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Rhetorical Analysis Of Benjamin Banneker's Letter

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Slavery was a hard topic in America. Still is. Benjamin Banneker a decedent of former slaves,a farmer,mathematician, astronomer, author, and surveyor, was brave enough to write to Thomas Jefferson about his views on slavery. Banneker uses various rhetorical and literary techniques throughout his letter to persuade Jefferson to his own views. Throughout Banneker’s letter he uses repetition and archaic diction. He repeatedly refers to Jefferson as sir. He starts off, “Sir, suffer me to recall to your mind that time which...” and he then again says, “This sir, was a time in which you clearly saw into the injustice...” By repeating sir it makes it very direct. Also by using sir instead of Jefferson, Banneker makes the letter more formal and respectful.

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