Frederick Douglass’ speech commentary

AS Level English (9093), Paper 1, Question 2: Text Analysis

In this emotional and fierce speech, Frederick Douglass addresses his audience which consists
of mostly privileged white men and attempts to persuade them that slavery is a cruel,
inhumane practice that must be abolished. He does this using a very strong, emotional, direct,
and, in many instances, ironic tone, that reflects his frustration and the frustration of his
people with the current situation. He tries to achieve his purpose by using a wide variety of
language devices, including: positive and negative word choice, contrast, direct address, use
of inclusive and exclusive personal pronouns, personal anecdote and metaphor.

One of the most prominent characteristics of the speech is the use of positive nouns and
adjectives to denote the privilege and power that the whites enjoy and the African-Americans
are denied. We find examples throughout the first part of this speech, where he speaks of
“blessings”, “rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity an independence”, “sunlight”,
“light and “healing”. The purpose of using these words is to show that these great values are
reserved only for the whites, and that there is “immeasurable distance” between the whites
and the blacks.

In stark contrast with these positive words stand all the negative attributes that are linked
with the situation of African-Americans, such as: “gross injustice and cruelty”, “victim”
“stripes and death”. These negative attributes are often placed very close to the positive
words used to describe the position of the whites, which immediately creates images of
contrast in the reader’s mind: “your celebration is a sham” “your shouts of liberty and equality
– hollow mockery”, “your sermons…impiety and hypocrisy”.

Throughout the text, Douglass directly addresses his audience, often posing very difficult and
provoking questions. These questions are especially prevalent in the first part, whereas the
second part of the text answers some of them. Perhaps the most important of these questions
is “What, to the American slave, is the 4th of July?” that very strongly questions the purpose
of him, as a former slave, being invited to speak at such an event and is an introduction into
his very direct and harsh analysis of the hypocrisy of the privileged whites. This effect is also
achieved through the use of sarcasm in the first paragraph where he asks if he was called to
“express devout gratitude” for the independence his people clearly are not a part of.

In close connection with the author directly addressing his predominantly white audience is
his use of pronouns. He makes a very clear distinction between himself and his audience, by
constantly referring to them as “you”, mentioning “your celebration…your greatness…your
prayers”. This stark contrast between himself and the other African-Americans on the one
hand and the whites the other hand is most starkly represented in the short and impactful
sentence at the end of paragraph two: “This fourth of July is yours, not mine. “

While for the most part, the author speaks of the general struggle of his people, towards the
end of the text, we get a peek into his own life, when he relates a personal anecdote of his
own experience of slave trade. Here, too, we see a reference to his mistress, who hated the
abuse of slaves and “sympathized with me in my horror.” This is perhaps a very subtle
reference to the idea that other whites too can look up to her example and understand how
cruel slavery is.

In other instances in the text, though, the author is much more direct. He does not give
unclear allusions, but very straightforward, direct and aptly strong messages. His tone
throughout most of the text is that of frustration and rage, and he does indeed, as he says he
wishes to, pour “fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and
stern rebuke”. He uses the metaphor of natural disasters (“fire”, “thunder”, “storm”,
“whirlwind”, “earthquake”) to denote that the changes that must happen are of tectonic
proportions and absolutely urgent.

Through his use of a variety of different language devices, Douglass paints an impressive and
somber image of America at the time – one of deep divisions and stark inequality. His speech
is an alarming call to end the injustice to his people and a fierce answer to those who aimed
to prolong it.