What is anaphora?

Having read a lot of books (which I assume you have), you must have seen that some writers tend to use the same words to begin their sentences. This may also be in speech. For example: “We came, we saw, we conquered”. (A letter to the Roman senate attributed to Julius Caesar, translated from Latin). The word “we” has been repeated at each start of the sentence. Let’s take a look at another example: “Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can be and will be changed” (Martin Luther King Jr.). This repetition is called anaphora.

The definition of anaphora

Anaphora is a literary or rhetorical device that entails the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences, phrases, or clauses.

We use anaphora in our daily conversations, knowingly or unknowingly. Examples of the use of anaphora in our daily conversations are:

“Stay safe. Stay well. Stay happy.”

“Give much. Give often. Give freely.”

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

“Be bold. Be brief. Be gone.”

Other examples of the use of anaphora in literature are:

"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--in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only." (A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens)

Charles Dickens repeats the words “it was” and “we.” He uses anaphora to show the chaotic situation of the French Revolution.

It is important to note that anaphora and epiphora are significantly different from each other. While anaphora occurs at the beginning of a successive clause or sentence, epiphora occurs at the end of a successive sentence or clause. For example:

“I am an American, he is an American, and everybody here is an American.” The statement shows the use of epiphora.

The uses of anaphora

To evoke emotions

The repetition of words through anaphora can evoke emotions in the reader. For instance, a writer can repeat the words, “I’m sick and tired of” when addressing something that they don’t like. This will make the reader feel the anger and intolerance of the writer toward the issue they are addressing.

To give emphasis

The writer can use anaphora to emphasize the subject they are addressing. The repetition of words emphasizes either the word being repeated or the subject of concern.

To create rhythm

The repetition of words through the use of anaphora can create a musical effect in the work of a writer.

Sources

https://www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms/anaphora
https://literarydevices.net/anaphora
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-anaphora-grammar-1689093
https://writingexplained.org/grammar-dictionary/anaphora
https://writingexplained.org/grammar-dictionary/anaphora