Rhetorical Analysis Of Chief Joseph's Speech

In 1775, Patrick Henry wrote a persuasive speech in order to address the issue of whether or not to fight for independence from Britain. Many American-born representatives didn’t need much persuasion, but it took a lot of persuasive tactics to convince the Loyalists. These tactics were used to add flow to his speech, to depict vivid images in his audience's’ minds, to give supporting evidence to his argument, and many more. In Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention,” Henry was able to convince the Loyalists to go to war with Britain with his use of rhetorical devices including allusions, imagery, parallelism, and ethical appeal.

In the oration, Speech to the Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry, a passionate politician, beseeches House of Burgesses to go to war against England and finally be free from such a controlling country. He develops this claim by first introducing himself and his character by using ethos, then asking rhetorical questions to further his point and try to convince the audience to be more optimistic, and finally by using imagery to explain that they no longer have a choice and they must be prepared for the war. Henry’s purpose is to persuade the House of Burgesses to fight against Great Britain in order to gain independence and no longer be a part of a toxic country. He established a passionate and grave tone for the representatives of Virginia to

In Patrick Henry’s “Speech of the Virginia Convention”, he tries to persuade colonists to fight a war against the English. When Patrick Henry delivered his speech, it was a time of rebellion He did this speech to tell the people, there is no other option, but to go to war. To persuade the people, he must use several main rhetorical devices. For example, he uses these rhetorical devices, to appeal to the people: ethos, pathos, and parallelism. He does a good job throughout this speech convincing people to go to war. One quote that ties the whole speech together is, “Give me liberty, or give me death.” In this quote, Henry says that he would rather die, than live in a world, with no freedom.

During the 1770s, Britain had multiple conflicts with the colonists, leading to a strained relationship between Britain and its colonies. Talk of revolution and rebellion began to unite the colonies and their people with a common passion. Patrick Henry, a Virginian orator, uses moving words that had influences on the rise of the revolution. In Henry’s famous speech he persuades the House of Burgesses in opposition to the Stamp Act. Henry exclaims, “‘We must fight! I repeat it, sir we must fight!’” (Henry 72). He encourages the Virginian legislature to stand and revolt against British tyranny and oppression. Henry’s use of literary elements in this speech makes all the difference on the impact and influence that Henry’s words have over his listeners. His use of metaphors and repetition give his speech a more lasting effect and feeling in

Before the American Revolution, unified resistance against governmental tyranny was an unknown to prosperous colonies. In 1775, Patrick Henry’s legendary speech to the Virginia Convention delegates inspires many to take arms against British despotism. Through the rhetorical strategies of allusion and diction, Henry urges the necessity for war against an unwanted government and advocates for the natural born rights of every colonist.

Chief Joseph’s, An Indian’s Perspective and Helen Hunt Jackson’s, A Century of Dishonor both come from contrasting perspectives. However, both passages share a common goal of peace and equality in the United States. Both, Joseph and Jackson understood the mistreatments of American Indians under the control of “white men”. The main difference between the two was that Chief Joseph was an actual American Indian and Jackson was only a “white woman” who sympathized with the American Indians. Chief Joseph, was a courageous leader of a large tribe called Nez Percé whose ultimate goal was to live in peace.

At a tense meeting in a church in Richmond, Virginia, away from the watchful eyes of Britain, Patrick Henry began to deliver a rousing speech to the Second Convention of Delegates. His passion was tangible to the audience as he called the delegates to action. His speech was memorable to everyone in the room and powerful in convincing the delegates to support the war. Little did he know that this speech would continue to be known for its power and persuasion for generations to come. Throughout Patrick Henry's speech, he emphasized the necessity to act against Britain and support the war, but he did so in a way that was unavoidably persuasive. Henry used emotional appeal, metaphors, and rhetorical questions in order to convince the delegates

In 1775, the colonists of the American colonies were divided over the issue of revolution against the oppressing British parliament. To many, revolution was a radical plan that should be saved for a later time. However, young minds, such as the patriotic Patrick Henry, sought to seek freedom from the subjection in order to form a new nation where citizens could express their natural-born rights. In his speech at the Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry forcefully influences the audience through use of diction, figurative language, and allusions in order to confront them with their current position of danger in the face of the inevitable British invasion.

