American+Rhetoric+Questions

Patrick Henry's "//Speech to the Virginia Convention//"

1. Henry's purpose of this speech is to form a militia of local men to fight against the British. 2. Henry's audience members are the members of the Virginia Convention, and I feel that his words were appropriate, seeing as he referenced themselves as "our" and "we," symbolizing that they are fighting against the British together. 3. Some Rhetorical Questions Henry used were "Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received?" and "Can gentlemen assign any other possible motives for it?" These questions help show Henry's disbelief that British is treating America this way, and the questions allow the audience to think of the answer more profoundly. 4. Henry makes allusions towards the Bible,one example being “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.” This references Ezekiel 12, which talks about how those who can't hear or see God will lose their spiritual salvation. Henry is comparing this to how the colonists cannot hear or see the truth about the British, as he compares not getting freedom with death.

Thomas Paine's "//Of the Origin and Design of Government in General, with concise Remarks on the English Constitution//."

1. Thomas Paine's purpose for writing this is to show the audience that government and society are two totally different things, and that government's purpose is to restrain man, and that society's purpose is to express it. 2. Paine implies that because many governments help their people, therefore all governments should help their people, to help show that our government needs changing. And yes, it is used appropriately. 3. In his essay, Paine uses many different types of sentences. Exclamatory: "A mere absurdity!" helps to infer that the King is a foolish man, and shouldn't be in charge. Declarative: "In this first parliament every man by natural right will have a seat." This helps to show how the government needs fixing, and that it isn't as best as it should be. Interrogative: "How came the King by power which the people are afraid to trust, and always obliged to check?" helps the reader to think in their mind the answer, as opposed to Paine telling them 4. Paine references how the Kings power was given to him by God, and that the King is misusing this holy privilege. This helps the audience see that America needs their Independence because their King is a fool, and is acting how a King should not act.

Thomas Jefferson's "//Declaration of Independence//" 1. Jefferson's purpose in writing is to help clarify that America needs freedom to the British, and that America deserves freedom from them. 2. Jefferson uses Inductive Reasoning to get his point that the British government has stripped the colonists of their rights, appropriately so. 3. Jefferson uses different syntactical choices to help get his point that the government has taken the colonists rights. For example, the way Jefferson constantly starts sentences off with "He has...," he helps get the point that the king has messed up across. In addition, he says "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." The line "Life, Liberty," has good assonance, allowing it to stick in the readers head more. Finally, Jefferson uses Juxtaposition when he says "depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury." The fact that their "deprived" from "benefits" causes the reader to think more about what it is they're reading. 4. Some common misconceptions about the Declaration of Independence is that it was signed on July 4th. Independence was declared formerly on July 2nd, but the writing of the Declaration was finished on July 4th. It wasn't signed until August 2nd.

In these documents, there is much debate over which is best article. All men voice their own opinions of American Independence, but who does it the best is a tough question. In Patrick Henry's Speech, he often uses rhetorical questions, allowing the reader to think of the answers himself, and think by himself more, and to better understand. However, in Thomas Paine's essay, he constantly intellectual sounding words, making him sound more believable, in addition to his good persuasion skills. In addition, he capitalizes words to show their importance. One word that is repeatedly capitalized is the word "ELECTED," which helps show that elections are what is needed in our country, not a monarchy. However, in the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson does the best job out of all these men by accusing the King, constantly starting sentences with "He has...," showing how the King has done so much to the colonists to strip their rights away.