Question

Identify the sentence that demonstrates syntactical inversion (chiasmus):

a) You must be feeling very upset. Are you thinking of hurting yourself?
b) Everyone gets down in the dumps. I know what you mean.
c) You should feel happy you're getting better. Things get worse before they get better.
d) You should eliminate whole grains from your diet until your magnesium level increases.

Answer 1

The sentence that demonstrates chiasmus is "You should feel happy you're getting better. Things get worse before they get better," which uses a mirrored phrase structure.

Step-by-step explanation:

The definition of syntactical inversion or inverted syntax involves rearranging the typical grammatical order of a sentence for effect or to fit poetic meter. Chiasmus, on the other hand, is a specific form of syntactical inversion where two or more clauses are related to each other through a reversal of structures to make a larger point. Looking at the provided options, the sentence that demonstrates chiasmus is c) "You should feel happy you're getting better. Things get worse before they get better." Here, the clause 'things get worse before they get better' presents a reversal of the concepts introduced in the first clause, creating a mirror effect in the structure of the sentence, which is characteristic of chiasmus.