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Benjamin Banneker Rhetorical Analysis Essay

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In 1791, Benjamin Banneker, son of a former slave, wrote to Thomas Jefferson in an effort to persuade him in opposition to slavery. Banneker uses allusions from the bible and historical events, emotional and logical appeal, and a respectful yet urgent tone in order to dispute slavery. Banneker’s use of allusions from the bible also appeals religiously. He attacks Jefferson by stating that he “counteracts his mercies” by letting slavery to continue. Banneker uses religion to make Jefferson feel guilty, by using a parallel with Job and slaves. They both endured pain and suffering even though they did not deserve it. He also alludes to the Declaration of Independence to point out that Jefferson himself wrote “all men are created equal” and have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” It proves that Banneker is knowledgeable and trustworthy, and also points out …show more content…

By asking Jefferson to look back to before the American Revolution when the white colonists felt oppressed, and to notice how similar it is to the slaves being oppressed. Through this allusion to a time of oppression for the white colonists he creates empathy for the enslaved people because Thomas Jefferson should know how it is like to be oppressed and not have your voice heard. He also invokes guilt by saying Jefferson “cannot but acknowledge the present freedom and tranquility which you enjoy” now that America has been freed by Britain. This would make Jefferson guilty since he got the freedom he wanted while thousands of African Americans remained enslaved in the United States. Once again Banneker uses logical appeal to point out the white people hypocrisy. He points out “how pitiable it is” that while God granted the white Americans freedom, Jefferson “counteract [God’s] mercies in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a part of my brethren under groaning captivity and cruel

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He shows the politeness to allow Jefferson to note that race does not make one inferior and that Banneker thinks of him as an equal. By stroking Jefferson’s ego and showing him respect continually allows Banneker to have a more educated conversation with

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Benjamin Banneker wrote to Thomas Jefferson, the purpose of the letter was to argue against slavery. Banneker relies on the use of rhetorical devices to supply back up for his side of the argument. In addition, Banneker is a well-educated man (see farmer, astronomer, mathematician, surveyor, and author) so he can use his education to impress Jefferson with his smarts and logicalness. Throughout the letter to Jefferson, Banneker addresses Jefferson in the highest regard.

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Banneker’s decision to utilize pathos so heavily works well because it establishes a connection between his and Jefferson’s experiences. The hardships endured by the men could not be expressed in the most effective manner if Banneker’s argument relied on ethos or logos, as in this instance, a statistic would not be as successful in establishing empathy, and therefore, persuasion. Ultimately, the language used, combined with the emotional phrases and diction, creates an argument in which Jefferson is beckoned and drawn to sympathize with the injustices of slavery. Banneker also utilizes allusion to further influence Jefferson’s opinion. Beginning with a direct quote from the proclamation (21-25), Banneker alludes to the Declaration of Independence to further strengthen his argument against slavery.

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Banneker know his place in terms that he is black, so he is not treated as equal. Banneker brings up the fact that Jefferson knows how he feels, as Jefferson has gone through having his freedom stripped from him. Banneker tells Jefferson to recall the time when “the arms and tyranny” of the king were applied with a stern effort to reduce him to a “State of Servitude.”

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Benjamin Banneker, the son of former slaves, writes to secretary of state Thomas Jefferson about the dispute over slavery in America. Banneker is a free man and believes slavery is morally wrong. He chooses to write particularly to Thomas Jefferson because of Jefferson’s negative inclination towards African-Americans as well as the fact that he is in charge of domestic policy. Ultimately, Banneker wants Jefferson to come to his own realization that slavery is wrong and that equality shall remain supreme in America. Banneker provides a syllogistic argument in order to remind Jefferson of the past.

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Within Benjamin Banneker’s letter to Thomas Jefferson, he employs pathos in order to persuade Jefferson to use his political platform to end the injustices of slavery. Through this, Banneker is pointing out the hypocrisy of Jefferson’s actions by comparing the situation of slaves to the oppression the colonists faced under tyrannical British rule. He employs pathos with the use of diction and allusions. His poignant and critical diction reflects his caustic attitude of Thomas Jefferson. Banneker alludes to the Declaration of Independence to appeal to Jefferson’s ideas of inalienable rights for all men protected through liberty from British power.

