Frederick Douglass Speech Rhetorical Analysis

How does Fredrick Douglass make an effective argument against slavery? Book, "The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass", by Fredrick Douglass, Fredrick was a slave practically most of his childhood. Fredrick Douglass talk about his ups and downs, and really explain how slavery is unmoral, and unjust. Slavery caused god people to do really bad things. In reality, being more religious cause the master to be even more cruel. Fredrick considered the worst slave owners to be more religious people. Fredrick Douglass uses ethos, pathos, and logos to support his argument against slavery.

Slavery is a humongous topic involving both slaves and former slaves. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave Story is one such story. Douglass suffered punishments, and watching others get punished, he uses those experiences to make his argument against slavery.Douglass’ tone in the narrative is sarcastic and dark. Frederick Douglass successfully uses vast quantities of rhetorical devices, illuminating the horror and viciousness of slavery, including the need to eliminate it.

Frederick Douglass was a freed slave in the 1800’s who was famous for his ability to read and write, uncommon of a black man at the time. On July 4th, 1852, he gave a speech to citizens of the United States. In this speech, he called out the “hypocrisy of the nation”(Douglass), questioning the nation's treatment of slaves on a supposed day of independence. Frederick Douglass effectively uses rhetorical strategies to construct his argument and expose the hypocrisy of the nation.

On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass gave a fantastic speech to a group of abolitionists in the city of Rochester, New York. He briefly summarized and praised the history of the United States, but then extremely eloquently spoke about the current situation that African slaves inhabited. Before I started reading the speech for myself, I saw the length and was a bit put off. However, when I started reading the speech, I found Douglass’ style to be incredibly impressive, and I enjoyed reading the whole speech. I took notice quite early in the speech, of almost a foreshadowing of where his speech was going to take a turn to. Douglass was clever to make a distinction between those of slaves and non-slaves by using “yours.” Although he recognizes the greatness of the country and its origins, he soon points out that the African slaves cannot celebrate such histories. For instance, he states that the fourth of July is, “a day that reveals to him (the

Frederick Douglass, in his narrative, “The Battle with Mr. Covey,” recounts his atrocious former life as a slave. The purpose of Douglass’s narrative is to inform his audience about what slaves experienced on a day-to-day basis. While recounting his experiences, Douglass adopts a methodical tone in order to make his account more comprehensible for the abolitionists. Douglass’s use of rhetorical techniques, such as tone, imagery and diction, help express the many hardships he and many other saves encountered. He incorporates his encounter of being a former slave to help promote his attempt to put an end to slavery.

After about nine chapters detailing his slave life, he says, “You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man.” (Douglass, 75) He then goes on to describe the turning point for him that sparked his quest for freedom. By structuring his narrative this way, he reveals both sides- how slavery broke him “in body, soul, and spirit” (Douglass, 73) and how it eventually “rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom” within him (Douglass, 80). In doing so, he gives the reader an insight into how he became himself, and reinforces the evils of slavery in the way it shapes a man’s life. Douglass’ use of diction and structure effectively persuades the reader of the barbarity and inhumanity that comes as a result of slavery.

America’s history is overrun with oppression and injustice based on race, ethnicity, and other traits that innocent victims have no control over. As a result, the reputation of the United States is forever tainted by it’s dark past, and still practices these surviving habits of hatred. Civil liberty issues faced since the establishment of the country have yet to be resolved because of the ever-present mistreatment, corruption in positions of authority, and the dehumanization of minorities.

One of the strongest pieces of evidence the author uses in support of their argument is, “At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed… For is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder… The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled… and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.” What Douglass tries to accomplish is to tell the citizens that words will not make a difference if they want change. Only violence can make an impact because the slaves’ voices are not really being heard. This evidence is strong because Douglass attempts to use the rhetorical appeal of pathos in

In chapter seven of the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass is finally aware of his approximate age, and is burdened with the thought of being a “slave for life.” At the age of 12, it is not very encouraging to be given the description of a “slave for life.” Douglass uses his newfound reading and writing skills to cleverly comprehend the book The Columbian Orator, and the speeches from the Catholic emancipation it contains, in his favor. The book Douglass discovers does a good job of supporting his invalidation of slavery as well as providing him with knowledge and reasonable arguments.

Frederick Douglass was a wise and brave man that grew up in the American slave system. He knows first hand the hardships of being owned by someone and having no way to escape that kind of life. After escaping from slavery he decided to write a book on the hardships of his life. In the book he describes the life of the slave and the many aspects that are not usually learned. These aspects describe the life of a slave in a point of view that is not usually looked at; the point of view of a slave.

Frederick Douglass establishes his own ethos in the opening lines of the speech. He does so by questioning his oratorical authority to speak on freedom with the following rhetoric: “ Fellow citizens, pardon me, and allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here today? Frederick Douglass is not saying that he is a nobody, but out of everybody why would he, the former slave and abolitionist, be chosen to to speak on the celebration of freedom. But of course, Frederick Douglas resume suggests that he is educated, experienced and qualified enough to speak on freedom. He was born a slave in Maryland and experienced the horror of slavery first hand. He escaped from slavery and

experience to persuade the readers that slavery is cold-blooded and cruel. Douglass uses many rhetorical

In his harsh, angry speech, Frederick Douglass mocks the audience in a fight against slavery. He makes considerably accurate and biting arguments towards those who regard slavery as an outstanding example of American freedom. “There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.” He modifies his statements through rhetorical strategies including tone, ethos, and pathos and creates a magnificently harsh speech worthy of fame.

He then demonstrates the differences between the whites and blacks, in which they are justice, joyous anthems and independence. Moreover, Douglass repeats throughout his speech multiple times that the nation pretended to be all about freedom. For instance, “ My subject ,then, fellow citizens, is American slavery. I shall see this day and it’s popular characteristics from the slaves point of view” ( Douglas 4). Slavery was very unacceptable in any circumstances.

The rhetorical purpose of Frederick Douglass’ speech was to question why African Americans should celebrate freedom when they are still under oppression. Douglass begins talking about the signers of the Declaration of Independence and praises them for what they accomplished, but what Douglass wants is his listeners to continue the work of the Declaration of Independence signers who brought democracy and freedom to this country. Douglass questions the spectators, "Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us (6-7)?” and then follows with, "This Fourth July is yours, not mine (18-19)." Douglass says to have an African American celebrate white people’s freedom