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Rhetorical Analysis Essay On A Vindication Of The Rights Of Women

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Rhetorical Persuasion: The Comparison of Rhetoric Shakira K. Smith ENGL 120: Freshman Composition Professor Monica Torres April 15, 2023 Rhetorical Persuasion: The Comparison of Rhetoric Rhetoric is the art of persuasive language and through its use, writers can create compelling and convincing texts. Mary Wollstonecraft's 'A Vindication of the Rights of Women' was written in 1792, during the Age of Enlightenment. It is an influential work of literature that is still relevant today. In 'A Vindication of the Rights of Women,' Wollstonecraft argues that women should have the same educational opportunities as men and should be treated as equals in society. Mary Wollstonecraft was an English writer, philosopher, and advocate of women's rights. …show more content…

Douglass establishes his credibility and authority on the issue of slavery and inequality in the United States by drawing on his own experience and expertise. He begins the speech by introducing himself as a former slave and expressing his sadness and disappointment at the Fourth of July festivities which celebrate the nation’s independence while ignoring the ongoing oppression of African Americans. He says, “I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us.” By acknowledging his own identity as a former slave, Douglass gives himself immediate credibility on the issue of slavery and inequality. Douglass utilizes pathos to evoke the emotions of the audience. He speaks of the slaves’ pain, suffering, and injustice. He states, 'What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer, a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.' With this sentence, Douglass paints a vivid image of the suffering and injustice African Americans experience on the Fourth of July. He also uses vivid imagery to create a powerful emotional appeal. For example, Douglass states, 'There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.' This statement evokes strong feelings of shock and sorrow in the audience. To strengthen his argument, Douglass uses logos. Douglass states, “The Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” This statement uses logical reasoning to emphasize the difference between free citizens and slaves, as the Fourth of July is a celebration for free citizens, but for slaves, it is a day of mourning. He also states, “Are the great principles of political freedom and of

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In July of 1852, Frederick Douglass prepares a speech known as The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro. Douglass was a former slave of the 19th century and soon became a leader during the Abolitionist Movement. In his speech, he argues that the Fourth of July is the darkest as well as most mournful day for slaves. Douglass then establishes his argument with distinct rhetorical strategies to make the audience feel the sorrow of which slaves felt. Through the use of allusion, sarcasm, and emotional appeal, Douglass reaches out to the listener to request a change in slavery.

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An American Slave, Frederick Douglass, in his speech, “What To The Slave Is The 4th Of July?”, denigrates the Fourth of July and what it’s meaning is and what it represents. Douglass’s purpose is to show his audience the meaning of Fourth of July to slaves. He adopts a pressing tone in order to show what slaves think and feel about the Fourth of July in his speech to the President, friends and the people of the US. Douglass throughout his speech lionizes the impact that Fourth of July has on slaves. According to his speech he says, “Attend the auction;see men examined like horses;see forms of women rudely and brutally exposed to the hocking gaze of American slave-buyers.

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A quote from Frederick Douglass’s speech, “This Fourth July is yours, not. You may rejoice, I must mourn”. Douglass points out that Fourth of July reminds the blacks of what they do not have, the whites get to celebrate but the black have nothing to celebrate. The fourth of July has no meaning to the slaves. Douglass passionately argues how unfair it was for people to celebrate their freedom when some are held captive and how the celebration of independence while allowing slavery is shameful.

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Mr. Frederick Douglass’s main point was slavery and that the celebration of Independence Day did not hold the same meaning for African Americans, free and slave, as it did for whites. He expressed that asking him to speak about the Fourth of July was a mockery. Mr. Douglass criticized the concept of celebrating independence in America. He questions how one can celebrate independence when African Americans were enslaved for years, oppressed and were not granted the same liberties and rights as those granted to whites. Mr. Douglass pointed out that slavery makes the celebrating of the Fourth of July disingenuous.

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Frederick Douglass’ speech titled “What, to the slave, is the fourth of July” perfectly works to change the audiences viewpoints on the nationwide issue of slavery. Set into the Northern town of Rochester, the abolitionist appeals to the senses of the pro emancipation group of white people gathered before him. Achieved through varied shifts in tone and different rhetorical devices, Douglass perfectly explains the pure irony that the town is conveying, exposing their hypocritical standpoint on the nation’s most freedom based holiday, the Fourth of July. Douglas opens his speech by uniting himself with the audience, making them feel as though they are part of the same social class, and almost immediately segregating them in the same breath. Douglas writes “Fellow Citizens; above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions” revealing to

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Frederick Douglass on July 4th ,1852 gave a speech titled “ What To The American Slave Is Your Fourth of July?” Douglass gave this speech in Rochester,Ny in front of a crowd of white Americans. Throughout his speech he questions the audience a lot. He wants them to see and understand the viewpoint of a black slave. Douglass does not consider the fourth of July a day to celebrate instead he says “This fourth of July is yours, not mine” “You may rejoice, I must mourn.”

