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Fourth Of July Rhetorical Analysis

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If you had the chance to speak in front of hundreds of people, and make a life-changing speech that could end slavery, would you? Frederick Douglass, a former slave, presented his speech “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” at a celebration of the Declaration of Independance, but took it upon himself to make it known that the Fourth of July was not a day of celebration for him or his people. Douglass utilized pathos, rhetorical questions, and repetition to drive home his argument against slavery and to encourage his audience to also fight for equality between everyone. Pathos is a quality that evokes sadness and pity. Douglass used pathos all throughout his speech to continuously catch the attention of his audience and to give them a surreal realization of the world surrounding them. For example, in lines 60-67, Douglass referred to the slave and to humanity as “bleeding”, “fettered”, and “trampled upon.” He needed to use such thought-provoking words in order to catch the attention of his audience and to maintain that hold throughout the entire speech. Douglass also tried to incorporate his own emotion into his speech. …show more content…
He asked numerous questions in which he did not want an answer because the answers were already there: hanging within reach of everyone willing to shout for the breakage of the chains that hold this nation down. “What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence?” Douglass was implying that slaves do not celebrate the fourth of july along side their supposed “fellow citizens” because they don’t have the same rights. Douglass wanted to know why they (the white Americans) were calling it a day of celebration of freedom and independence, when not everyone was free. “Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty?” Douglass pointed out that everyone knows in their hearts that everyone, including blacks, are entitled to freedom and to equal

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