On March 23,1775 Patrick Henry convinced colonists to fight against Britain by using four rhetorical devices which were allusion, imagery, one-word sentences and rhetorical questions.He did this by reading his famous speech called “the Virgina Convention speech”. These four devices helped Patrick Henry convinced many people that were still not willing to go to war. Patrick Henry purpose for using allusion was to helped him connect with the listeners. “Listen to the song of the siren till she transforms us into beast.” ( 263 ). This connects with the listeners because it is a well know story of the time and it helped him not be to harsh but still get the point through. Another example would be when he uses the Christian New Testament. “suffer …show more content…
“We are apt to shut our eyes to a painful truth” (264). He uses this because he knows that this will help them open their eyes and face the truth.Another example would be when said “ They are sent to bind and rivet upon us with those chains… " ( 265). He said this because if they do not do anything about their problem then they're basically chained by the British and if they do not face it they will be under the control their forever.He uses this to show that they are like slaves in imprisonment. Patrick Henry utilized one -word sentences to put emphases on his ideas about going to war. For instance, when he said “Nothing” ( 264). This demonstrates the idea that they have done so much and nothing has changed. This helps him gain more trust and respect because all the information he is giving is true. They have tried everything and the British keep omitting them because in the British eyes they are nothing. By saying this Patrick Henry composed a great amount of confidence. He tries to disprove the opposing side by using many rhetorical questions. “And what have we to oppose them? shall we try arguments? Sir,we have been trying that for the past ten years. Have we anything new to offer on the subject”
Through the use of diction, Henry appeals to the senses by making logical connections for the audience and by appealing to the audiences credibility. By doing this he the audience receives his message better because Henry captivates their attention. Henry utilizes figurative language in order to instill a sense of urgency in the audience. He wants the audience to also believe that a war with Great Britain is necessary. Henry connects the audience with their religion through rhetorical devices, such as allusions.
Lawyer and politician, Patrick Henry in his speech, “Give me Liberty Or Give Me Death” (March 23, 1775), explains that he give this plea to urge the old dominion to form militias to defend itself against British. He supports his claim by first using a religious reference to express the themes of freedom, equality, and independence. Then uses a selection of other strategies like rhetorical question and allusion to disprove the opposing arguments and clarify the point he is making. Patrick Henry purpose is to fight back and he wants other to fight with him in order for independence. He creates a powerful and commanding tone for the second Virginia convention.
He goes throughout his entire speech asking a plethora of questions such as “Have we anything new to offer to the subject?” By the constant use of rhetorical questions, it allows the audience the opportunity to formulate their own answers. However, Henry quickly debunks their answers with the use of short, declarative statements. “Nothing.” He leaves no room for argument.
He uses ethos to persuade the audience by saying "sir were not ewak", reference to God, the credibility when he talks about God. God is a more credible person than the king. Patrick henry uses questions towards the audience like "are fleets and armies necessary to work of love and reconciliation?" He gets the audience to believe that his decision is a good decision, and that he can bring any fight or war and win like it was nothng.
Drawing upon his established ethos, Henry alludes to the Bible, implying that if the Convention ignored him they would face destruction. Henry develops this idea of destruction throughout his speech, creating an emotional sense of fear and urgency around his argument with words such as “snare,” “war and subjugation,” “chains,” and “tyrannical.” Despite this heavy pathos throughout his speech, Henry also incudes logic, speaking of how he must judge the future by the past, and for that reason can only find proof that Britain will continue to mistreat the Colonies. He additionally utilizes logos through recounting all the acts they have tried so far, which had all been in vain, as well as through a series of “if… then” statements, such as “if we wish to be free… [then] we must
Rhetorical Analysis Convincing people of something or to do something is not an easy task but Patrick Henry's “Speech to the Second Virginia Convention” shows how well someone can persuade people when they trust you, appeal to their emotions, or back up what you are saying with facts...ethos, pathos, and logos. The purpose of this speech is to persuade the colonist to fight against the british. Patrick is talking to the members of the virginia convention and what they need to do to become free. Patrick Henry uses ethos to help convince the audience that he knows what he's talking about and how they should trust him.
