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Red Hawk Persuasive Speech

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In two different speeches by two different Native American chiefs, Chief Seattle and Red Cloud, a similar topic in that of the removal of Indians by the U.S. government, was addressed. However, the speeches by the two chiefs were very different, in terms of tone, figurative language, and the clarity of their message. In, "On the Red Man's Trail," Chief Seattle used much figurative language, especially similes, to get his point across. Some of the numerous examples are, "Yonder sky that has wept tears of compassion upon our fathers for centuries untold...," (paragraph 1) "My words are like the stars that never set," (paragraph 2) When our young men grow angry at some real or imaginary wrong, and disfigure their faces with black paint, their hearts also are disfigured and turn black...," (paragraph 6) "My people are ebbing away like the fast receding tide that will never flow again," (paragraph 12) and, "Some grim Fate of our race is on the Red Man’s trail, and wherever he goes he will still hear the sure approaching footsteps of his fell destroyer and prepare to stolidly meet his doom, as does the wounded doe that hears the approaching footsteps of the hunter." (paragraph 22) Meanwhile, in his speech after Wounded Knee, Red Cloud sparsely used figurative language. The vast majority of his statements were easy to comprehend and literal, with some examples being, "I will tell you the reason for the trouble. When we first made treaties with the Government, our old life and our

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