Frederick Douglass Hypocrisy Essay

Benjamin Banneker, the son of a former slave, farmer, astronomer, mathematician, surveyor, and author. In response to his concerns regarding the conditions of slaves, he wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson and George Washington addressing the cruelty of slavery. In his letter, Banneker made it his point to inform Jefferson of the tyrannical act that is slavery, where which millions of his people have to been forced. Banneker challenges Jefferson, stating that the Declaration is a lie because all men are not created equal. Benjamin Banneker uses allusion in order to abolish the unrighteousness of slavery.

The art of persuasion, rhetoric, has allowed speakers and writers to influence others with their words, and Benjamin Banneker uses various compositional techniques in an attempt to liberate his people. He challenges Thomas Jefferson’s pro slavery views by criticizing his racist, and hypocritical, views of blatant human persecution. The vile institution of slavery was an issue that Americans during Banneker’s time blindly accepted. By using allusions to American history, Banneker attempted to prove that Jefferson was a hypocrite of his own American beliefs. Banneker makes a plethora of references to Jefferson’s hypocrisy, such as the line “you cannot acknowledge that the present freedom and tranquility which you enjoy you have mercifully received and that it is the peculiar blessing of Heaven”.

Slavery: Effective on Slaves and Slaveholders In Frederick Douglass’s autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Douglass recounts his life in slavery to reveal to his readers the horrors of the American slave system. To effectively inform his readers of the corrupt system, he publicizes the slaveholders’ hypocritical practice of Christianity. Although he himself is a Christian, Douglass’s narrative is a scathing commentary on the ironic role of Christian religion in the Southern slaveholding culture. Throughout his book, the author expresses and exemplifies his perspective on religion by illustrating the falseness and hypocrisy of the Southern people. To start off, Frederick Douglass suggests that the Southern people’s religion is false and insincere.

1). Henry claims there is only two ways: it is either fighting or slavery/British rule. This is an appeal to pathos because he attempts to use it to create anger and purposely upset them with the idea of slavery. This idea is carried on further in the paragraph, "Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received?" (par.

One of which is Benjamin Banneker, son of former slaves, who writes an extensive letter to Thomas Jefferson for the purpose of abolishing slavery. Banneker uses multiple rhetorical devices to argue against slavery and create a sense of guilt in Jefferson. Jefferson’s guilt trip starts by Banneker using logos in his first paragraph. He starts off by reminding Jefferson that, “the British Crown were exerted with every powerful effort in order to reduce you [Jefferson] to a state of servitude.” With this, Banneker establishes that Jefferson was one of the numerous colonists that felt the colonies should not be under British rule. Also, Banneker builds on to the fact that Jefferson was once a servant himself, consequently starting to guilt Jefferson, since Jefferson supports slavery despite once being a “servant” himself.

“I didn't know I was a slave until I found out I couldn't do the things I wanted,” Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass an escaped slave gave his speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” to a group of White Americans to try to convince them to support abolitionism. Throughout his speech Frederick Douglass talks about the treatment of the slaves and how even though slaves are human they don’t get the same rights as Whites do. In his speech Douglass effectively uses his experiences to prove his credibility, evoke emotion from his audience, and uses logic and reasoning throughout his speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July.” First of in his speech Frederick Douglass starts off by asking rhetorical question about why he is here

Hucks guardians, Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, practice Christianity. Huck and Jim on the other hand, believe in superstition: they look for signs for answers rather than God. They look for bad signs in everything; if anything bad happened to them they 're sure to have a sign that was leading to it. Though their superstitions are silly, they do have reason to believe bad things will happen to them: they live in a world where nature is dangerous and people act with hatred. Huck has a realization that the Christian “good’’ isn 't really “good”; they believe Huck will be condemned to hell for saving Jim from slavery.

As a representative of slavery, Frederick Douglass in the speech, What To The American Slave Is Your 4th Of July?, denounces America’s disposition towards slavery, noting its emergence into a flagrantly hypocritical state. Douglass supports his denouncement by arguing that, to the African American slave, whether freed or not, the Fourth of July is merely reminiscent of the blatant injustice and cruelty they stand subject to every day. The author’s purpose is to declare that slaves are men as well, in order to slander the nation’s misconduct and unveil the great sin and shame of America: slavery. Douglass’s formal writing style addresses his audience of Americans who observe the holiday, as well as others interested in the topic of slavery and deception ー where America reigns. Within the introductory paragraph, Douglass relates that rather than express his gratitude for the abolishment of slavery, he leans to persuade and urge his audience to fight for the extension of the liberties described in the Declaration of Independence to all Americans.

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” puts Puritanism on trial for its culture of judgement and deceit. But while his story’s main theme specifically attacks the moral hypocrisy of Puritanism, audiences from all generations and backgrounds would do well to examine their own cases of hypocrisy. In the Puritan culture, much of life was centered around control and shame. Richard Baxter, a 17th century Puritan minister, said in one sermon: “Every pleasing of the flesh, which is capable of being referred to a higher end, and is not so referred and used, is a sin.” (Orme, 100) Breaking the rigid mold of how Puritans were supposed to act in order to be holy was sin. Deviation from the norm was a chief reason why fourteen women and five men were convicted of witchcraft and executed at the Salem Witch Trials.

Twain uses emotions and pathos in order to emphasize the morals within the novel. Such as creating a sympathetic sentiment towards the slave family while simultaneously creating disdain towards slavery. Another example is Jim, a captivating character, being sold into slavery for little money to once again create a negative connotation towards slavery. Twain also creates a pro-equality message by having Huck, an endearing character, recognize that he and Jim are equals, and using Pap as satire to portray racists as contemptible people. However, critics argue that actions such as the king being paid for his lies encourage deceiving others, despite the fact that in the long run they end up tarred and feathered and actively punished for their fabrications.

All slaves there were treated badly. They were beaten if their work didn’t satisfy the master. Although the master Legree believed in Christianity, he had the bad understanding of it. In the novel, some plantation master use specific doctrine to regulate the slaves and make slavery legal and comply with Christianity. Legree was one of them.

“…it’s all wrong-all wrong sir-there’s no justice nor righteousness in it…Now in the sight of God, what is the difference, Epps, between a white man and a black one”(Northup, p.123)? Douglass points out Americas crimes against God in hopes that Americans would acknowledge how religious and morally wrong slavery is. Similarly, Bass points out a corresponding argument, on how slavery is unjust, while speaking with Epps. Ultimately, both abolitionists hoped to persuade Americans/Northerners away from slavery by addressing the evils of slavery and its threat to religious

Douglass demonstrates how religious hypocrisy morally bankrupts the white slave holders turning them into brutes in their supposedly superior social class. While at Coveys plantation, Douglass sees the religious hypocrisy of the slave holders. The slave holders set Covey above them as if his words and ideas are divine. They have a corrupt sense of morality, using religion as a base for their rules of slave holding

Part 1 (Harriet Beecher Stowe “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. In the event of embracing Augustine St. Clare’s theory concerning slavery and how slavery is worst for the slave holders than the slave, I do not agree with the character. However, when I meditate on the history and the purpose of slavery, St. Clare, may have a point. It’s not difficult to envision the life of a slave holder, and all of his/her responsibilities. Therefore, when I consider the lives of a slave master, and the mistress, I grasp the realization that slaveholders were also in bondage, and dehumanized individuals.