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? group of answer choices

a. simile
b. hyperbole
c. irony
d. paradox

Answer 1

Louis Michael Seidman uses b. hyperbole in his passage from "Let’s Give Up on the Constitution" by calling the Constitution's provisions "archaic, idiosyncratic and downright evil" to emphasize his argument that it is the cause for the dysfunction in American government.

Step-by-step explanation:

The rhetorical device used by Louis Michael Seidman to convey why he believes the American system of government is broken is hyperbole. This is identified in the passage from "Let’s Give Up on the Constitution" where Seidman refers to the Constitution’s provisions as "archaic, idiosyncratic and downright evil". He exaggerates to emphasize his point and provoke a strong response from the reader.

The hyperbolic rhetoric aims to highlight the flaws Seidman perceives in adhering strictly to the Constitution and to suggest that these flaws contribute to the nation's fiscal chaos and political dysfunction. The use of hyperbole is effective as it forcefully conveys the author's argument that strict adherence to the Constitution is to be blamed for the brokenness of the American government.