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Benjamin Banneker, son of former slaves, wrote to Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, in attempt to argue against slavery to achieve a solution. Jefferson and Washington were the secretary of state, and the President of the United States at the time, so in order to convince them Banneker has to be very persuasive so that they can even consider his proposition. Banneker uses three main tactics to try and persuade Jefferson and Washington, these tactics are: Comparing Jefferson’s and Washington’s experiences to his own and trying to find a common link for them to understand and identify themselves with, appealing to common sense, and he leaves room open to interpretation and lets Washington and Jefferson the ability to decide what to do about the problem. Banneker uses comparisons to find a common link with his audience, this tactic can be effective if used properly with relevant examples. What Banneker does is that he uses specific examples to compare, one of the examples he uses, is the American Revolution; He compares slavery to the lack of freedom that the U.S had when they were a British colony.

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In 1791, Thomas Jefferson was secretary of state and Banneker considered the respected Virginian, though a slaveholder, to also be open to viewing African Americans as more than slaves. Thus, he wrote Jefferson a letter hoping that he would “readily embrace every opportunity to eradicate that train of absurd and false ideas and opinions which so generally prevail with respect to us." To further support his point, Banneker included a handwritten manuscript of an almanac for 1792, containing his astronomical calculations. In his letter, Banneker acknowledged he was “of the African race” and a free man. He recognized that he was taking “a liberty” writing to Jefferson, which would be unacceptable considering “the almost general prejudice and prepossession which is so prevalent in the world against those of my complexion.”

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Banneker appeals to ethos to help his arguments. He uses great vocabulary and makes no mistakes in his letter. Furthermore, Banneker says the words, “Tranquility, benevolence, and entreat.” Banneker is using high vocabulary to make Thomas Jefferson acknowledge his argument no full of foul

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The quote also appeals to Jefferson’s emotions because Banneker makes him feel guilty about slavery. Jefferson

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Hypocrisy is one of the worst moral crimes someone can commit. Benjamin Banneker's letter to Thomas Jefferson explains that he has committed this crime. He has gone back on his morale of everyone having unalienable rights by letting slavery continue to happen, and Banneker believes he is the prime contender in allowing this crime to happen and that he should be the start and make the move to stop slavery. Banneker explains this to Jefferson in such a way that the letter is both respectful and thoughtful while also being rude due to the use of how he phrases his sentences, that his argument can not be questioned because of his use of ‘Sir’ to show his respect, and his ardent choice of words which are all collectively used to explain how Jefferson is being hypocritical and show him why he should fix this.

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Banneker Writes to thomas jefferson about the wrongs of slavery. HIs purpose is to argue against slavery. Banneker does this by using an appeal to logic to prove how slavery is illogical, diction to show the cruelty of slavery, and parallelism to show that they are like the white men who wanted their freedom as well. Banneker shows how illogical slavery is to help create an argument against it. He pulls in the Declaration of INdependence, which Thomas Jefferson wrote, it says “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal…” (lines 21-25).

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By doing so, Banneker aligns with Jefferson’s own struggles to be free. Banneker also alludes to the Declaration of Independence. “…That all men are created equal…among

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In multiple letters and notes he wrote he expressed his guilt for the slaves and once the slaves paid off their debt and Jefferson’s he hoped to free them. Jefferson and his slaves remained in debt until the day he died. Jefferson believed that slavery not only deprived blacks of their liberty but had an “unhappy” influence on the masters and their children (Takaki 63). If a master is constantly punishing a slave and cannot restrain, the child’s master will imitate and master it, resulting in a nonstop cycle of slavery.

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This was presented in New York on July 5, 1852. He had been invited to speak for what the 4th of July meant for the America’s black population. The real subject of his speech is mainly about slavery. He continues to criticize America for being untrue to its founding principles, its past and present. He sums up asking how some can put slavery on some when they would never impose it on themselves.

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