Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis

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“They were honest and courageous foeman…” These words were spoken by the Union veteran Ambrose Bierce who had fought against the Confederates in West Virginia. He showed no animosity toward the Confederate he had fought, rather he had respect. Frederick Douglass held a similar attitude in May 1878, an attitude filled with “charity toward all, and malice toward none.” Even in the continual face of rampant discrimination and white supremacism from leaders of the Democratic Party, Frederick Douglass fought for justice and equality. Frederick Douglass responded to Confederate sympathizers by acknowledging their treason and wrongdoings, but moving ahead with charity and unification for all. In 1873, one of the most prominent Confederate sympathizers was President of the Southern Historical Society Jubal A. Early. Early, a man who valued history as evidence from his frequent references of old stories, regarded the Confederacy as the greatest struggle for self-government and heroism of all time. Early believed so strongly in the Union’s wrongdoing that he called for retribution on the North. Early believed that the Southern rights had been violated and he continued to call for …show more content…
In his speech delivered at Union Square in New York City, Douglass posited that the Confederacy was not the right side of the war. He noted the dangers of the South repeating the same mistakes in the past by saying “Though the portents upon our national horizon are dark and sinister… Now, as then, the same rebellious spirit is much disturbed by the Army and the Navy.” Douglass explained that the Civil War was not fought solely on race, but on differing ideas, and the denial of all rights except the right of the strongest. In his speech, Douglass clearly laid out that the Confederacy was treasonous and wrong to separate from the Union and to maintain a practice such as

Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis

Moreover, Douglass has the biggest heart known to man and it is very evident through the narrative. As an audience member I could tell that the actions that was happening to the slaves really hit home to Douglass because it lived that everyday. He thought that once he was freed he would be able to escape and run far away but that wasn't that case at all. Slaves was still being raped and killed on a daily basis. The way that Douglass speaks about the events that happened it is easy to say that it…

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Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis

Frederick Douglass’s words are really strong in this text. He talks about what The 4th of July means to him and to his fellow brethren, who, for the most part, were slaves. Douglass goes on to talk about why he does not celebrate The 4th of July and the injustices done to the slaves. His feelings are so pronounced and the subjective perspective of his is really effective. Douglass starts off by saying how there is a “distance” between them and the ordinary American. The author says this: “The…

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Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis

back of our mind of wondering if our nation is truly celebrating for free or simply the idea of. That nagging feeling was the same felt by speaker Frederick Douglass, who was important to helping a post-Civil War society open their eyes and challenge the idea of what freedom truly meant to a nation built by and on the backs of immigrants. Frederick Douglass is considered to be one of the first advocates to propose passing Constitutional amendments that would permanently change the status of African…

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Rhetorical Analysis Frederick Douglass

One such emotional passage is Frederick Douglass’s recount on his feelings after escaping slavery and arriving in the free state of New York. Douglass uses specific language, such as figures of speech- namely metaphors and imagery- and syntax and word choice, as tools to convey his states of mind throughout the passage. Imagery and metaphor are used heavily throughout Douglass’s recount. In telling how he felt immediately upon his arrival at New York, Douglass says, “I suppose I felt as one…

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Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis

1) Fredrick Douglass spent a lot of his time talking about how everyone agreed slaves were human and that they were entitled to liberty. He did this because even though people said they agreed with these ideas their actions did not show it. During the fourth of July blacks had nothing to celebrate because most blacks still were not free; however, a black man and former slave was asked to speak about their nation independence. 2) The vivid imagery in Douglass’s speech makes the reader feel guilty…

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Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis

Frederick Douglass was a man who went through slavery, suffered, and still came out an emotionally and educationally intelligent man. He decided to use his experience and knowledge around slavery to bring a new perspective to the topic. In the Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass tries to change our understanding of the claim, "all men are created equal," by showing us the truth about slavery as a system and a less-than-experience. Firstly, He shows us the brutality and abusiveness…

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Frederick Douglass: Rhetorical Analysis

aided me in writing comprehensive and rhetorical essays. I have learned how certain rhetorical questions may denote a key point that the author is trying to convey. For instance, in Frederick Douglass’s What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?, Douglass employs philosophical questions such as, “Pardon me, and allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here today?” and “What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national justice.” (Douglass 1). Douglass uses irony to underline that he is…

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Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis

Despite these exclamations of joy, a feeling of foreboding is present that should be heeded by those who have accomplished the same as Douglas. Indeed this premonition is well founded, being “fugitive[s] … in a strange land - a land” where they were “subjected to the… liability” that they could be “seized upon” by “legalized kidnappers - … [or] his fellowmen”(Douglas 19). With multiple hyphens used, Douglas makes further comparison of their fragile position in society. Greatly lengthening the sentence…

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Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis

Frederick Douglass was a fair man who wanted things to go the right way but being born into slavery it was hard for him to make an immediate impact. Here is a little background info on his life to see where he might have wanted to be an abolitionist. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery sometime around 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland. He became one of the most famous intellectuals of his time, advising presidents and lecturing to thousands on a range of causes, including women’s rights and Irish…

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Rhetorical Analysis On Frederick Douglass

Change: My Bondage and My Freedom’s Use of Contrast to Challenge Enslavement and Racism When Hugh Auld discovered that his wife was teaching Frederick Douglass the alphabet, he immediately forbade it, threatening beatings if Douglass continued. But Douglass was not deterred. He secretly pursued his education and later taught others to read as well. As Douglass grew older, his resolve to escape enslavement strengthened, and when he was 20 he left his enslavement in Baltimore by boat, a free man. In…

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