Rhetorical Devices free essay sample

In his letter to Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Banneker uses rhetorical devices to reinforce his argument against the cruelties of slavery. Being a man of color, Banneker did not possess the social status deemed worthy of communication with a fine man such as Jefferson. Nevertheless, Banneker was an intelligent man and used his knowledge to point out the contradictory characteristics between slavery and American values. Banneker uses repetition throughout his letter. Periodically, he refers to Jefferson as â€Å"sir. Banneker was well aware of the differences between himself and the man to whom this letter was written and indulges in each and every nicety in order to maintain a polite atmosphere. He wanted to appear to Jefferson as a civilized man capable of discussing this sore issue without any issues. He respects Jefferson for the great things he has done, but he must address the problem at hand. In addition to repetition, Banneker uses exemplification to emphasize the injustices of slavery. We will write a custom essay sample on Rhetorical Devices or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He quotes an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence in lines 28-32, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. † He continues on to say that this famous statement is a lie. African Americans of the day did not have all of these â€Å"unalienable rights. † By using a passage from Jefferson’s own work against him, Banneker strikes a powerful blow. White Americans are hypocrites who enjoy descriptive and flowing speech; Banneker gladly makes this clear. Even so, Jefferson and Banneker are not all that different. They both know what it is like to be persecuted and controlled, whether it was by Great Britain of the American people. They are both men, human beings, with instincts and beliefs. Like the majority of people in that time, they believed in the basic idea of God, the Higher Power who dictates all things. God declares that all people are born free. The American people agree with this, yet they do not think twice about owning another human being for their own personal gain. Banneker understands how demented that is, he also wonders why this is so. Benjamin Banneker does not beg, does not ague, and does not offend in this letter. He simply states what he feels should be said. He gets his point across in a gentlemanly manner and with few words, focusing only on what is relevant to the matter at hand. Through the expert use of rhetorical devices, the universal message of â€Å"let my people go† is delivered to Pharaoh Jefferson and the rest of his loyal subjects.