Frederick Douglass and His Use of Rhetorical Devices
“The political character of one’s actions is inextricably bound to the political status of one’s subjectivity.” So says Frank B. Wilderson III, a writer focusing on critical and racial theory. For many authors, their message is heavily impacted not only by how they relate to the message, but through their style of writing itself. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the author has an incredibly personal connection to the anecdotes presented and retells his feelings regarding subjectivity when he was under the chains of slavery. However, Frederick Douglass does not only rely on retelling past experiences to convey a message to his readers. Through the use of rhetorical devices such as imagery, metaphors and similes, and juxtaposition, Douglass is able to evoke human emotions to further his argument regarding the moral implications behind slavery.
The rhetorical device of imagery is often considered to be one of the simplest to use. Writing in a lyrical, descriptive style seems to come naturally to many, and therefore this device is seen as less complex than others. However, this does not diminish the …show more content…
Through the use of different rhetorical devices, Frederick Douglass is able to achieve many different things. First, he is able to illustrate the true horrors of slavery for those who have never experienced it through the use of imagery. Second, he brings to life vivid characters and personalities by using both similes and metaphors. And finally, he illuminates a side of religion that is ignored in the context of slavery by using harsh juxtaposition in his writing. These three rhetorical devices not only add to the writing quality of the novel, but provide the reader with a deeper understanding, evoking many different emotions regarding the traumatizing experience of
“The political character of one’s actions is inextricably bound to the political status of one’s subjectivity.” So says Frank B. Wilderson III, a writer focusing on critical and racial theory. For many authors, their message is heavily impacted not only by how they relate to the message, but through their style of writing itself. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the author has an incredibly personal connection to the anecdotes presented and retells his feelings regarding subjectivity when he was under the chains of slavery. However, Frederick Douglass does not only rely on retelling past experiences to convey a message to his readers. Through the use of rhetorical devices such as imagery, metaphors and similes, and juxtaposition, Douglass is able to evoke human emotions to further his argument regarding the moral implications behind slavery.
The rhetorical device of imagery is often considered to be one of the simplest to use. Writing in a lyrical, descriptive style seems to come naturally to many, and therefore this device is seen as less complex than others. However, this does not diminish the …show more content…
Through the use of different rhetorical devices, Frederick Douglass is able to achieve many different things. First, he is able to illustrate the true horrors of slavery for those who have never experienced it through the use of imagery. Second, he brings to life vivid characters and personalities by using both similes and metaphors. And finally, he illuminates a side of religion that is ignored in the context of slavery by using harsh juxtaposition in his writing. These three rhetorical devices not only add to the writing quality of the novel, but provide the reader with a deeper understanding, evoking many different emotions regarding the traumatizing experience of