Rhetorical Analysis Essay On Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry considered himself to be the most patriotic man of his time. He wrote the speech, “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death”, and the writing would later become an important part of American history. Henry goes over many key points throughout his speech to the Second Convention of Delegates in Richmond, Virginia. Some of his points and expressions can be seen in America today. In an article titled, “Of Course, a Divided America Can’t Agree on a Definition of Patriotism” by Brandon Griggs of CNN, it interprets opinions of America and their values on the country. Henry and Griggs’ article share points, such as, valuing one’s opinion, freedom, and that America is strong. The article, on cnn.com, starts off by naming the stereotypical events of patriotism. Griggs writes, “We think we know patriotism when we see it. A veteran in uniform, saluting a July

Henry did so by, not only having the chance to present himself, but by mentioning events that were unstable during his time. Just like the article does about the protests of the National Anthem. Henry uses many techniques in his writings to make the listener comprehend what he is saying, but one major technique is scaring them. By using fragile topics, he frightens them by having the topic appear closer. Henry says, “There is no retreat but in submission and slavery” (Line 76). Henry says this to show that if the Americans kept disregarding the war, the free people would lose all of their freedom. In the article, it interprets each individual's freedom and how they express it. One quote reads, “It's possible to love your country and still, like a parent scolding a wayward child, speak up when you feel like it's gotten off track. Griggs writes this to provide context on how obtaining the freedoms of today can sway one’s opinions. The article believes in freedom just like Henry, and Henry is willing to fight for