Rhetorical Analysis Of This Fourth Of July

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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. The tone of Douglass during his speech starts off by drawing the audience in and warming up to them by stating that he nervous but, as the speech continues he becomes angrier and passionate, trying to reach his point. He was addressing the people who were