Sojourner Truth’s Truths Even the most subtle variations in transcriptions of the same speech can make a big difference. Sojourner Truth was a former slave, abolitionist, and women’s rights activist. In 1851 at the Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, Sojourner Truth gave a speech. Her speech, Ain’t I a Woman was meant to persuade society that women of color and white men are the same. Truth gave this speech orally and never wrote it down. The written records of the speech are not word for word. There are two most famous versions of her speech. While both versions of the speech carry a similar message, the author's purpose and audience of both are vastly different. The Bugle version of Truth’s speech was changed to be more palatable to the general public and men. The Independent version empathizes less with the readers, urging the …show more content…
Why children, if you have women's rights give it to her and you will feel better” (Truth). In the Bugle version, Truth uses less pathos speaking about her emotions. Instead, she uses pathos by speaking about the audience’s emotions. By empathizing with the readers, instead of forcing them to empathize with her, she does not force the audience to change their perspective. In the independent version, Truth urges the audience to empathize with her saying, “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud- puddles, or gives me any best.” (Truth) In the other version, she gets the audience to connect with her, as she shares the negative experiences she has had. This esolidifies her claim that women who aren't white are not treated as well. By forcing the reader to empathize with her in this version, Truth makes the audience use a new perspective. This is more effective, giving the audience no room to deny her