Subconscious Use of Rhetorical Tropes in Expressing Unvoiced Thoughts to Parents/Guardians among Grade 11 Students of Bestlink College of the Philippines

Abstract

This study focused on how Grade 11 ACADS-A students of Bestlink College of the Philippines Sapang Palay, San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan (A.Y. 2025–2026) subconsciously use rhetorical tropes to express unvoiced thoughts and emotions toward their parents or guardians. Adolescents (12-18 years of age) often experience complex feelings such as disappointment, stress, alienation, and suppressed emotions that cannot be fully conveyed by literal language due to limited language resources and emotional literacy. Guided by the latter that figurative languages were utilized to cope with this gap, the study aimed to identify the types of rhetorical tropes students mostly use, the emotions behind them, and how these indirect expressions may contribute to communication breakdown.