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Rhetorical Analysis Of Sojourner Truth's Ain T I A Woman

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Amid the rise of women’s rights activism in 1851, Sojourner Truth rose to address a speech so powerful, it resonated throughout history and culture, sparking others to help in the quest for equality and justice. Speaking to a crowd at the Women’s Rights convention in Akron, Ohio, Truth, an African American woman and former slave, condemned the injustices that African Americans faced with logic cut through pretenses and prejudices. “Ain’t I a woman?” Is a persuasive argument that seeks to dismantle society’s views that oppress these groups through the tactical use of rhetorical devices. Using methods such as rhetorical questions, repetition, and the combination of ethos, pathos, and logos, Truth argues for the equality of women and emphasizes …show more content…

This rhetorical question has brought out the contradiction of societal attitudes towards black women based on race and gender, and how unfounded that is with every use of the question. It works as a perfect strategy to lay bare the perceived logic that underlines inequality, and makes it seem ridiculous compared to existing norms. In her speech, Truth also uses repetition to great effect, giving the full weight of both pathos and rhetorical devices to her demand for equal treatment and to be considered equal. She shows her strong physical and emotional character time and again, most powerfully through lines like, “I have ploughed and planted, and no man could head me!”, strongly disproving the stereotype of woman weakness. All these examples of repetition confirm not just the fact that she could do the tasks of a man, but highlight the underlying strength that any woman, regardless of their race or position in life, has. Finally, Truth brings out the best, braiding ethos, pathos, and logos together to make a strong argument for women’s and African Americans’

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To persuade the thought of a fresh civilization, Sojourner Truth's applies repetition of the rhetorical question "Ain't I a woman? " This proposal jabs at men's cruel demeanor and strengthens the call to action for women. The orator recites this question multiple times to forge an influential stance and to stress her message that women are as capable as men. In response, the advocated crowd reflects on Truth's demand and displays a call to action against the prejudice society.

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“I think that ‘twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon” (Truth). Right off the bat she introduces her intention of finding harmony among everyone men, women, blacks, whites. Finally she ends the speech with a powerful tool for inspiring her audience to act on this topic of inequality, saying “ if the first women God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again!” (Truth). Saying that if these women stand together for what they believe, for what they feel is right they cannot fail.

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Has someone ever proved you wrong on your first impression of him or her? Imagine that small kid in the back of class that never spoke a whisper, you would never imagine that he or she would speak on all of the things they observed in their silence. That is what sojourner truth did with the speech she recited at the women’s right convention in 1851. Truth did not just write down her feelings and thoughts on a pad without planning or coordination. Truth lied this speech out with rhetorical devices to create multiple effects effect on the audience using pathos, ethos, allusions, etc.

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Sojourner Truth’s The speech “Aint I a Women “was given it name delivered extemporaneously (1797-1883) born in slavery in New York state, after gaining her freedom she became a well know anti –slavery speaker .You ask what is the purpose of speech well the purpose of this speech is to persuade audience of women rights. The purpose was to convince the audience those women and men’s both are equal and should have equal rights. The speech was given on June, 21, 1851, the speech was made form a women who fought for women’s right.

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Discrimination has been something the world has struggled with ever since the creation of social classes. The speech, “Ain’t I a Woman” uses urgent and emotional tactics to spread awareness of the difficulties women face daily. In the Woman’s Rights Convention of 1851, Sojourners Truth, an abolitionist, and an activist for civil and women’s rights, effectively argues in favor of women’s rights using counterargument and repetition. For instance, Sojourners Truth uses repetition to persuade her audience to support women’s rights. Using repetition helps the audience understand the importance of her message, the importance of the challenges she’s faced.

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Now in the excerpt, the sojourner truth is being introduced, and she is saying how she can do as much, and even more than a man can. She’s also trying to prove to these white men that she can be better. I have as much muscle as any man and can do as much work as any man I’ve plowed, reaped, and husked and chopped and mowed, and a man can do more than that” (Truth 552). She used her words to go and talk to a group of white men who wouldn’t listen to her, but she used her words to change their minds. And help them understand, and give them more rights.

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The readers of this piece can sense the anger expressed her about the views of the black community and that first line shows that this piece will continue to be as hard hitting as the beginning lines. Another powerful line in the same piece would be a line that talks about being a black woman is not a misfortune on her behalf and is calling out the people who view the black community as

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(reason 1 oppression) If you look at Sojourner Truth’s (a ohia women that lived in 1851) speech “Ain’t I a woman” it gives a insight on how oppression can motivate people to change. (reason ½) If you look in Sojourner Truth’s speech, you can find in paragraph 2, signs of oppression and its willingness for change, grow. “Women need to be helped into carriages and lifted over ditches….. Nobody ever helps me into carriages and lifted over ditches, or gives me any best place.

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In particular, throughout her speech she consistently states, “And ain’t I a women?” (Truth).. This is a very powerful statement with a lot of meaning to it and shows Truths confidence in herself as a woman. Not only is she standing up for herself, she is standing up for all women, ignoring the false perceptions men may have on them. Truth strongly believes that we, men and women are equal, and women are worthy of all a man is.

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