The Fourth of July, a celebration of national liberty and justice, was not always a triumphant observance for all individuals in the United States of America. At one point, not every man, woman, and child could candidly cry out in gratitude at their liberation on this day. At the outset of this observance, those celebrating their national values and invoking prayers of gratitude at their blessings of independence on this day were white men, women, and children. For some portion of time, whilst the white citizens of America rejoiced in their nation’s values claiming freedom for all, the Land of Liberty’s black inhabitants were shackled to toil and suffer in captivity. Baffled by this hypocrisy in America’s conduct, it was Frederick Douglass’
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Orating his testament of this hypocrisy in America’s conduct, Douglass appealed to the values of American citizens, contrasted the situations of the slaves to those of white civilians, and employed pathos in the form of poignant diction. Douglass presented many of his points as rhetorical questions. In doing so, he was able to prove his own message using the reasoning of the white American citizen. Based on its denotation, “a rhetorical question is self-evident” in which “an answer is not expected from the audience”(“Rhetorical Question”). First drawing upon the legitimacy of human life pertaining to the slave, Douglass demanded “[m]ust I undertake to prove that the slave is a man?” and continued, “That point …show more content…
Employing vivid diction, Douglass was able to portray an emotionally striking and expressive representation of their anguish. Practicing this form of pathos, Douglass appealed to his audience in an empathetic and humanistic sense. This allowed his crowd of listeners to connect with his message and commiserate his people. Imagery of “bleeding children” struck the heart of the assemblage at his feet and those listening by other arrangements; such benevolence invoking terminology tugged on their compassion. Depicting the utter disrespect endured on this “glorious anniversary”, Douglass described that, “[t]o drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony.” This animated satire eloquently displays the impudence of the nation’s celebration of freedom in front of the enslaved man. Elevating the meaning of the white man’s liberty with such vocabulary as “the grand illuminated temple of liberty” widened this gap between the black and white men. Instead of ‘brought’ or ‘invited’, in Douglass’ description, the fettered slave was “drag[ged]” into that temple of liberty. Douglass referred to the slave being dragged into their “temple of liberty” as “sacrilegious”. As sacrilege is the “violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred”(Google Search),
Orating his testament of this hypocrisy in America’s conduct, Douglass appealed to the values of American citizens, contrasted the situations of the slaves to those of white civilians, and employed pathos in the form of poignant diction. Douglass presented many of his points as rhetorical questions. In doing so, he was able to prove his own message using the reasoning of the white American citizen. Based on its denotation, “a rhetorical question is self-evident” in which “an answer is not expected from the audience”(“Rhetorical Question”). First drawing upon the legitimacy of human life pertaining to the slave, Douglass demanded “[m]ust I undertake to prove that the slave is a man?” and continued, “That point …show more content…
Employing vivid diction, Douglass was able to portray an emotionally striking and expressive representation of their anguish. Practicing this form of pathos, Douglass appealed to his audience in an empathetic and humanistic sense. This allowed his crowd of listeners to connect with his message and commiserate his people. Imagery of “bleeding children” struck the heart of the assemblage at his feet and those listening by other arrangements; such benevolence invoking terminology tugged on their compassion. Depicting the utter disrespect endured on this “glorious anniversary”, Douglass described that, “[t]o drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony.” This animated satire eloquently displays the impudence of the nation’s celebration of freedom in front of the enslaved man. Elevating the meaning of the white man’s liberty with such vocabulary as “the grand illuminated temple of liberty” widened this gap between the black and white men. Instead of ‘brought’ or ‘invited’, in Douglass’ description, the fettered slave was “drag[ged]” into that temple of liberty. Douglass referred to the slave being dragged into their “temple of liberty” as “sacrilegious”. As sacrilege is the “violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred”(Google Search),