Read and study both the introductory blurbs and the essays below (Each of them is super short):
P. 41 John Woolman Considerations on Keeping Negroes, Part Second
P. 65 Petition for Gradual Emancipation, 1777
P. 84 Protest Against Colonization Policy, 1817
P. 90 Theodore Frelinghuysen Speech Protesting the Indian Removal Bill, April 9, 1830
Look at the articles you’ve read for this week from pages 41, 65, 84, and 90. In your head, consider each of the elements we’ve studied in connection with rhetoric. Do the writing portion after you consider this. Read these instructions all the way through.
Planned
Adapted to an Audience
Shaped by Human Motives
Responsive to a Situation
Persuasion Seeking (Argument, appeal, arrangement, artistic devices)
Concerned with Contingency
Then, answer the following three prompts in written form.
Adapted to an Audience/Shaped by human motives.
1. Discuss how one of the writings is adapted to its audience.
Persuasion
2. Is there a specific persuasive appeal to the values of the audience that ALL of the assigned texts make? What is it? Be specific by quoting and citing page numbers.
3. On page 66, the petitioners say they are astonished that the proponents of slavery have never considered that every principle from which Americans have acted in the course of their unhappy difficulties with Great Britain pleads stronger than a thousand arguments that the petitioners are now putting forth for emancipation. Where else, in other texts that were assigned, is the argument made that the intended audience is going against its own principles? Be specific by naming the article and quoting the relevant passages.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Adapted to an Audience/Shaped by Human Motives
– Discuss how one of the writings is adapted to its audience:
The “Petition for Gradual Emancipation, 1777” on page 65 is adapted to its audience by directly addressing the moral values and principles that the audience holds dear. The petitioners appeal to the sense of justice and humanity of the readers, understanding that the audience values freedom and equality. This adaptation aims to resonate with the audience’s conscience and evoke a sense of moral obligation to support gradual emancipation.
Persuasion
– Is there a specific persuasive appeal to the values of the audience that ALL of the assigned texts make? What is it? Be specific by quoting and citing page numbers:
All of the assigned texts make a persuasive appeal to the values of justice and moral righteousness. In “Petition for Gradual Emancipation, 1777” on page 65, the petitioners highlight the contradiction between advocating for freedom from British oppression while denying freedom to enslaved individuals. This appeal is evident in the passage where they argue that American principles align with emancipation (page 66).
– On page 66, the petitioners say they are astonished that the proponents of slavery have never considered that every principle from which Americans have acted in the course of their unhappy difficulties with Great Britain pleads stronger than a thousand arguments that the petitioners are now putting forth for emancipation. Where else, in other texts that were assigned, is the argument made that the intended audience is going against its own principles? Be specific by naming the article and quoting the relevant passages:
In “Protest Against Colonization Policy, 1817” on page 84, there is a similar argument presented. The text challenges the audience by pointing out that advocating for colonization policies contradicts the principles of justice and fairness that the audience claims to uphold. By bringing attention to this inconsistency, the author aims to persuade the audience to reconsider their stance on colonization.
