FREDERICK DOUGLASS’S

“WHAT TO THE SLAVE IS THE 4TH OF JULY”

DESIREE’ MILTONCOMM. 165

POWERPOINT PROJECT

FREDERICK DOUGLASS

» CELEBRATED SPEAKER » FORMER SLAVE WHO ESCAPED

AND FLED TO ENGLAND» ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT LINCOLN» ACTIVE FIGURE DURNING TE

WOMEN’S RIGHTS MOVEMENT

THESIS OF HIS SPEECH

» THERE IS NO REASON TO CELEBRATE THE 4TH OF JULY; IT WOULD BE HYPOCRITICAL OF HIM BECAUSE THE DOCUMENT IS NOT REPRESENTING ALL THEY ARE CELEBRATING

THE ORGAINZATION OF THE SPEECH

» PAST- REVOLUTION FROM ENGLAND

» PRESENT- SLAVERY IS STILL BEING PRACTICED

» FUTURE- SLAVERY WILL END BUT IF NOT COULD CRUMBLE AMERICA

LANGUAGE

» HE TALKS ABOUT WHAT SLAVERY WAS TO HIM

» HE TALKS ABOUT THE SLAVE TRADE

» HE USES METAPHORS AND REFERS TO SLAVERY AS A SNAKE ON AMERICA’S BOOSOM.

RHETORICAL QUESTIONS

» “WOULD YOU HAVE ME ARGUE THAT MAN IS ENTITLED TO LIBERTY?” (48)

» “MUST I DECLARE THE WRONGFULNESS OF SLAVERY?” (48)

» “IS THAT A QUESTION FOR REPUBLICANS?” (48)

WHY THESE LANGUAGE CHOICES?

» PERIODIC SENTENCES» HE TRIES TO OVERLOAD HIS AUDIENCE

(49)» HE PLAYS INTO THEIR IDEAS OF WHO

AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE (EX: UNEDUCATED, DEPENDENT ON WHITES)

WHY THESE LANGUAGE CHOICES?

» A FORTIORI ARGUMENT- HE ARGUES IN HIS SPEECH THAT EVEN BRUT BEASTS RECOGNIZE THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE HUMAN BEINGS (48)

WHY THESE LANGUAGE CHOICES?

» REVERSAL- HE ARGUES THAT THE UNITED STATES IS A COUNTRY FULL OF SAVAGES (53)

» HE MAKES THEM SEE THAT THEY ARE DOING TO THE BLACKS AS THE ENGLISH DID TO THEM.

RHEOTRICAL FUNCTION

» COGNITIVE DISSONANCE WAS CREATED BY DOUGLASS BECAUSE OF INCONSISTENCIES HE CREATS IN HIS SPEECH.

» AUDIENCE DEALS WITH DISSONCANCE BY DISCREDITING THE SOURCE, FIND NEW INFO, OR CHANGES BELIEF, ATTITUDE OR BEHAVIOR.

RHETORICAL ENACTMANT

» DOUGLASS = POWERFUL SPEAKER.» HE SPEECH WAS WELL THOUGHT

OUT.» IN HIS SPEECH HE REFUTED ALL

ARGUMENTS HIS AUDIENCE HAD AGAINST HIM; THEY WERE FORCED TO LISTEN.