Question

Read this passage from "Let’s Give Up on the Constitution" by Louis Michael Seidman. "As the nation teeters at the edge of fiscal chaos, observers are reaching the conclusion that the American system of government is broken. But almost no one blames the culprit: our insistence on obedience to the Constitution, with all its archaic, idiosyncratic and downright evil provisions." What rhetorical device does the author use to convey to the audience why the American system of government is broken?

Options:
Option 1: simile
Option 2: hyperbole
Option 3: paradox
Option 4: irony

Answer 1

Louis Michael Seidman uses the rhetorical device of Option 2: hyperbole in his piece to argue that the strict adherence to the Constitution's outdated provisions is contributing to governmental dysfunction.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the passage from "Let’s Give Up on the Constitution" by Louis Michael Seidman, the author uses Option 2: hyperbole to convey why the American system of government is broken.

Hyperbole is a rhetorical device where exaggeration is used to create a strong impression or to make a point.

Seidman's description of the Constitution's provisions as "archaic, idiosyncratic and downright evil" is an example of hyperbole designed to provoke a strong response from the reader and emphasize his argument that strict adherence to the Constitution is hindering the country's progress.