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One could argue this subdermal move by Douglass is a work of logos, and while there are elements of all three rhetorical devices present throughout the speech, none of the argumentative moves that occur come to be without the emotional initiator holding up this argument. The language Douglass employs in the middle of this section also serves as a good example of his emotionally charged style. He appeals to the transformative power a nation has when it comes to treating the individual with respect, saying that there is no one who is so cold that “a nation’s sympathy could not warm him.” (Supplement, 135) Douglass places the burden of care on the nation but expects action to be carried out at the individual level.

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Douglass showed the people how they are hypocrites by how they oppressed the slaves in their nation, yet go to other nations demanding to free the oppressed people. For that reason, Douglass says, "This Fourth [of] July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To 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. Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak to-day?"

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In conclusion Fredrick Douglass uses logical appeal, ethical appeal and antithesis to support his claim about how white people are wrong to celebrate the Fourth of July when half the American population is still enslaved. This may leave the reader upset with how the past was hard for many black slaves who were mistreated and may leave them wanting to read more on how people solved this

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When most people hear the words “Fourth of July” they think about fireworks, cookouts, and sparklers. During the 1850’s, the Fourth of July served as a reminder of the many horrors and injustices in the world. On July 4, 1852, Frederick Douglass-- a former American slave, abolitionist leader and adroit speaker-- spoke in Rochester, New York about the affectation of celebrating independence. In his speech, “The Hypocrisy of American Slavery”, he claims celebrating independence is unethical when slavery is widespread. To convince the reader of his claim, he uses rhetorical questions, emotional appeal, and antithesis in hopes of shedding light and sparking action on the wrongful situation.

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A man born into slavery, Frederick Douglass, gives a speech which is based upon the ideals of the Founding Fathers. In Douglass’ speech of What to the Slave is the Fourth of July, he talks about what the Fourth of July means for America's black population and gives us many examples in his speech of what the Founding Fathers wanted for our country. He says the Fourth of July, “is the birthday of your National Independence, and of your political freedom.” His speech quickly shows how black slaves were treated unequally by the white American society. Douglass spoke on behalf of other slaves for their rights, which challenged American social policies regarding the declaration of independence, the constitution, and the bill of rights within his speech.

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Frederick Douglass’ speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” gave many enslaved and free African-Americans, and also white people, a new perspective of the national holiday Europeans created after gaining their freedom from Britain. Douglass’ main claim outlines and expresses in detail the hypocrisy of celebrating the fourth of July as a negro. Whilst it is intended to be a festive, patriotic day for most people living in America, to the enslaved black men and women, it is a slap in the face. He begins his speech by acknowledging the fact that America at the time had been independent from Britain for seventy-six years, and goes even further by commending the boldness of the men who fought for their freedom. Douglass starts the speech in such a respectful way, a strategic method used to captivate the attention of the people the speech is aim towards, in order for a change to take place.

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Frederic Douglass questions the principles of Declaration of Independence since it does not apply to him or those he represents. Douglass states that the Fourth of July is a celebration for the white American men where they celebrate their independence from Britain. This day represents justice, liberty, prosperity for white Americans not for black folks. He says do not expect a black people to celebrate the white ma’s freedom from tyranny and oppression is “inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony.” Douglass says that there no person on earth who would be in favor in becoming a slave.

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“What to a Slave is the Fourth of July” by Fredrick Douglass is a speech that was delivered to a crowd in Corinthian Hall on July 5th, 1852. Frederick Douglass was a very influential abolitionist, using his influence and way with words he delivered a very significant message illustrating how even though the Fourth of July has great importance to many, it still serves as a harsh reminder for many unfair and unjust things going on to enslaved people, through his speech he uses many different historical events to help convey his message and prove how he is correct in the matter, many of these points are even still applicable in the U.S today. Throughout the speech Douglass shows his distaste towards the United States. The country that advocates

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In Frederick Douglass’s The Meaning of Fourth of July for the Negro, he exposes the hypocrisy and iniquity that is infused into considerably one of the most prolific American moments in history known as The Fourth of July. Douglass, who was a former slave that eventually reached freedom, was invited to speak about what Fourth of July meant for the black population within America. Although Douglass provided much gratitude to the Founding Fathers for their courage and ability to oppose oppressive systems, he criticizes the American country for its involvement within slavery. Slavery served as the foundation that constructed America, allowing for it fuel the economy and develop into a cultural and political norm within society.

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