William Jennings Bryan’s famous speech, Cross of Gold, influenced the minds of many at the time it was given. The speech centers around the American need for a bimetallism: a system allowing the use of silver as currency, along with gold. Bryan views bimetallism as a vast improvement over the pre-existing gold standard. In his eyes, the gold standard is corrupt, and only beneficial to a certain population. Bryan claims that by introducing bimetallism, “...prosperity will find its way up and through every class that rests upon it.” His argument is developed through the use of comparison, allusion, and symbolism.
Bryan noticed that the farmers, who he strongly advocated for, were not reaping the same benefits as others were through the gold…show more content… The most influential sentence in the speech, “You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold,” contains a symbol itself. The “cross of gold.” Bryan uses the word “crucify” to show the severity of the problems that come with gold standard, which is symbolized by the “cross of gold.” In this powerful sentence, Bryan states that America, and the lives of many Americans, should not be suppressed due to the gold standard. The reason this sentence is so powerful is because it effectively uses symbolism to convey the message that America is in need of change. A change to a new course, such as bimetallism. Bryan indicates that bimetallism can have revive the country in a sense, after nearing death upon the “cross of gold.”
William Jennings Bryan’s, Cross of Gold, speech is truly influential and persuasive. His main claim in the speech is that the gold standard is not beneficial to the majority of Americans, and that a shift to bimetallism will give everyone a vision of prosperity. He captivates the minds of many through his use of comparison, allusion, and symbolism. These literary elements help Bryan spark change in America through his speech, at a time where it where it was
