ipl-logo

The Fourth Of July Summary

467 Words2 Pages

Hunger, Katie SR “The Fourth of July” Background Audre Lorde was a New York born, self described “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet.” A lot of her work addressed issues with racism, sexism, and homophobia. Not only did Lorde write a lot of poetry, but from a young age she replied to people by quoting poetry that she had memorized. Lorde’s nickname is “Gamba Adisa” which means “Warrior: she who makes her meaning clear.” She took the name in an African naming ceremony. Summary “I always hated the Fourth of July, even before I came to realize the travesty such a celebration was for Black people in this country” (10). In her piece, “The Fourth of July,” author Audre Lorde and her family took a trip to visit the nation’s capital over the Fourth of July holiday. The Lorde family traveled from their home to Washington, D.C. by train. Lorde wanted to eat food from the dining car, but her mother said it was too expensive when in reality Blacks were not allowed to eat in dining cars on a south bound train in …show more content…

This was one of the most thoughtfully constructed pieces we have read. Obviously, I can not relate to race issues, but Lorde’s writing style is so personal it makes it easy to read and imagine being in her shoes. Her point of view was refreshing. Craft This was the first piece of Lorde’s writing that I have read. She used several rhetorical devices throughout “The Fourth of July,” but imagery was the most prevalent. Lorde emphasized colors such as the “violently yellow” cupcakes and the “white mottled marble counter” (p. 139). Also, the repetition of the word white in paragraph 20 caused me to stop and pay attention to exactly what she was saying. A lot of this appealed to the reader’s pathos. The details made Lorde’s narrative seem more real and more reliable which supports her

Show More
Related

Hypocrisy Of Slavery Rhetorical Devices

1032 Words | 5 Pages

In 1776, on July 4th, the 13 English colonies officially declared their freedom from England. However, as the years progressed, slavery became incorporated into everyday American life. In 1852, former slave Frederick Douglass gave a speech to celebrate America’s independence; however, instead of praising the country, he censured Americans for saying they were a “country of the free”. In the speech, Hypocrisy of American Slavery, Frederick Douglass declares that Americans should not be celebrating their freedom when there are slaves living in the country. To convince his audience that Americans are wrong celebrating freedom on the 4th of July when slavery exists in their country, he uses emotional appeal, ethical appeal, and rhetorical questions.

Read More

Similarities And Differences Of Martin Luther King Jr And Frederick Douglass

873 Words | 4 Pages

Although a century apart, Martin Luther King Jr’s Letter from Birmingham Jail and Frederick Douglass’s What to a Slave is the fourth of July are kindred spirits. Notwithstanding the many differences in their respective writing styles, deep down the essence of the message conveyed is still very much the same. Both Martin Luther King Junior and Frederick Douglas had similar beliefs and concepts related to the treatment of the African American community. They both describe a tough yet heart breaking situation that makes them question their moral values and doubt the system and its ability to change for better.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Frederick Douglass

828 Words | 4 Pages

He questions his audience of the significance of Independence Day to slaves, and he answers it in an extremely contrasting way: “your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; … your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery,” that the celebration is “a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages.” Douglass dismisses the national pride, characterizing it as a mere expression of people’s ignorance. The antithesis, with “greatness” being “vanity,” “sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless,” and “shouts of liberty and equality” being “hollow mockery,” provokes shock and anger from the audience, who have just been part of it and are now degraded as “savages.” However, Douglass was not trying to be inflammatory but provocative, witnessing the pathetic enthusiasm in the anniversary, that people feel exuberant about themselves while ignoring the saddening

Read More

Rhetorical Devices In The Fourth Of July

1056 Words | 5 Pages

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.

Read More

Rhetorical Questions In The Hypocrisy Of American Slavery

1074 Words | 5 Pages

Many people when they hear the words “Fourth of July” they think about fireworks, cookouts, and sparklers! During the 1850’s it is a day that reminded many of the horrors and injustices in the world. On July 4, 1852 Frederick Douglass, a former American slave and an abolitionist leader, spoke in Rochester, New York about the affectation of celebrating independence. In his speech, “The Hypocrisy of American Slavery” he claims celebrating independence when there are slaves widespread is unethical. To convince the reader of his claim he uses rhetorical questions, word choice and antithesis in hopes to shed light and spark action on the wrongful situation.

Read More

The Influence Of Frederick Douglas's Speech On The Institution Of Slavery

147 Words | 1 Pages

Frederick Douglass's speech was powerful and full of emotions that expressed how he felt about the institution of slavery. The 4th of July celebrates the independence and freedom of those who are white. It is not the freedom of the enslaved population that is claimed to be the property of others. The Independence of Americans is not the true freedom of the enslaved. Slavery was a cruel injustice against a race that provoked no one.

