Antithesis
Pattern
A not B / A but B — contrasting pairs in parallel structure
Definition
Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases or clauses to highlight opposition.
Examples
Example 1
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
Best and worst are set in perfectly balanced, mirrored clauses
Example 2
That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
Neil Armstrong, 1969
Small step contrasts with giant leap in parallel structure
Example 3
To err is human; to forgive, divine.
Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism
Human fallibility is weighed against divine grace in twin infinitive phrases
AI Detection Note
Very common in AI text. LLMs frequently produce 'not X but Y' and 'more than X — it was Y' contrasting pairs. The formulaic regularity of AI antithesis — always neatly balanced, always cleanly resolved — distinguishes it from human use.
See how your writing uses this figure
Analyze Your Text