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Rhetorical Devices In Mr Green Speech

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Mr. Green was able to persuade his fellow African Americans to join the Union forces by using an appeal to religious beliefs and duty , passionate tone, and motivating word choice. Greens speech was emotionally powerful which allowed Green to connect to his audience and unite them with the union forces. Mr. Green begins his speech preaching the duty all Americans have to love their country. Green says, “My country, right or wrong, I love thee still!” It is their duty to serve their country in any way they can according to Green. Green believes African Americans must show the world that they are filled with pride for their country and are willing to fight for the freedom the Union forces are trying to give them. Mr. Green attempts to persuade his fellow African Americans to fight if not for themselves, then for their duty to their fathers. Green explains that it is the duty of these men to create a better future in order to help make the past more bearable. Mr. Green appeals to the men’s sense of family duty by writing, “... let not the honor and glory achieved by our fathers be blasted or sullied by a want of true heroism among their sons.” Green continues on to …show more content…

He constantly uses the phrase “let us” to unite the African Americans and Union army without directly doing so. A direct order is more likely to be considered a threat and not be followed compared to a generalization like “let us,” which also includes himself. Including himself allows for the African Americans to see his desire to fight for the reasons he is preaching. Green also strategically anticipates certain rebuttals to his want of the African Americans joining the war to fight for an oppressive government, but he silences them by beginning his argument with “It is true.” He wants the African Americans to realize he too understands the problems with the government but he is still willing to

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