This question is based on Literary Appreciation. "The commission has the power to investigate, to conciliate to hold hearings, to order reinstatement of a d...

Answer Details

The rhetorical device used in the excerpt above is Parallelism.

Parallelism is a literary and rhetorical device that involves using components in a sentence that are grammatically the same or similar in their construction, sound, meaning, or meter. The purpose of parallelism is to give a sense of rhythm and balance to a sentence, making it easier to follow and understand.

In the provided excerpt, the parallel structure can be seen in the repeated grammatical form of the phrases, which includes: “to investigate”, “to conciliate”, “to hold hearings”, “to order reinstatement”, and “to direct the appointment”. Each of these phrases begins with "to" followed by a verb, creating a balanced and rhythmical construction.

Such a structure helps to emphasize the range and scope of the commission's powers by listing them in a uniform and equal manner, thus drawing attention to each of these actions as being equally significant. This is a characteristic feature of parallelism.