This kind of analysis is not easy. Critics make a good living by doing this sort
of reading-with-a-magnifying-glass. With a bit of practice, you’ll get the hang of
it. But because you don’t have that much time to practice, here’s a handy list of
rhetorical devices.
Allusion: referring to an outside text (often literary), story, or legend. Example:
“Like a modern-day Jay Gatsby, my two-year-old seemed discontented at his
own party.”
Repetition and Amplification: a repeated word or phrase, which is often
emphasized through this repetition. Example: “Did I flinch? I never flinch. I’m
not a flincher.”