Question

what is the main argument in douglass speech, and how does he use rhetorical devices to advance that argument

Answer 1

The main argument in "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" is that slavery is immoral and that the Declaration of Independence does not represent everyone. Douglass uses ethos by evoking the authority of the Declaration of Independence and its assertion that "all men are created equal." He uses logos by arguing that enslaved people are human beings, which is an indisputable fact. He uses pathos by describing the lives of enslaved African Americans in ways that invite his audience to feel empathy; he challenges them to think about what it would be like to live as someone who is enslaved.

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Answer 2

Frederick Douglass' speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" delivered in 1852, makes a powerful argument against the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom and independence while slavery still exists in America. Douglass uses rhetorical devices such as irony, repetition, and rhetorical questioning to advance his argument.

Throughout the speech, Douglass employs irony to expose the contradiction between the celebration of freedom and the reality of slavery. For example, he states that "This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn." By acknowledging the significance of the holiday while also highlighting the pain and suffering of slaves, Douglass emphasizes the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom while denying it to others.

Douglass also uses repetition to emphasize his argument. He repeats phrases such as "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" and "Are the great principles of political freedom and natural justice embodied in that Declaration of Independence extended to us?" These repetitions serve to reinforce his point and challenge the audience to consider the true meaning of freedom and independence.

Finally, Douglass uses rhetorical questioning to engage the audience and force them to confront the reality of slavery. He asks questions such as "What, then, remains to be argued?" and "What to the American slave is your Fourth of July?" By posing these questions, Douglass demands that the audience consider the plight of slaves and their exclusion from the freedoms celebrated on the Fourth of July.

Overall, Douglass' main argument in his speech is that the celebration of freedom and independence on the Fourth of July is hollow and hypocritical while slavery still exists in America. He uses rhetorical devices such as irony, repetition, and rhetorical questioning to challenge the audience and demand that they confront the reality of slavery.

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