3.6 Antithesis
Antithesis is to use an opposition or contrast of words or sentiments occurring in the same sentence. Antithesis is a counter-proposition and denotes a direct contrast to the original proposition.
Antithesis uses words, often in parallel, that contrast each other. In setting the opposite, an individual brings out of a contrast in the meaning by an obvious contrast in the expression,to form an obvious comparison in order to enhance the theme of the speech. An example of antithesis is found in a quote from Abraham Lincoln, who said, "It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues"
More examples,
①“Okay, I’m going to step off the LEM now. That’s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”（Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 Moon Landing Speech）
The orator used two noun phrases “small step”, “giant leap” to form contrast, to express the meaning of human landing on moon clearly.
②“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
（Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream）毕业论文http://www.youerw.com
King used two prepositional phrases “by the color of their skin”, “by the content of their character” to form contrast as to express his expectation on racial equality and the harmonious society.
③“The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.”(Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address)
Lincoln use two noun clauses “what we say here”, “what they did here” to highly praised the heroic martyrs in the American civil war and strongly expressed this unforgettable memories.
④“We will sacrifice for it; we will not surrender for it — now or ever.”(Ronald Reagan：Inaugural Address)
By using two clauses “We will sacrifice for it”, “we will not surrender for it” to signify American determination to compete with the Soviet union.本文来自优'文,论~文.网
⑤“We find ourselves rich in goods but ragged in spirit, reaching with magnificent precision for the moon but falling in a raucous discord on earth. We are caught in warranting peace. We are torn by division wanting unity.”(Richard M. Nixon, Inaugural Address)
This is quote from Nixon’s inaugural address when America is suffering from the Vietnam War, he used four different and continuous contrast “rich in goods”, “ragged in spirit”, “reaching with magnificent precision for the moon”, “falling in a raucous discord on earth” in order to directly resort to the audience of the fierce complicated social contradictions and the social reality of unrest, and received good speech effect.
⑥ “One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.”（Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream）
There are two continuous different contrasts in this quotation, by using contrast, King emphatically described the miserable lives of the Negro even after the signed emancipation proclamation over one hundred years.
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