What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July Rhetorical Analysis

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In the 1850s, abolition was not a widely embraced movement in the United States. It was considered radical, extreme, and dangerous. In “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”, Frederick Douglass wanted to convince people of the wrongfulness of slavery and also to make an argument for the abolition of slavery to Northern whites. At the invitation of the Rochester Ladies Anti-Slavery Society, Frederick Douglass delivered this speech on July 5, 1852 in Rochester, New York (Faigley 351). Frederick Douglass was a former slave, so he was able to share first-hand experiences and was therefore, considered very credible in this subject. Douglass’ speech is an effective piece of argumentative writing because he used many rhetorical strategies such as the use of repetition, rhetorical questions and vivid imagery in order to persuade a northern, white audience to oppose slavery and favor abolition. One reason that Douglass’ …show more content…
Many authors use rhetorical questions in their writing, but Douglass seemed to use them differently in his speech. Mainly every question he asked, he immediately answered it. For example, “What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim” (Douglass 354). Douglass used rhetorical questions in order to get the audience thinking and involved in his speech. Another example of a rhetorical question in Douglass’ speech is, “What have I or those I represent, to do with your national independence” (Douglass 351)? In adding this question, Douglass was trying to get the point across that slaves-whose freedom is denied-do not share other American’s patriotic feelings about the Fourth of

Rhetorical Analysis Of What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July

Rhetorical Analysis Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist author of “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?,” 1852, portrays the slave’s perspective on this particular holiday. Douglass begins to talk about how nervous he is and how much he’s prepared for this day, then discusses how he agrees on how America was right during the revolution. He then reveals what he has actually been preparing for in his speech. The author wants to talk about slavery in order to show the audience what the Fourth of…

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Rhetorical Analysis Of What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July

African slaves show their desires for freedom to the whole world. The War of 1812 serves as the catalyst for anti-slavery movements. The Americas were in chaos during the war when African slaves fought on both British and American sides; also, the British burned down the Capitol in Washington DC. Abolitionists such as Nat Turner became more vocal and lead rebellions that eventually ended with over fifty seven whites dead. Frederick Douglass wrote “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” to express…

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Rhetorical Analysis Of What To The Slaves Is The Fourth Of July

Source Fredrick Douglass, “What to the Slaves is the Fourth of July?” Selected Speeches and Writings (Chicago: Lawrence Hill, 1999), pg 188-206 About the Author Fredrick Douglass, an African-American who escaped from slavery to become a leader of the abolitionist movement and antislavery writing. Summary The 4th of July, the date for national independence of United States forms the larger part of the document and post-independence vices like slavery and factors of that time that supported this vice…

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Rhetorical Analysis Of What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July

How would a former slave speak of a holiday created to celebrate freedom? In his emotionally-charged speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July,” Frederick Douglass answered this question but posed many more. With scorching criticism, he boldly illuminated America’s grandest flaws. Douglass utilized three key rhetorical strategies to build an evocative argument against slavery. Douglass’ furious tone set the mood. He decried America’s hypocrisy harshly, holding nothing back, and yearned to…

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Rhetorical Analysis Of What To The Slave Is Fourth Of July

“What to the slave is Fourth of July” This is a historical speech by Frederick Douglas, a civil rights activists and Author. Frederick Douglas focused mainly on American slavery. He states many points as to why whites should celebrate this day. However, he adds that the Fourth of July means nothing to the blacks because they were still slaves. He wanted to signify the captivity of black during the time of the Independence. Douglas emphasizes that whites expect blacks to celebrate the American Independence…

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Rhetorical Analysis Of What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July

What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July 1. Douglas spent a considerable amount of his speech addressing points that do not need to be argued: a man is entitled to liberty, and that a slave is a man. Douglas spent so much time talking about these subjects because not all of his audience and American citizens consider what he said to be true. Even those who believe his statements to be true did not take the necessary steps to enforce those beliefs. Therefore, Douglas brought attention to the fact…

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Rhetorical Analysis Of What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July

reader know what the author is trying to say or promote? How does a reader know what the author wants them to do after the passage is read? Do they know by what he says directly? Or is it the tone and structure of the passage? When we try to interpret a passage, we tend to utilize the use of rhetorical strategies (such as tone and structure) to decipher what the author’s true purpose is, whether we know it or not. Frederick Douglass’ speech “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”, is a good…

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Analysis: Dogville Essay

Resumé I denne projektrapport foretages en analyse af filmen Dogville, 2003, instrueret af Lars von Trier. Ved premieren og i den debat, filmen vakte, blev den karakteriseret som anti-amerikansk, moralsk, religiøs m.m. Projektet er udarbejdet ud fra den tese, at Dogville er en film med en meget kompleks form, hvilket gør det svært at tage den til indtægt for bestemte holdninger. I analysen undersøges denne tese, og i diskussionen holdes filmens form op imod dens indhold. Rapporten konkluderer, at…

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