Throughout history, historical events have been relived and experienced by many in the present day through various scriptures and texts. From shocking testimonies, and inspirational speeches to intriguing journal entries, and questionable declarations, literature has allowed society, no matter the time, to go back and learn about past events that helped define the present society. Through these pieces of literature and their literary devices, readers are able to immerse themselves into the past by exposing themselves to historical figures’ persuasions and intentions through their creations. One of these pieces of literature that demonstrates these qualities is Patrick Henry’s Address to the Virginia Convention written in 1775. In Patrick Henry’s speech, he uses literary devices, such as diction, tone and syntax, to help the readers understand and relate to the author’s purpose in calling the Virginia Convention to action for one of the most historical moments in United Stated history, the American Revolution. The author uses these literary devices to persuade and encourage rebellious behavior in the audience, by creating a unifying, inspirational and rebellious tone to get them to support America’s impending fight for freedom, liberty and independence from British oppression.

Have you ever heard of or known someone in your life who has been controlling you? Someone who makes all of your decisions for you, regardless of your opinion? That person makes you feel inferior, like your opinion does not matter, like you aren’t important. Nobody deserves to feel that way, which is why people should be allowed to make their own decisions.

In this essay, I hope to convince the reader that Patrick Henry’s speech “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” given on March 23rd, 1775, at the third Virginia convention, held in St. John 's Church in Richmond, was the best argument to encourage American colonists to support the cause of independence from Britain. The main reason Patrick Henry’s speech was so effective was through his use of emotion and logic to convince colonists’ that they were dealing with the question of whether they are content with continuing to be slaves of England or if they truly desire the freedom that independence would provide them. Key points of his argument I will go into depth about include the British military presence in America surveying the colonists every move and intimidating them, the ways colonists had tried to reason and work with Britain in order to avoid having to declare independence, his assurance that the colonies already are strong enough to challenge their right to independence from England, and that preservation of liberty is worth fighting and dying to retain.

In 1775, the citizens of colonial America were under distress due to the pressure coming from Great Britain. The citizens wanted liberties, however, the country as a whole was reluctant to push the issue to a point of initiating war. In his speech at the Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry argues how war is crucial for Americans to gain the liberties they pursue by explaining that British invasion is inescapable and illustrating how the citizens are ready and prepared to fight.

Have you ever thought of being on the run from an intense army ? Well , in this speech from Chief Joseph , he explains how is army has been killed and majority of his people have ran away to the hills because of the cold weather upon them. He is also worried because the young men now have to step up and lead the chiefs in an innovative direction. This has put him in a heartfelt situation where he now wants to put a cease to fighting , and find his children for the good of his sake. In contrast , he uses three rhetorical devices to release his thoughts and feelings from the outcome from fighting.

Chief joseph was one of the most courageous men alive. He was March 3, 1840, Wallowa County, Oregon, OR. When the United States attempted to force the Nez Perce to move to a reservation in 1877, he reluctantly agreed. Following the killing of a group of white settlers, tensions erupted again, and Chief Joseph tried to lead his people to Canada, in what is considered one of the great retreats in military history”(Biography.com). His name tribal name was Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt which translate to “Thunder Rolling Down a Mountain.” After his dad died in 1871, “Chief Joseph assumed his father's leadership role as well as the positions he'd staked out for his people”(Biography).”As tensions mounted, the three chiefs sensed that violence was imminent.”

The prominent patriot Patrick Henry once said, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” (Henry 7) implying that a life without liberty is not a righteous life. Henry’s quote is included in his popular oratory “Speech to the Virginia Convention.” While discussing with the colonists, Henry lists all of the discrepancies the thirteen colonies had with Great Britain, concluding that there is no other option, but to retaliate instantaneously. In Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention,” he utilizes amplifying loaded words and coherent parallelism in order to influence the assembly to unify and reciprocate.