
In this interview, Ward Farnsworth and David Perell discuss the art of writing and rhetoric, focusing on techniques to make prose more memorable and impactful. They explore the use of Saxon versus Latinate words, the power of anaphora and epistrophe (repetition at the beginning and end of sentences), and the strategic reversal of sentence structure known as chiasmus. They analyze examples from historical figures like Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and the King James Bible, illustrating how these techniques have been used to create powerful and lasting messages. Farnsworth emphasizes the importance of contrast in writing and encourages writers to immerse themselves in good examples to develop their own unique style, while also cautioning against letting beautiful rhetoric overshadow the truth.
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