallelism in the next stanza with the similarly structured lines “not only the skin, but the shade, / not only the sugar, but the days.” Again, he gives credit to all the elements that have formed these pieces of fruit.

Test Your Knowledge of Parallelism

1. Choose the correct parallelism definition: A. Starting every sentence with the same word or group of words. B. Juxtaposing contrasting images to show their difference. C. Repeating words and/or forms to create a pattern. [spoiler title=”Answer to Question #1″] Answer: C is the best answer. A is the definition of anaphora and B is the definition of antithesis; while parallelism may involve either of these techniques, it is not limited solely to these possibilities.[/spoiler]

2. Which of the following Mongolian proverbs is a parallelism example? A. You can’t put two saddles on the same horse. B. It is easier to catch an escaped horse than to take back an escaped word. C. Even foul water will put out a fire. [spoiler title=”Answer to Question #2″] Answer: B contains an example of parallelism.[/spoiler]

3. Which of the following excerpts from Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” contains parallelism?

I CELEBRATE myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

Leaving me baskets cover’d with white towels swelling the house with their plenty, Shall I postpone my acceptation and realization and scream at my eyes,

Backward I see in my own days where I sweated through fog with linguists and contenders, I have no mockings or arguments, I witness and wait.

[spoiler title=”Answer to Question #3″] Answer: A contains parallelism and thus is the correct answer.[/spoiler]

• Literary Terms
• Parallelism
• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Write a Parallelism

I. What is Parallelism?

Parallelism, also known as parallel structure, is when phrases in a sentence have similar or the same grammatical structure. In its most basic usage, parallelism provides a phrase with balance and clarity. Parallelism also serves to give phrases a pattern and rhythm.

For example:

That’s one step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

When Neil Armstrong first stepped foot onto the moon, he said what would become a famous quote. In this example, parallelism occurs in the repetition of “one … for ….” Both phrases also follow the same grammatical structure:

One step ( action ) for ( preposition ) man ( noun )… one leap ( action ) for ( preposition ) mankind ( noun ).

This parallelism gives it a memorable rhythm and repetition.

II. Examples of Parallelism

Parallelism gives prose and poetry a sense of symmetry and balance.

For a first example of parallelism, read this excerpt from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous speech:

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

This, too, is an example of parallelism, as each paragraph begins with the evocative phrase “ I have a dream ,” and is followed by a noun phrase and the verb “will.” The shared grammatical structure from phrase to phrase gives this speech a rhythm that makes it more powerful, inspiring, and memorable.

For a second example, consider a quote from Mother Teresa:

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.

In this example, parallel structure is used to list the effects of a smile:

• an ( indefinite article ) action ( noun ) of ( preposition ) love ( noun )
• a ( indefinite article ) gift ( noun ) to ( preposition )  that person ( noun )

Once again, it is the parallel grammatical structure which creates a truly memorable phrase.

III. The importance of using Parallelism

Simple uses of parallelism create readable and understandable passages. Sentences are best understood when structured in a grammatically parallel fashion. More importantly, though, parallelism also provides prose, poetry, and speeches with symmetry that the human eye and ear both crave. This symmetry creates a rhythm and repetition which can make phrases more catchy, memorable, or compelling. Parallelism may be found in creative pieces such as poetry and songs as well as more formal pieces such as formal papers and speeches. This musicality also creates memorable and quotable phrases, as can be seen in quotes from Armstrong, King, Teresa, and others.

IV. Examples of Parallelism in Literature

Parallelism is a prominent feature in prose, poetry, speeches, and plays alike.

For an example of parallel structure in poetry, see the following excerpt from E.E. Cummings’ poem “[love is more thicker than forget]”:

love is more thicker than forget more thinner than recall more seldom than a wave is wet more frequent than to fail   it is most mad and moonly and less it shall unbe than all the sea which only is deeper than the sea   love is less always than to win less never than alive less bigger than the least begin less littler than forgive

This poem has various instances of parallelism. The phrase “love is” creates parallelism when it is repeated at the beginning of two stanzas . Successive phrases containing “more” and “less” also serve to create parallel structure. This use of parallel structure builds upon the idea of what love is with numerous descriptions that attempt to describe something beyond description.

