Chiasmus is defined as?

Chiasmus is defined as?

• A. Repetition of the same word
• B. Reversing the order of parallel clauses
• C. Using a metaphor that compares two things
• D. A question that anticipates a response

Answer: (B)

Chiasmus is a figure of speech where two parallel phrases or clauses are reversed in order to create balance and emphasis. The effect comes from flipping the structure, so the second part mirrors the first but in reverse order, producing an ABBA pattern. For example: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” This reversal of the parallel clauses is what defines chiasmus. The other descriptions refer to different devices: repeating the same word is mere repetition, a metaphor is a comparison between two things, and a rhetorical question is designed to prompt thought rather than mirror structure.

Chiasmus is a figure of speech where two parallel phrases or clauses are reversed in order to create balance and emphasis. The effect comes from flipping the structure, so the second part mirrors the first but in reverse order, producing an ABBA pattern. For example: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” This reversal of the parallel clauses is what defines chiasmus. The other descriptions refer to different devices: repeating the same word is mere repetition, a metaphor is a comparison between two things, and a rhetorical question is designed to prompt thought rather than mirror structure.