Compare And Contrast

Worksheet Description

This worksheet provides an insightful comparison between the rhetorical devices of aporia and aphorismus. Aporia is defined as a figure of speech wherein a speaker expresses doubt or uncertainty about a question or situation. This rhetorical strategy is often used to engage the audience, encourage deep thinking, or to express a speaker’s dilemma. The worksheet prompts students to craft their example of aporia, allowing them to practice creating sentences that embody uncertainty or questioning, thus sharpening their rhetorical and writing skills. For instance, they might write, “How can we truly know what path to take when each one seems as uncertain as the next?”

On the other hand, aphorismus is a rhetorical device that questions the meaning of a word, in a way that casts doubt upon it. Unlike aporia, which deals with the doubt of situation or dilemma, aphorismus is more about challenging the application or understanding of a particular term. Students are asked to generate an example of aphorismus, such as “What do we mean by ‘freedom’ in a world where our choices seem limited?” By contrasting aporia with aphorismus, students are encouraged to analyze and understand the subtle differences between questioning a situation and questioning the language used to describe it.