For a second example of parallelism, read this excerpt from Paul Violi’s poem “Appeal to the Grammarians”:

We, the naturally hopeful, Need a simple sign For the myriad ways we’re capsized. We who love precise language Need a finer way to convey Disappointment and perplexity. For speechlessness and all its inflections, For up-ended expectations, For every time we’re ambushed

In this section, Violi utilizes parallelism in two ways. First, he begins sentences with “we” in order to emphasize an entire group of people’s support. Secondly, he repeats “for” in order to illustrate how numerous the various applications of the inverted exclamation point are. Both uses of parallelism give the poem a strong rhythm.

V.Examples of Parallelism in Pop Culture

Parallelism is a common element in songs which use the device for rhythm, catchy repetition, and musicality.

For an example of parallelism in song, examine “Vindicated” by Dashboard Confessional. The repetition of “I am” provides the chorus with rhythm. It also serves to emphasize the speaker’s triumphant feelings of self-awareness in a way that is stronger than “I am vindicated, I am selfish, I am wrong, and I am right.”

For a second example of parallelism in song, listen to Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”:

Louis Armstrong’s song is full of parallelism which matches the song’s lulling but joyful rhythm. Repetition of “I” followed by senses such as “I see,” “I hear,” and “I watch” provides the song with a simple but effective parallel structure.

VI. Related Terms

(Terms: anaphora and epistrophe)

Parallelism is a simple structural guideline often used in more advanced constructions. Here are a few examples of parallelism as it is used in similar devices.

Anaphora is a specific type of parallelism in which the same word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive sentences.

Here are a few examples of anaphora:

• Be strong. Be brave. Be courageous!
• Give all of your energy. Give all of your time. Give everything you have to give.
• She’s my best friend. She’s the love of my life. She’s my wife.

In the above examples, parallelism and anaphora are used in the repetition of “be,” “give,” and “she’s” at the beginning of successive phrases.

Epistrophe is a specific type of parallelism in which the same word or phrase is repeated at the end of successive sentences.

Here are a few examples of epistrophe:

• When you fail, you must be kind. When you succeed, you must be kind.
• This is not just his issue. It’s not just your issue. It’s everyone’s issue.
• On my birthdays, I eat pizza. On good days, I eat pizza. And on bad days, I eat pizza.

In these examples, repetition of “be kind,” “issue,” and “I eat pizza” at the ends of sentences creates parallelism in the form of epistrophe.

VII. In Closing

Parallelism provides phrases with grammatical symmetry. This symmetry creates a rhythm and repetition which can make phrases more catchy, memorable, or compelling. Parallelism may be found in creative pieces such as poetry and songs as well as more formal pieces such as formal papers and speeches.

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
• Cite This Website

• Scriptwriting

Parallelism Examples — Writing, Speeches, Shakespeare & More

P arallelism, or parallel structure, is a grammar style that ensures linguistic clarity. We’re going to explore parallelism examples from writing with the goal of better understanding parallel structure. By the end, you’ll know how parallelism works, and how to implement it in your writing. Tip: that last sentence was an example of parallelism in action!

Tools For Screenwriters

Literary devices.

Literary Elements

• Deuteragonist
• Foil Character
• Point of View
• Protagonist

Literary Techniques

• Alliteration
• Connotation
• Deus ex Machina
• Foreshadowing
• Iambic Pentameter
• Juxtaposition
• Onomatopoeia
• Personification
• Red Herring

Parallelism English Examples

Examples of parallelism in writing.

Parallelism is a stylistic component of syntax. What is syntax ? Syntax is sentence structure . Essentially, syntax dictates how (and why) words go together. There are dozens of components that go into syntax – parallelism is just one of them.

Parallelism isn’t just a grammar style reserved for literature – it’s a tool we use in everyday conversation as well. 

Here are some popular parallel phrases:

• “ Fool  me  once,  shame  on  you ;  fool  me  twice,  shame  on  me .”
• “ What  you  see   is  what  you  get .”
• “If  the shoe  fits ,  wear  it .”
• “ You  can’t  have  your cake  and  eat  it   too.”
• “ You  can’t  judge  a book  by  its cover .”

Parallel phrases often use “it” or “their” to match the syntax to the secondary noun. Those were some common parallelism phrases; now let’s look at some other famous parallelism examples.

For a thorough breakdown, here's an awesome video from Khan Academy.

