Is this antithesis?

"...like rain, except its not raining..."

"Like a radio or something, but its not a radio..."

"...all very civilized, except this isn't civilization."

examples taken from The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

http://www.answers.com/topic/antithesis

I suppose. But they'd be more recognizable if actual words were used instead of just "not ... "

civilized -- rude, ill-mannered, impolite

rain -- drought

Yes, the examples you provided from "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien do illustrate the use of antithesis. Antithesis is a rhetorical device that involves contrasting ideas or words in parallel structures to create a contrasting effect. In these examples, the contrasting elements are presented through the repetition of "like" or "except."

To identify antithesis in a text, you can look for patterns such as:

1. Contrasting conjunctions: Words like "but," "yet," "except," or "although" are often used to introduce the contrasting element in antithesis.

2. Parallel structure: Antithesis often involves phrases or sentences that are parallel in structure, either by repeating words or using similar grammatical patterns.

3. Contrasting concepts: Antithesis relies on contrasting ideas, opposites, or contradictory elements to create a powerful effect.

In the given examples, the contrasting ideas are presented using the conjunction "except" and parallel structures. For instance, in the first example, the contrasting element "not raining" is used to create a different image than what we would typically associate with rain. Similarly, in the second example, "not a radio" contrasts with the idea of a radio to create a contrasting image. The third example contrasts "civilized" with "not civilization," emphasizing the lack of civilization in the described situation.

By analyzing the patterns and contrasting elements in a text, you can identify antithesis and understand how it contributes to the overall meaning and effect of the writing.