What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July Speech
analytical Essay
723 words
Every year on the Fourth of July, America celebrates its independence and the freedom of the citizens. Before emancipation, the Fourth of July holiday was celebrated by all American citizens with the exception of the people who were not free, the slaves. If not everyone in America was free, then how could freedom be celebrated. Frederick Douglass points out the irony in America 's Fourth of July in his speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”. Douglass uses immediate and larger context to present the purpose in his speech along with compelling use of ethos, logos, and pathos; his language and style displays his aggravation towards the celebration of the Fourth of July, making his speech highly effective. Frederick Douglass uses the immediate and larger context to show his view towards slavery in America. Douglas delivered this speech at a meeting for the Ladies Anti-Slavery Society, but Douglass intended his speech to immediately touch the heart of the American people and get them thinking. He was aiming to have his speech get around locally, but also heard by all Americans . He was condemning America as a nation for allowing slavery. By condemning the citizens, he was hoping that his speech would impress upon …show more content…
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how frederick douglass uses immediate and larger context to present the purpose in his speech, along with compelling use of ethos, logos, and pathos
- Analyzes how frederick douglass uses the immediate and larger context to show his view towards slavery in america. he intended his speech to immediately touch the heart of the american people and get them thinking.
- Analyzes how douglas invokes god and independence in context to get his point across effectively. by owning slaves, the men are not pursuing the values of their god.
- Analyzes how douglas shows his character by expressing logic and emotion in his speech to effectively use appeals of ethos and logos.
- Analyzes how douglass uses the appeal of logos to educate people on how unfair the slaves are treated.
- Analyzes how douglas utilizes language and style with organization, repetition, rhetorical questions, and tone to land an effective speech.
- Analyzes how frederick douglass crafted an effective speech through the use of immediate and larger context; his language and style include ethos, logos, pathos which demonstrates his irritation with the irony of independence day.
Douglas 's thesis statement was clearly stated at the beginning of his speech. He was very well organized with his speech by stating the issue at the beginning and digging deeper into the issue as the speech continued. He uses repetition with the phrase "What, am I to argue"(381) many times throughout his speech. He frequently uses rhetorical questions in his speech, such as, "Is it that slavery is not divine; that God didn 't establish it; that our doctors of divinity are mistaken?"(381) Douglas 's tone is formal; he is well spoken throughout his speech. There was no doubt what Douglass wanted to accomplish is his
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- analytical
- argumentative
- Summary Of What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of Julyanalytical essayn Frederick Douglass’ What to the Slave is the 4th of July, he presents a simple yet morally complex argument. In his letter, Douglass states that it is hypocritical for a country to celebrate its freedom and separation from another country, yet still have slavery alive and well in the United States. Morally, this issue is a pretty straightforward argument and the very definition of hypocritical. Douglass also touches upon his belief that all men and women are equal, as stated in the constitution, yet slaves are subhuman. Another topic touched on is the contributing factors that perpetuate the constant and unjust nature of how slaves are treated, such as religion, agricultural, and over all demeanor towards slaves.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how frederick douglass' "what to the slave is the 4th of july" is a simple yet morally complex argument.
- Explains that frederick douglass was an abolitionist and was taught by his owner's wife, sophia auld, the alphabet. he escaped slavery in 1838 and joined the african methodist episcopal zion church.
- Narrates how douglass purchased his freedom legally after publishing his autobiography, the north star, which was written in the basement of the ame zion church in new york.
- Analyzes how douglass' "what to the slave is the 4th of july" uses motifs and comparisons to argue that it's unjust and hypocritical for a country to celebrate its freedom while still having slaves.
- Analyzes how douglass argued that churches were segregated and perpetuated racism that helped keep slavery alive. he praises the constitution's writers, calling them revolutionaries, and concludes his speech optimistically.
- Concludes that although douglass had a noble cause, the era in which he fought rendered his points moot. there was too much interest in capitalism and making money for slavery to be out rightly abolished.
