Rhetorical Analysis Of Frederick Douglass

Even the men who are in the Northern States who are black are not free. Douglass points out that “blacks are easily likely to face the death penalty for one crime, where white people would face punishment if they did the crime twice,” This, according to Douglass is slavery. This can be seen even today in our news and society. Many blacks are targeted and attacked solely based on their appearance, and experience many micro-aggressions. Douglass also says, “Do not need to argue about what is wrong with robbing these Negros from their liberty keep them ignorant from their relations to other men?” This speech truly emphasizes the inhumane, cruelty, and injustice associated with the treatment of blacks in America. While the whites look at the 4th of July as a celebratory to their lives and freedom, not everyone is truly free. It is important for Douglass to show that while many associate this holiday with prosperity and positive attributes, the blacks face slavery, prejudices, and unequal treatments day-to-day. “What is inhumane cannot be divine”, says Douglass. Later on in the speech, he talks

This is hypocritical in that the white men make these values and traditions a staple of their lives, yet when it comes to slaves, they seem to go away. He also believes that, though he will use “the severest language”(Douglass) he can, he firmly believes that “not one word shall escape me that any man whose… not blinded by prejudice, or… a slave-holder, shall not confess to be right and just”(Douglass). So he sincerely believes that the average human being also knows that the treatment of slaves is unjust and unethical, but they choose not to act on these thoughts. His view, coming from the eyes and thoughts of slaves across America, show how hypocritical the nation actually is in both one sided values and not acting upon their knowledge that what is going on is wrong.

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

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

Through his crafty use of rhetoric, Douglass delivered a scathing attack on the hypocrisy of America in his self-referential speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July.” The speech articulated his passionate pursuit for liberty and equal rights. Douglass’s speech passionately argued that in the eyes of the slave and even the “free” black

Frederick Douglass lived in a time where slavery was very pronounced in society and black people were not well respected or heard from often. During his time, black people did not have the opportunity to be heard by white people; also there were not very many free blacks. Black people were generally seen, but not heard. In this case, the whites were seen but not heard as Douglass stood before them giving a mesmerizing speech that would surely make them think. Throughout his speech, Frederick Douglass points out inconsistencies that whites said time and time again. The reason they said all those positive things, was so that they would come off as a caring, unified nation. In reality, they were very domineering over those who were slaves.

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

Douglass continues to talk about how they all came to celebrate the fourth of July, but to remember that the nation is still young and has room for positive change. Douglass then asks this question, "Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?” (p.407) By us Douglas is meaning blacks. This is supported by when he states that, “This Fourth of July is yours not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” (p.408) Slaves and former slaves like Douglass are only saddened on Independence Day because they still have no independence to cheer for. They were lied to and taken for granted after all the work they did to earn equal rights. To ask black people to celebrate the White man’s freedom is only teasing and disrespectful irony.

In the speech, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July,” by Frederick Douglass clearly and effectively supports his claim that slavery is outrageous and intolerable to America and to humanity by using a balanced use of all of the three methods of appeal. On July 5, 1852 a day after the Fourth of July in Rochester, New York, Frederick Douglass delivers a powerful speech about his and the people he represents view on the Fourth of July. Douglass immediately begins his speech by saying “Fellow citizens,” which automatically means he is starting his speech with ethos. Throughout the speech Douglass continuously uses a inclusive tone by saying “fellow citizens, we, and you” Ethos is one of the strongest out of al the appeals and using these words

Frederick Douglass was another abolitionist who also spoke out vigorously about slavery. He himself was an emancipated slave who fought for the abolishment of slavery. He fought to demonstrate that it was crude, unnatural, ungodly, immoral, and unjust. During a July 4th Celebration he made it known that he despised the treatment of the slaves. He explained that this hypocrisy was aimed at the black population and so in his speech on the Fourth of July celebration he proclaimed to the anti-slavery individuals that “This Fourth of July is yours not mine” and “You may rejoice, I must mourn”. Frederick Douglass quoted from the Declaration of Independence, “All men are created equal; and are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; and that, among these are, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. He wondered if the rights that are stated in the Declaration of Independence, apply to everyone in America, because he believed they should. He asked the question what the Fourth of July was to an American slave, and responded, to the American slaves that one day, is full of hyprocrisy. He wondered how people could celebrate liberty and equality where there was slavery in America. In support of his idea of how sorrow slavery was Douglas used imagery. He stated, “I see clouds of dust raised on the highways of the South; I see the bleeding footsteps; I