Read More

Meaning Of The July Fourth For The Negro By Frederick Douglass

1110 Words | 5 Pages

Douglass expresses to his spectators, while they dwell in the luxurious ability to partake in this joyous celebration of freedom for a nation, not everyone in that nation is sharing in the celebration. In The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro, he writes “The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you and not by me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn” (Douglass 1).

Read More

Summary Of What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July

582 Words | 3 Pages

What to the Slave is the Fourth of July Introduction The 4th of July is an important day in American history it represents freedom and is usually associated with fireworks, parades, alcohol, and concerts. Those activities more or less represent today’s culture. When Fredrick Douglass made his speech he talked about American values such as liberty, citizenship, and freedom. The irony of this speech was that at the time white Americans in the south were still participating in slave trading.

Read More

In The Uses Of Anger By Audre Lorde

811 Words | 4 Pages

In the 1980’s black women are faced with a lot pressure in society, Because women of color are both women and racial minorities, they face more pressure in which lower economic opportunities due to their race and their gender. This pressure is reflected both in the jobs available to them and in their lower pay. Also because they are women of color they are likely to be the giver of the house and also within the families. Through the use of anecdotes,rhetorical questions, anaphora, ethos and metaphors, "In The Uses of Anger: Women Responding to Racism, Audre Lorde argues that women of color need to respond to racism with anger spurred from their fear and that not a bad thing depends on how anger is portrayed.

Read More

What To The American Slave Is Your 4th Of July By Frederick Douglass

437 Words | 2 Pages

The celebration of the 4th of July was a “sham” to the blacks because they were not as fortunate as the white Americans to have been “torn from [their] chains of servitude.” Douglass sought to bring attention to the inequality still suffered by the black slaves in America in comparison to the freedom experienced by the white citizens. “The conscience of the nation must be roused,” proclaimed Douglass as a final effort to spark social change in

Read More

What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July Analysis

793 Words | 4 Pages

What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? Throughout his sermon, What to the Slave is the Fourth of July, Fredrick Douglass devotedly argued that to the slave and even the liberated African American, the Fourth of July was nothing more than a holiday of a mockery of the crudest kind. Through his use of several rhetorical devices and strategies, Douglass conveyed his perspective on the concerning matter as if he were the voice of the still enslaved, both physically and logically. Prevalently, he presented an effectively argued point using ethos, logos, and pathos through credible appeals, convincing facts and statistics, and by successfully employing emotional appeals.

Read More

The Fourth Of July Rhetorical Analysis

1025 Words | 5 Pages

Many people when they hear the words “Fourth of July” they think about fireworks, cookouts, and sparklers! During the 1850’s it is a day that reminded many of the horrors and injustices in the world. On July 4, 1852 Frederick Douglass, a former American slave and an abolitionist leader, spoke in Rochester, New York about the affectation of celebrating independence. In his speech, “The Hypocrisy of American Slavery” he claims celebrating independence when there are slaves widespread is unethical. To convince the reader of his claim he uses rhetorical questions, word choice and anthesis in hopes to shed light and spark action on the wrongful situation.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Hypocrisy Of American Slavery

1025 Words | 5 Pages

In 1776, on July 4th, the 13 English colonies officially declared their freedom from England. However, as the years progressed, slavery became incorporated into everyday American life. In 1852, Frederick Douglass, a former slave, was called upon to deliver a speech to celebrate America’s independence; however, he censured Americans for saying they were a “country of the free”. In the speech, Hypocrisy of American Slavery, Frederick Douglass declares that Americans should not be celebrating their freedom when there are slaves living in the country. He uses emotional appeal, ethical appeal, and rhetorical questions to convince his audience that Americans are wrong celebrating freedom on the 4th of July when slavery exists in their country.

Read More

Analysis Of The Fourth Of July

762 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More

Analysis Of Poetry Is Not A Luxury By Audre Lorde

526 Words | 3 Pages

“Poetry Is Not a Luxury” (1982) intertwines feminism and poetry together. Author Audre Lorde says that for women, “poetry is not a luxury, but a necessity of our existence” (Lorde, 1982, pg. 281). In today’s society, women’s opinions aren’t really expressed, because it’s not widely accepted in this man-built world. Lorde’s quote “poetry is not a luxury, but a necessity of our existence” means that women should use their voices and channel their energy into poetry. Since poetry is accepted, women aren’t being deviant.

Read More

More about The Fourth Of July Summary

Open Document