Explicit Language Essay

The Fourth of July is a holiday that typically involves joyous events such as barbeques, family gatherings, and quality picnics. Additionally, it is a time that can draw those who have drifted apart closer once again. However, in the 19th century as the racial and social divide deepened, the effectiveness of this national holiday came into question. Although the Fourth of July was supposed to pull the nation closer, it actually inclined some to question their place in America. This was supposed to be a unification holiday that made the country stronger. Instead, the national holiday carved a deep divide between the various groups that made up the population at that time. Furthermore, in the 19th century the Fourth of July established division between groups, cultivated questions about America’s progress as a whole, and ingrained national confusion about the purpose of this holiday.

The Fourth of July is about America’s freedom, yet it is ironic to be celebrated when people of a different race are not allowed to celebrate freedom. Our fathers fought for freedom of all, not for different races to have more control of life than others. They fought for the equality of all and for everyone to have the freedom they deserve. “With them, nothing was settled that was not great. With them, justice, liberty and humanity were final. Not slavery and oppression” (Douglass 2). The people who fought for our freedom believed they were fighting for the liberty of all, instead slavery still existed in society. To slaves, the Fourth of July is not the day of celebrating freedom, it is just another day of hard work and without liberty. “To him your celebration is a sham, your boasted liberty, your national greatness… your shouts of liberty and equality” (Douglass 4). The irony of American freedom falls where the constitution lies since the constitution is looked at as the liberty document of an unliberated and unequal country. “If the constitution were intended to be, by its framers and adopters, a slave holding instrument, neither slavery , slaveholding, nor slave can anywhere be found in it” (Douglass 4). Slavery is not part of the “Glorious liberty document” so why is is able to exist? It should not be acceptable to call

Today most people think of the Fourth of July as a holiday to celebrate freedom. However, in

Fireworks cracking and lighting up the sky, hot dogs cooking on the grill, and a cold drink in a red, white, and blue paper cup. It is the forth of July, Independence day, the day Americans put all of their worries to the side to celebrate the freedom of the country that they live in, America. Those who live in the USA may experience more freedom and comfort then those who live in other parts of the world. America is highly praised for their education, diverse crowds, and socially accepting everyone despite their race, religion, or special needs.

Not all families celebrate the Fourth of July the same, some people don’t even celebrate this day. Other people will have a dinner, have a party, or just watch the fireworks. Some people will do it to show that they respect what people had done for their freedom. People think and know

Abraham Lincoln has said, “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.” Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave who firsthand experienced the atrocities of slavery. Within an excerpt from “What, to the Slave, Is the Fourth of July?,” Frederick Douglass employs syntax, juxtaposition, and imagery in order to demonstrate the irony around the celebration of freedom on the Fourth of July. Douglass illustrates his purpose by displaying this irony because during the celebration of freedom by the white men, there are still a myriad of slaves who have yet to receive emancipation.

Throughout “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?,” Douglass passionately argues his position that the Fourth of July, a holiday supposedly celebrating freedom and liberty,  is nothing but a hypocritical sham in the eyes of slaves and freed African Americans. In this fiery speech, Douglass calls upon his audience to fight against the oppression of slaves by properly recognizing their manhood. Douglass employs imagery to better illustrate the anger and despair felt by 19th century slaves. He uses diction, specifically rhetorical questions, to draw attention to the hypocrisy of owning slaves in a nation that celebrates the freedom of “all men”. He uses syntax to better help convey the cruelty of slavery and the terror that free and escaped slaves face knowing that they are constantly being hunted as though they are animals. Douglass’ implementation of these rhetorical devices and his appeal to pathos help him address his main message: a nation can never truly be free so long as the freedom of some is built off of the backs of the enslaved.

Boom, boom, boom. “Mommy, that one is my favorite!” Screams a blonde haired, blue eyed five year old little girl as fireworks screech into the midnight sky over the crystal blue lake on the Fourth of July. Nearly two-hundred and forty years ago our beloved land was born, gaining independence from Great Britain and declaring America as its own. From that day forward July Fourth would be celebrated with parades, festivals, and get-togethers across the nation. Red, white, and blue blanketing towns, patriotic music blaring through speakers, and fireworks shooting into the night sky, all to celebrate the birth of our nation. Across America no matter what day it is, the Star Spangled Banner flies high, to represent the passion and love Americans have for their homeland; however, present day issues are rivaling the foundation our Founding Fathers built the Untied States around.

“We” [Americans] are fond of parades and picnics on the July4th. “We” [Texans] proudly celebrate March 2nd. “We” [Badnariks] always pose on the living room sofa for a family portrait during the holidays. Each of these traditions is self-evident, but only to the group of people that are included in the editorial “We”.

The speech "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro" was given in Rochester, New York on July 5th, 1852 by Fredrick Douglass; a former African American slave. In the speech, he discusses the true meaning of the widely celebrated holiday known as The 4th of July and what it really means a Negro.

One remembers the incident because it was symbolic to them. Celebrating the 4th of July Holiday can be rightfully described as the quintessential example of symbolic interaction as a day that represents the?Declaration of Independence?and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation even though the declaration was actually made on July 2, 1776 and the first draft of the Declaration of Independence was started in June 1776; however America remembers July 4 because that was the date that found its way on the Declaration of Independence and the date we remember.

Many countries celebrate holidays differently. In America for our Independence Day we celebrate in many ways. American Independence Day is celebrated on July 4th. It is referred to as the Fourth of July or July Fourth. On this day in America, we celebrate with parades, carnivals, fairs, concerts, and baseball games. As family outings we do barbecues , picnics, and family reunions. But the number one way to celebrate the Fourth of July is to have a fireworks show.

Born On the Fourth of July like a spoken narrative, has many themes that overlap throughout the story. It’s -I think- inaccurate to say that there is one theme that encompasses the idea and spirit of the book as it is more like an autobiography than a fictional narrative. Throughout the length of the story, themes of dehumanization, sacrifice, feelings of betrayal and having to rebuild oneself weave into the narrative. These themes are dependent on each other and are in some ways a part of a bigger theme. They cannot -in the case of this story- stand alone because they play a role in the overall story that would be incomplete if all of the themes weren’t included.

In the year 2014 between June and July, kids use sparklers for the Fourth of July, and 28% of them get injured. Some families do not like to celebrate Fourth of July. However, our family loves to celebrate this intervention. Sometimes we would have some families come up from Texas and have so much fun. We would have food, drinks, games, pool sports, etc. The fourth of July is one of our family’s favorite day.

I always viewed the Fourth of July as a special day for our country. It was a day where Americans celebrated the moment that we declared independence and freedom in our country. As an American, I still find the Fourth of July to be an important day in history, as it ultimately was the start of our nation. Additionally, the Declaration of Independence was the written proof of the reasons behind the colonies declaring independence. This document was a way for the founding fathers to express their desire to be their own nation. The Declaration of Independence is the document that essentially divided America from Great Britain. Also, The Constitution was significant to our government, as it established our laws and rights as citizens. As an American, all of these events and documents, are incredibly central to me and how I view our nation. However, I believe that as a global citizen, all of these would mean something completely different to me. I do believe that the events that shaped our nation are important, but some things could have been changed to better the nation from the beginning.