1195 wordsRead More - What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July Analysisargumentative essayFrederick Douglas’ What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? is an exquisite piece stating what it means to live in America and what America entirely means to a slave.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how douglas' speech and rogin's text have similarities that enable readers to see a vision of america from different perspectives and times.
- Analyzes how douglas' speech and rogin's text have differences among their text. douglas speaks about injustice done to the slaves and other minorities but doesn't act on it. he lists things that he thinks would help end slavery.
- Compares douglas' speech and rogin's writing style and content. douglas uses imagery, metaphors, and symbols to help better understand his speech.
- Compares frederick douglas' what to the slave is the fourth of july? and michael rogin's political repression in the united states.
- Compares the writing style of frederick douglas and michael rogin. both authors have done a tremendous job on stating what they think america means.
1316 wordsRead More - Frederick Douglass’ Fourth of July Speechanalytical essayOn July 5th of 1852, the Ladies Antislavery Society of Rochester requested that emancipated slave, Fredrick Douglass, speak for their celebration of the United States’ national independence. Douglass accepted this request and presented a powerful speech that explained and argued his true beliefs and feelings concerning this event. He considered their decision to request him as a speaker on that day to be a mockery of his past and of the ongoing status of blacks as slaves in America at the time. Nevertheless, Douglass skillfully constructed his speech utilizing various methods that forced his audience to take him seriously and think twice about the issue of slavery in America. His passion about the subject, his ability to captivate his audience, and his persuasive skills combine to form a clearly effective speech that continues to be studied to this day. Douglass warmed up his audience by commending the moral and patriotic excellence of their forefathers. He then delivered the argument of his speech which cleverly criticized the hypocrisy of the institution of slavery and those who tolerated or supported it. Yet, to conclude his speech, Douglass asserts that there is still hope for the young nation so as not to leave the audience completely discouraged. The way in which Douglass constructed and delivered this speech had a lasting impact and left his audience with an effectively argued point to consider.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how fredrick douglass, an emancipated slave, presented a powerful speech for the ladies antislavery society of rochester. his passion about the subject, his ability to captivate his audience, and his persuasive skills combine to form an effective speech.
- Analyzes how douglass was a well-known and self-educated orator who was respected by many making it more difficult for members of the audience to dismiss him or his message.
- Analyzes how douglass' rhetorical method of presenting his arguments proved the absurdity of any kind of counterargument.
- Analyzes the effectiveness and excellent structure of frederick douglass' fourth of july speech. his rhetorical arguments served as powerful rebuts to opposing contentions and forced his audience to consider the undeniable error in their nation's policy and approach regarding slavery.
- Analyzes how douglass was an optimist, but he gave his speech true strength in his well-supported critiques and arguments.
- Analyzes how douglass possessed an important awareness of his audience knowing that they included slaves and ranged from racist southern slave-owners to sympathetic northerners and corrupt clergyman to fierce abolitionists.
1397 wordsRead More - What to the Slave Is The Fourth Of July?analytical essayFrederick Douglass's "Fourth of July" Speech is the most famous speech delivered by the abolitionist and civil rights advocate Frederick Douglass. It attracted a crowd of between five hundred and six hundred. Douglass’s speech to the slaves on the Fourth of July served to show the slaves that there is nothing for them to celebrate. They were not free and the independence that the rest of the country celebrated did not apply to them.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that frederick douglass' "fourth of july" speech was the most famous speech delivered by the abolitionist and civil rights advocate.
- Analyzes how douglass tries to make white people consider the behavior of black people on independence day.
- Analyzes how douglass uses irony to ask the crowd what exactly is the fourth of july to african americans. he points out the nation's failure to live up to its promise of liberty for all.
- Analyzes how douglass displays the idea of realism by using the everyday african american person as the hero in "the meaning of fourth of july for the negro."
- Analyzes how douglass talks in both a religious and secular voice, expressing his wish to be free. he speaks about the ships with an angelic quality, saying they are "robed in purest white."
