Frederick Douglass, a former African American slave, was once asked to give a speech on July 5, 1852, with the purpose of persuading the audience to oppose slavery and favor abolition by telling them what the Fourth of July meant to slaves. In order to accomplish such feat, it was crucial to utilize many literary elements in his speech. Because of these elements, this Independence Day oration was highly successful. An important element that was integrated into the speech was an antithesis. Antithesis is used to show the contrast between two concepts, usually between the good and the bad. Frederick Douglass told the northern whites that their founding fathers “were [peaceful] men; but preferred revolution to peaceful submission to bondage”
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Douglass used words in such ways that his speech appeals to the emotions of his audience. The fact that he was “often aroused by the dead heavy footsteps, and the piteous cries of the chained [slaves] that passed [his] door” (Douglass para. 48) induces sympathy for what he had to endure as a slave child. On the other hand, he makes them feel the need to change when he makes a slight accusation about how Americans were “all on fire at the mention of liberty for France or for Ireland; but [were] as cold as an iceberg at the thought of liberty for the enslaved of America” (Douglass para. 63). Not only that, but his past as a former slave gives him the credibility he needs so that his words are believed. Frederick was “born amid such sights and scenes” that “pierced [his soul] with its horrors” (Douglass para. …show more content…
He lists how African Americans are “ploughing, planting and reaping, using all kinds of mechanical tools, erecting houses, constructing bridges,” but they are also “reading, writing and cyphering, acting as clerks, merchants and secretaries,” and some even have an education to become “lawyers, doctors, ministers, poets, authors, editors, orators and teachers” just like white men do. This element emphasized how, despite that fact that African Americans and whites do not look the same, they are both as human as the other. Negros also “[live] in families as husbands, wives and children, and, above all, [worship] the Christian’s God,” (Douglass para. 37) hoping to be treated like the rest. He doesn’t stray from his reasoning that they have proven themselves as men deserving to be treated
Douglass used words in such ways that his speech appeals to the emotions of his audience. The fact that he was “often aroused by the dead heavy footsteps, and the piteous cries of the chained [slaves] that passed [his] door” (Douglass para. 48) induces sympathy for what he had to endure as a slave child. On the other hand, he makes them feel the need to change when he makes a slight accusation about how Americans were “all on fire at the mention of liberty for France or for Ireland; but [were] as cold as an iceberg at the thought of liberty for the enslaved of America” (Douglass para. 63). Not only that, but his past as a former slave gives him the credibility he needs so that his words are believed. Frederick was “born amid such sights and scenes” that “pierced [his soul] with its horrors” (Douglass para. …show more content…
He lists how African Americans are “ploughing, planting and reaping, using all kinds of mechanical tools, erecting houses, constructing bridges,” but they are also “reading, writing and cyphering, acting as clerks, merchants and secretaries,” and some even have an education to become “lawyers, doctors, ministers, poets, authors, editors, orators and teachers” just like white men do. This element emphasized how, despite that fact that African Americans and whites do not look the same, they are both as human as the other. Negros also “[live] in families as husbands, wives and children, and, above all, [worship] the Christian’s God,” (Douglass para. 37) hoping to be treated like the rest. He doesn’t stray from his reasoning that they have proven themselves as men deserving to be treated