After his escape from slavery, Frederick Douglass chose to promote the abolition of slavery by speaking about the actions and effects that result from that institution. In an excerpt from a July 5, 1852 speech at Rochester, New York, Douglass asks the question: What to the slave is the Fourth of July? This question is a bold one, and it demands attention. The effectiveness of his oration is derived from the personal appeals in which he engages the listener.

Frederick Douglass had a powerful speech addressed to the white women of the Ladies Anti-Slavery Society. This speech was honored by the celebration of the 4th of July, but this african american was not honored by the meaning of the 4th of July. In Douglass’s speech he stated,” What, to the American slave is your Fourth of July?”. It is contorted to request a black man to talk about independence on the Fourth of July, when African americans had no independence around this time. Frederick douglass wanted everyone listening to feel how an average black slave felt everyday. His goal was to make people motivate for a

Douglass spent many years of his live traveling from place to another, attending meetings, supporting activists, giving enthusiastic speeches, and spreading his ideas of equality. One of the most famous speeches that Douglass gave was the one for the Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society on July 5, 1852 celebrating the Independence Day. The speech known by “What to the slave is the fourth of July?”. Douglass started his speech explaining the importance of this day; he applauded the American Revolution, and praised the signers of the Declaration of the Independence. Douglass talked to his audience explaining the purpose of this celebration was to celebrate the birthday of their National Independence and their freedom. Throughout his speech, Douglas used the word ”your” many times emphasizing the distance between him and his audience and confirming that he does not share the same perspective or feeling toward the Independence day as they do. He said "Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us [blacks]?"(Douglass, 1852), he then started to analyze the purpose behind his speech is the American slavery. He tried to point out the idea of how the black person celebrates the freedom of the white person. He criticized the audience who celebrate their freedom while forgot the principles of the American founders.

Independence Day, since the first signing of the Declaration of Independence, has been a nationwide victorious day filled with cheer in celebration of the United States gaining freedom from the British Crown. But the effects of the Declaration of Independence did not at all do what it was expected of for almost three centuries. During this time, there were a lot of famous people who stood up and fought against slavery, and Frederick Douglass was one of the most well-known abolitionists. Frederick Douglass was born as a slave in Maryland in 1895. He was also a journalist, orator, and social reformer, but most of all, he is famous for his leadership as an abolitionist. Spending his young ages as a slave, he was the victim of and witness of cruelty at the hands of his owners, therefore he had strong hatred toward slavery in the United States. After escaping from slavery to be a free man in 1838, he published several autobiographies and became an outspoken advocate for the abolitionist movement. One of the most recognized speeches of Frederick Douglass - “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” - was held on the nation's 76th anniversary. By revealing unfairness and injustice of racism throughout this speech, Douglass, with his angry but passionate and vigorous voice, not only got the audience's sympathy but also succeeded in convincing them that “all men are created equal”, no matter what color of their skin.

Frederick Douglass was a former slave who is standing up for his belief that everyone should be treated equally and with kindness. Douglass was invited to give a fourth of July speech at the Ladies Anti-Slavery Society of Rochester. After he gave his speech, he was the most influential African American leader in the nation. Douglass has created a mindset that the slaves should be set free because they have their own rights whether stated in the Declaration or not. Douglass refers to the Declaration as a symbol of the freedom of equality and how people should be treated. “The freedom gained is yours; and you, therefore, may properly celebrate this anniversary,” (Douglass 2). Douglass’ audience consisted on white females and they have the independence they can freely celebrate, but he does not have