The Rhetorical Analysis Of Patrick Henry's Speech

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Patrick Henry Speech Analysis

In 1775, Patrick Henry gave a speech that would change America’s entire lifestyle. He talked with passion and persuasion when he talked to all the delegates at the Virginia convention. His speech became known worldwide and forever will be remembered. His speech was the reason The United States was formed. He convinced an entire convention that the best idea for America was to fight and claim freedom from England. He will always be remembered for “Give me Liberty, or give me death. Patrick Henry begins his speech by complimenting the delegates. He tells them they are “very worth gentlemen.” Afterwords he begins to say that, “Different men see in different lights,” this way he could make his statement without dishonoring the delegates and causing them to not listen to his proposal. He uses other phrases such as “freedom or slavery” to let the delegates realize the seriousness of the situation, and that they deserved to be free men under their own government. In the second paragraph of Patrick Henry’s speech, he tells the delegates the truth so the can realize what is really going on. He tells the delegates “We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth.” He does this because he wants them to realize they need to take action, not just pretend like things didn’t happen. He also begins to quote from the
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Also, he try’s to show them that Britain are not as honest as they make themselves out to be. He tells them, “Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare at your feet.” He says this to show that Britain cannot be trusted. Patrick Henry explains how everything they have been doing isn’t working, and they need to try a new strategy, and the best idea for them is war. He says, “We must fight, I repeat it sir, we must fight.” He uses this repetition to make I stick in the delegates’ heads and to be sure to get his point

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