- Analyzes how douglass uses the language of our and yours to show that us became two different nations. 4th of july is a celebration for the them-white people- only.
- Explains that douglass' "fourth of july" speech came in the early years of the turbulent 1850s, which began with the fugitive slave act. advocates and opponents of slavery clashed again in 1854 when the kansas-nebraska act opened up those territories to slavery
- Concludes that frederick douglass was the best abolitionist and changed the way slavery was viewed forever. he persuaded people with his irony and symbols.
549 wordsRead More - Frederick Douglassanalytical essayRhetorically, Douglass was a master of irony, as illustrated by his famous Fourth of July speech in 1852: "This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn," he declared. Then he accused his unsuspecting audience in Roch...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that frederick douglass was born frederick augustus washington bailey on maryland's eastern shore in 1818. he was the son of a slave woman and her white master.
- Analyzes how douglass's life as a reformer ranged from the early 1840s to his attacks on jim crow and lynching in the 1890s.
- Analyzes how douglass was a master of irony, as illustrated by his famous fourth of july speech in 1852. he accused his unsuspecting audience of mockery for inviting him to speak.
- Describes how douglass welcomed the civil war in 1861 as a moral crusade against slavery.
- Opines that douglass became a symbol of his age and voice for humanism and social justice. his life and thought will always speak profoundly to the meaning of being black in america and the human calling to resist oppression.
- Evaluates the biography of frederick douglass, one of the 19th centuries's most famous writers and speakers on abolitionist and human rights causes.
560 wordsRead More - Frederick Douglass Ethos Pathos Logosanalytical essayAs a former slave, bereft of any free will, written words were all but unavailable to Frederick Douglass. Slaves were unable to tell their stories, to expose the dehumanization that their enslavement caused on both sides of the racial rift; so it was necessary for Douglass to fight tooth and nail to obtain the right to learn, and ultimately to narrate his own life story. Amongst the narration, multiple rhetorical strategies are integrated into the text in order to uncover the dehumanizing effect their mistreatment had on slaves during this time. His primary purpose is to educate those who are ignorant of the horrible conditions that slaves lived in and the cruelty that they suffer. He does this through the use of rhetorical devices such as anecdotes, irony and by further connecting to his audience with pathos and ethos. By using his own personal experiences as the subject of his argument, Douglass is able to make a strong and compelling case against slavery; at a time when it was socially unacceptable to do so.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how frederick douglass uses rhetorical strategies to expose the dehumanization of slaves during the racial rift. he uses anecdotes, irony, and pathos to make a compelling case against slavery.
- Analyzes how douglass uses irony to bring a point across to his audience, with the recounting of his own heritage.
- Analyzes how frederick's anecdote of sophia auld, the wife of one of douglass' owners, illustrates the corruptive power of slavery.
- Analyzes how douglass invokes the soul-touching effect that imagery has on his readers to convey the horrors that slaves like him experienced at the hand of their owners.
785 wordsRead More - The Life of Frederic Douglassanalytical essayThere are many key points that Douglass makes in his narrative to reinforce his argument against slavery. In the middle of his narrative Douglass notices how people change when a new power of entitlement is bestowed upon a person. A prime example of this change in character is when Mrs. Auld first met Douglass she was a kind and neutral human being around him. She treated Douglass almost with the same respect as a white man. When Mrs. Auld took Douglass into her custody as a slave her behavior toward him changed greatly. Douglass recalls this moment stating: "Th...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how frederick douglass' autobiography, narrative of the life of fredrick douglas, engraves to the readers about his personal struggles and thoughts about slavery.
- Analyzes how douglass depicts the character difference that corrupts mrs. auld when she has that type of power given to her
- Analyzes how douglass was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman who had no sorrow or suffering. slavery divested her of these heavenly qualities and hardened her heart into pure sin.
- Analyzes how douglass's knowledge of reading and writing made mr. auld uneasy and frightened. being educated is a form of higher class practice.
