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A Rhetorical Analysis Of Alfred M. Green's Speech

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Harriet Tubman, a famous abolitionist, once said “I rescued a thousand slaves and I could have rescued a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves”. Many slaves of the 19th century were not able to read or write, and were completely oblivious to natural rights and other political situations happening around them. Alfred M. Green gave a speech in April of 1861 to recruit African American slaves to the army to fight for their freedom. In Green’s speech, he acknowledges the misery African Americans have already been through, points out the flaws in the enemy (the South); and motivates them to participate by using hortatory subjunctives, metaphors, irony, and other rhetorical strategies. Throughout the first part of his speech, Alfred Green places emphasis on the hardships that African Americans have already gone through for their country. Green references famous events such as …show more content…

Green takes a moment to describe the South as “howling leaders” and that their goal is to “build stronger the tyrant system...in the great American Republic”. When Alfred Green compares the leaders to animals and points out the irony in the South’s intentions, he manages to point out most of the flaws of his opponent. By doing this, it persuades the African Americans to join the North because it would not make sense for them to join a side that wishes to keep them enslaved. At the very end of the speech, Green says that their “very presence among the troops of the North would inspire your pressed brethren” when he speaks of the others who are not offered the opportunity to fight with the North. Alfred Green uses ethos in this statement to appeal to African American’s kind culture and ethnics. Green is telling his audience that, no matter what the reason, it would be in their best interest to join the North in the fight against

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On December 8th, 1941 Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered a speech to the House of Representatives, Members of the Senate, the House Speaker, to the Vice President, and to the American people. Franklin spoke of the incident of the attack on Pearl Harbor the day after it occurred. Mr. Roosevelt was stern and concise. He spoke on the occasion of tragedy to inform the House and the American people what the Japanese have done.

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The speech identifies the struggles African Americans faced due to discrimination, hence allowing readers insight into African American lives. The speech is inspirational and powerful due to the speaker exhibiting to the audience his anger regarding

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The speech given by Alfred M. Green in Philadelphia in April 1861 contains a dynamic and potent message calling African Americans to enlist in the Union Army. Green uses emotional diction, appeals to patriotism, and the authority of religion to persuade African Americans to join his cause. His effective use of pathos and ethos also contribute to his argument. Throughout the speech, Green uses emotional diction to express the need for African Americans to enlist and help fight the Civil War.

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For example, when he states, “It is true, the brave deeds of our fathers have failed us,” he backs it up with, “our duty is not to cavil over past grievances.” Also, he expresses the idea that although people are saying they shouldn’t, they should fight for the Union anyway, which is another reason they might be against enlisting. Alfred M. Green’s speech encourages African Americans to prepare to enlist because of the many different methods he uses. He uses themes in his speech, patriotism and religion, to appeal to their emotions because he knew that African Americans wanted to be treated as American citizens and most of them were Christians.

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