Parallelism in Sentence Structure  •  Syntax Explained by Khan Academy

Here, the instructors break down active/passive voices , infinite verbs, and lists.

Let’s break down those points in detail.

• Active: The dog ate   the treat
• Passive: The treat was eaten by the dog

In this example, the verb is represented by the color pink , the subject is represented by the bolded black , and the secondary noun is represented by the color blue .

Now, here’s an example of infinitive verbs and non-infinitive verbs:

• Infinitive: I like to play basketball , to watch movies , and to eat food .

The pink-highlighted verbs in this section are infinitive; and the green highlighted verbs are non-infinitive.

Next up, the -ing suffix not only makes the verb active, but non-infinitive as well.

• Non-infinitive: I like playing basketball , watching movies , and eating food .

Both of these examples are parallel. However, they’re differentiated by their infinitive and non-infinitive verbs.

Lastly, let’s take a look at parallel and non-parallel lists:

• Parallel list: Cats are kind , caring , and cute .
• Non-parallel list: Cats are kind , caring , and like to play .

In the non-parallel example, the bolded black represents the subject, the orange represents the adjectives, the green represents the non-infinitive verb, and the pink represents the infinitive verb.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with the non-parallel list – it just flows poorly. With those distinctions out of the way, let’s move on to some more parallelism examples!

Parallelism in Writing

Descartes’ rationalism.

Rhetoric Parallelism Examples  •  Descartes’ Most Famous Idea Explained by CosmicSkeptic

French polymath René Descartes famously stated the philosophical maxim, “I think, therefore I am.” Here is why maxim is parallel.

“ I think , therefore I am .”

In this maxim, Descartes (I) is the subject and the parallel “think” and “am” are the verbs. Through parallelism, we’re able to infer that thought proves existence. This philosophical principle is known as syllogism.

Funnily enough, Descartes refuted that one could deduce the maxim through the parallel structure; or syllogism. Instead, he suggested that one can only come to understand the maxim through intuition.

Parallelism in Poetry Examples

Shakespeare’s fool.

Parallelism Examples in Literature, Shakespeare (via Kwize)

English playwright William Shakespeare used parallelism in all of his plays. In fact, many of Shaekspeare’s most famous quotes utilize parallel structure. Here’s an example from As You Like It :

• “The fool doth think he is wise , but the wise man knows   himself to be a fool .”

Notice how the parallel structure implements juxtaposition ? Parallel structure doesn’t have to always match clauses. Sometimes, it works better when the clauses juxtapose each other.

Parallelism Sentence Structure in Speeches

John f. kennedy’s inaugural speech.

Rhetoric Parallelism Examples, JFK’s Inaugural Speech

Parallelism plays a huge role in speech-writing. John F. Kennedy’s inaugural Presidential speech contains one of the most famous parallelism examples of all-time.

• “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well  or ill , that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty .”

This example is no doubt one of the most complex we’ve examined; with multiple nouns, adjectives, and verbs complicating the parallelism. Nonetheless, it’s a great example of parallelism.

The Network monologue

Rhetoric Parallelism Examples

One of the most famous monologues of all time, the “mad as hell” speech from Network , is rife with parallelism. Paddy Chayefsky was one of the greatest screenwriters of all time, and this speech illustrates why. His use of parallelism creates a fantastic rhythm.

Take a look at the monologue on the page, which we imported into StudioBinder’s screenwriting software :

Parallelism examples

There’s a few instances of parallelism here. First, there’s “We knew the air’s unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat,” which uses parallel verbs and repeats “unfit” to drive it home.

Parallelism here is used to stack up grievances; Howard is getting everyone on his side. This is wrong and this is wrong and this is wrong and so on.

Then, he starts rattling off solutions. Now we see parallelism between sentences. He repeats “I don’t want you to,” again building a rhythm towards the monologue’s explosive ending.

Once he stops listing off things he doesn’t want the audience to do, he gives the solution: getting mad as hell. The solution packs a punch because it diverges from the parallelism.

As Chayefsky shows us, parallelism is an indispensable tool for all screenwriters. Add it to your kit.

What is Anaphora?

Did you know there are subtypes of parallelism? Well, anaphora is one of them. In our next article, we break down the definition of anaphora with examples from Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech to Good Will Hunting . By the end, you’ll know what anaphora is and how to use it in writing.

Up Next: Anaphora Definition & Examples →

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