- Analyzes how douglass' argument against slavery is his notion of true christianity and false christianity.
- Analyzes how douglass's narrative and public speaking helped coagulate his all around image. his ability to tell his story through struggles and conflictions, enables readers and citizens during that time period a message of the evils of slavery.
1099 wordsRead More - Frederick Douglass' Views on Slaveryanalytical essayIn conclusion, Frederick used these key points in his narrative to attack the institution of slavery. The speeches he made using these points to white abolitionist astonished them because they did not imagine a slave had the mind capacity to speak this well. By doing so, Frederick Douglass became the outspoken leader for slaves in the abolitionist movement.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the quote epitomizes the philosophies of frederick douglass, who wanted everyone to be treated with dignity.
- Analyzes frederick's attack on slavery, arguing that slaves lose their identity by accepting that being a slave is the way life is and that there is nothing else to look forward to in life.
- Analyzes how frederick douglass argues that slavery has damaging effects on the slave master. mrs. auld is the prime example of this damaging effect.
- Analyzes frederick's claim that slavery is unchristian in his narrative. the raping of slave women, committing adultery, and brutality against slaves contradicts christian ethics.
- Concludes that frederick douglass used these key points in his narrative to attack the institution of slavery. the speeches he made using these points to white abolitionist amazed them because they didn't imagine slaves could speak this well.
856 wordsRead More - The Fourth Of Slavery: A Document Analysis Of Frederick Douglassanalytical essayFrederick Douglass’s speech was given to so many of his own people. The fact that Douglass speaks so harshly to them proves that he has passion for what he talks about through-out. “What to the slave is the Fourth of July”, compares and contrasts the different meanings the Fourth of July shared between Whites and African Americans. Douglass says “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim”. Frederick Douglass was not striving for the attention, he just wanted to get across that the Fourth of July is not a day of celebration to African Americans and the respect he shared with them, having once being a slave himself.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how frederick douglass made the most of his years after escaping from slavery in 1852. he spread his words against slavery through being a well-known writer.
- Analyzes how frederick douglass's speech was given to so many of his own people, demonstrating his passion for what he talks about through-out.
- Analyzes how frederick douglass was asked by rochester citizens to give a speech during their fourth of july celebrations in 1852.
- Analyzes how frederick douglass' autobiography explains what it was like to be a slave on july fourth. one of his masters believed whipping his slaves alarmed their fears.
- Analyzes how in frederick douglass' second autobiography, he says, "i was a slave. the fact was incomprehensible to me." he references the bible and applies it to his situation.
- Analyzes how frederick douglass took the opportunity to give a speech during the celebration of the fourth of july. he knew the past cannot be undone, but he will mourn for those who have sacrificed their freedom.
768 wordsRead More - Frederick Douglassanalytical essayOn July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass, an African-American ex-slave and abolitionist, delivered a speech in Rochester, New York at the city’s annual Fourth of July Celebration, to the citizens of Rochester. Allowing the people of Rochester only a day to immerse in the “patriotic” festivities of the Fourth of July, Douglass’ “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” challenges American ideals such as liberty, equality and justice, by providing arguments that examine the religious, moral and constitutional principles that the American people claim to abide by and glorify. Through rhetorical strategies such as repetition, pathos and logos, Douglass exposes the paradoxical nature of the Fourth of July.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how frederick douglass' "what to the slave is the 4th of july?" challenges american ideals such as liberty, equality and justice by providing arguments that examine the religious, moral and constitutional principles that the american people claim to abide by.
- Analyzes how frederick douglass uses repetition to emphasise his ideas. he connects his perspective of the holiday with their experience, while depersonalizing the 4th of july from the african-american society.
- Analyzes how douglass utilizes pathos when expressing to the audience how great and noble their fathers (who freed the united states from england) were.
- Analyzes how douglass indicates the hypocrisy of the americans in his generation through logical means. he attacks the thwarted christian ethics of white americans by inserting biblical references.
723 wordsRead More