During this time, religion was very important so it was very crucial for Patrick Henry to mention this in his speech, because it was a main appeal everyone had in common. Finally, Patrick Henry uses the rhetorical appeal of logos, logic appeal. Mr. Henry uses logos when he says, “...what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission?”. This is a logical analysis, because he points out that there is no other reason for the warlike products, but for the Americans. Another logical point Mr. Henry makes is when he says “...we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on...petitioned...remonstrated...supplicated...and implored its interposition...
Under the control of the British Parliament in 1775, the American colonies consider going to war in order to gain independence from Britain. In “Patrick Henry’s Speech in the Virginia Convention,” Henry addresses the need for American colonists to work together to stop the British from controlling them. Thus, Henry’s periodic sentence, rhetorical questions, antithesis, and anaphora successfully convince the American colonists to unite against the British and to bring awareness to their wrongdoings. Firstly, Henry applies periodic sentences and rhetorical questions to convey the idea that the American Colonists must fight back against the British by working together if they want to gain freedom. Henry believes that “if [they] wish to
Patrick Henry Argument Analysis Throughout Patrick Henry’s speech, he uses many literary devices to convey his thought and opinions to his audience, and with it, he hopes to alter or sway their views on the subject matter. Starting from the very end of Henry's speech, he states “but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”, this now infamous line uses the logical fallacy of false dilemma. This fallacy, also known as either/or, plays to his advantage as it makes the problem seem greater than it actually is by only presenting two extreme options, liberty or death. Another literary device Henry uses in his speech, is ethos, which appeals to the audience's moral or ethical plane.
Speech of the Great The Revolutionary War a time of conflict and persuasion, trying to change the outcome Partick Henry writes the “Speech to The Virginia Convention”. Right before the Revolutionary War in the year 1775 Patrick Henry wrote a speech to the president to try and persuade to go to war but to do it in the right way. Henry uses ethos to hit the president’s emotion by talking about how in the past British hasn’t always had their side and they could easily play them, he also uses ethos by using analogies on what the outcome could be. It’s important for Patrick Henry to persuade the colonist to go to war because he wants them to realize that British isn’t always going to be on our side.
When Henry used juxtaposition in his rhetorical question, it was unusually powerful because the tension of the “fleets and armies” versus “love and reconciliation” is also the tension of every other war in history. The idea of the rhetorical question is to ask a question so straight to the point that they don’t know how to answer it. Henry uses a lot of these questions in the speech, to show how he feels and what he’s experienced while putting the Loyalists in the picture and forcing them to realize the impact of how they treat the enslaved. The juxtaposition between armies and love is powerful in convincing the loyalists because King George was already sending armies, so they had to make the decision to keep loving the King, no matter how awful he was to them, or to fight back. To conclude, Patrick Henry’s use of rhetorical devices furthered his argument that the Loyalists should commit treason and rebel against the King because the explanation of his points was so detailed that it was impossible to ignore the fact that the revolution had to
In Patrick Henry’s “Speech in the Virginia Convention,” Henry uses persuasive techniques such as repetition and rhetorical questions to interrogate the motives of the British and to reason why the colonies should declare their independence despite the consequences. In Henry’s speech, he uses repetition to address that war is inevitable to show how they must fight in order to achieve their goals as a nation and to prove that the colonists will not be alone over the course of the battle. In Henry’s speech he includes, “The war is inevitable—and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come!” By this quote, Henry is saying that the colonists have already gone so far and worked so hard to give up now.
Patrick Henry’s claim in his speech to the Virginia Convention is war with England is the only way to win freedom and their desires because England makes this the only choice. Before Patrick went up there were other men that had spoken before him, these men were speaking their views on whether or not they should initialize the war. Once Patrick has his chance to say his part he believes that they should fight because England hasn’t been fair. Patrick states this basically by saying “An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us”. This is such a powerful statement because what he’s proposing is extremely dangerous.
His choice of language is effective at evoking emotion. Through rhetorical questions, Henry was able to emphasize his points, and grab the audience’s attention, creating an emotional effect on the listeners. “Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?” These statements prove the speaker’s argument and stir the audience’s emotions.
I repeat it sir, let it come.” The main point of the speech is that the colonists must go to war to protect their own freedom. He is saying that there is only way to the war and they should follow that path. Another way patrick henry uses rhetorical question in his speech is his use of ethos. Partick believes strong in his country and states, “... but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”.