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Read the following excerpt from a 1775 speech by Patrick Henry in which he presents his ideas concerning the American colonists' relationship with Great Britain:

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the house? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss.
Which best explains the purpose of the rhetorical device used in this excerpt?
A. The imagery of the British receiving the petition with a smile illustrates ambiguity of the situation.
B. The strong appeal to pathos urges the audience to follow their passions rather than their reason.
C. The metaphor of a lamp to represent experience implies that Henry has an authoritative awareness of the topic.
D. The allusion to Judas's betrayal of Jesus with a kiss appeals to the audience's sense of logic.

User Atomizer
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2 Answers

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Answer:

A. The imagery of the British receiving the petition with a smile illustrates ambiguity of the situation.

Step-by-step explanation:

APEXX

User Grant Winney
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3 votes

Answer:

C.

Step-by-step explanation:

"Give me liberty or give me death!" is the speech delivered by Patrick Henry on March 23, 1775. The speech was given to persuade the convention that they should allow the Virginian troops to be send off to the war with Germany.

A metaphor is a comparison of two unrelated things or ideas that shares some commonalty.

In his speech, Henry had used the rhetorical device of metaphor, in which he is comparing his experiences to lamp. This use of device tells that Henry had an authoritative awareness of the topic that he is speaking about.

So, The correct option is C.

User Matt Wilko
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