balanced sentence: construction in which both halves of the sentence are about the same length and importance
"They do nothing towards enlightening the slave, whilst they do much towards enlightening the master"
-Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
by Frederick Douglass
Douglass uses a balanced sentence here to draw a comparison. The balanced sentence causes the difference to stand out, since everything else is the same. The sentence construction is also slightly catchy. It is memorable. The equal construction in both halves allows the reader to focus on what the writer is communicating and how the writer is communicating. However, Douglass uses the "how" to make the "what" stick in the readers' minds. The balanced sentence also flows, making Douglass' prose easy and enjoyable to read.
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