Jesan A. Morales Writing 1 10/12/11 Analysis Essay Final Henry’s voice is heard All historical figures strived to fulfill their dreams of creating a better tomorrow, similarly Patrick Henry had a dream, and that dream was declaring independence from England. He was willing to make any sacrifice to achieve that goal. One truth he would have to show to the House of Representatives was the undisputed fact that war is the seed that becomes the tree of independence.
Patrick Henry was a representative in the important Virginia Convention where the 13 Representatives stood to discuss their future action to gain independence from England. The representatives didn’t agree with Patrick Henry but after his Speech of “ Give me Liberty or Give me Death” they rethought the situation and made a clear and necessary decision because Henry brought upon them an arsenal of argumentation . Henry, in his speech to the Virginia Convention used several rhetorical devises to create a strong persuasive argument the devices included logos, repetition, pathos, and call to action.
This rhetoric devices where used in a way that swayed the audience to believe that his argument is reasonable, and necessary for the good of everyone. Henry starts by addressing the convention with sympathy and direct determination but he says that his purpose is beyond moral value, it is something that would make him seem guilty of treason but he believes that his speech is what the people need and what he considers his new home desperately desires. The first piece of information he provides is aimed to the British ministry and their irresponsible way of recognizing the people.
He points out the way that their petitions of Independence were received, and describes how they insidiously smiled behind their false actions. In Henry’s speech he tries to convince the Virginia convention to take immediate and deliberate action toward achieving independence pointing out flaws that the British ministry’s unfairness and our right to be free. He persuades the convention to take immediate action because it’s what the people need. Patrick Henry knew that in order to make a difference and have valuable word he needed to reason with the audience because he knew senators ct with evidence and with logic. Henry argued that Britain had never given anyone independence so why would they give independence to them; his point was to show that Britain had ignored their petitions, so Henry used that to his advantage by transmitting to them new and logical questions on what made the people think that Britain is willing to just give them independence. During his speech Mr. Henry stated “ The conduct of the British Ministry for the last ten years to justify does hopes with which gentlemen have pleased to solace themselves and the house?
Is it that insidious smile with which our petitions has been lately received? ” (Henry Par. 3) He said this to make them believe what he was saying was nothing but the true. Patrick used logical appeal to make his audience comprehend the situation. Patrick’s arguments made the representatives in the convention rethink the situation and take deliberate action. He turned evidence into persuasive weapons that instantly made the audience recognize loopholes in their patient waiting for Independence. Patrick easily brain washed them to think it was our only option.
Logic is a fantastic way of making reader rethink and reason with a different perspective. Henry needed to be clear and to attract the audience’s attention what he need was a direct statement, and in order to strengthen his statements he would use repetition to reinforce his arguments. He said, “ We must fight, I repeat it, sir, we must fight” (Henry, Par. 5) repetition helps the speaker to highlight the importance and to clarify his argument. Most of the time repetition was used to state directly what he wants, for example later in the reading he stated “ Let it come!
I repeat it, sir, let it come! ” (Henry Par. 5). This gave the reader a hint on what henry is trying to transmit to the audience “ The speech to the Virginia convention” it’s stating that the war cannot be stopped because it has already begun and it’s inevitable. Repetition in these quotes shows importance and attracts the representative’s attention. The clarity of his direct statement was applied by repetition and Patrick Henry’s tone. Henry uses the rhetorical device pathos to appeal to their emotion and motivates the house to take action against Britain.
Patrick Henry also talked about how they refuse to action to the notorious war can affect our plans and freedoms. “ There is no retreat, in submission of slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable – and let it come” (Henry Par. 6). Henry appeals to the convention emotions by applying fear into their minds, the fear of slavery. Patrick made the audience stop to think and reason. Henry talked about how the English will treat us if we don’t take action right now.
It is widely known that the representatives fear slavery so he managed to persuade with an insidious strike of fear. Pathos is the rhetorical device that most authors use due to instant reaction of the reader; emotional appeal causes a faster reaction upon the reader than reason or motivation. In Henry’s speech he is capable to of capturing the audience attention through emotion his word cause the audience to feel emotion to feel like they need to do something about it. In his last sentence “…Give me liberty or Give me death” (Henry, Par. ) he creates an immense emotional appeal because Henry is able to make a connection to the people’s strong patriotism with those words, and created a stronger sense of patriotism giving Henry the advantage in the emotional field of persuasion. Pathos is one of the strongest devises a writer can use to persuade his reader because emotion persuades people and because emotion produces action. In Order for the convention to believe every word that Henry stated, Henry would need to build up credibility. In his speech he did this by portraying himself as a patriot and an experienced man.
This created a sense of ethos to the speech because it turned him into a reliable source. “ No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentleman who have just addressed the house. ” (Henry, Par. 1) This first sentence in his speech was given so that the convention would see Patrick Henry as a gentleman and his words are of truth. By him portraying himself as one of them he establishes a sense of credibility. By him saying that no man thinks more highly then him of patriotism he describes himself as one of them a patriotic loyal citizen which gave his words more value to the audience.
Later in his speech he stated “ I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience” this sentence tells the audience that he is not just making up false claims and that he is an experienced man who knows of what he speaks. His words after that statement have more value to the audience because we now know he has experience on his side not just good wording. At the end Patrick Henry uses call to action to directly state why he is there expressing his ideas to the representatives of the house. At the end of the paragraph he directly states that we need war in order to be free. ”… We must fight… ” (Henry par. ). Patrick replies that in order to gain liberty we must fight for it and that’s his first call to action. “ Forbid it, almighty god! I know not what course others may take but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! ” (Henry Par. 6). Patrick Henry’s purpose in this speech is stated in this sentence at the end of the speech. These famous last words had a great impact in his speech because of, the meaning, the emotion put into it, and the direct call to action. Patrick Henry states in this speech that he wants liberty and he is willing to do anything for it, he is willing to die for the freedom of all the people in the thirteen colonies.
In order to gain his liberty he convinced the convention to take action against Britain’s tyranny. Patrick asked for war to gain freedom and independence. Henry, after all the rhetorical devices are used, uses a direct statement of what he wants. Rhetorical devices such as logos, repetition, pathos, ethos and call to action were well used in” the speech to the Virginia convention” to gain independence from Britain. Patrick Henry knew the perfect way to make his audience reason and he knew how to use all his resources well. He repeatedly states what he wants so the representatives react much more effectively to his call to action.
The thirteen representatives were moved by his emotional words this motivated them to take quick action. His speech overall was quite intriguing, amusing, inspirational, poignant, patriotic and really well elaborated to the tone, the emotion, the meaning, and the purpose of the speech. His persuasion techniques are well elaborated and the sum of all his effort created what is now the independent nation of United States of America. Rhetorical devices are always used by successful persuaders like Martin Luther king Jr. and Patrick Henry. All great leaders have used them in order to persuade their audience into adopting their ideas.
Persuasion techniques are used all the time from you convincing someone to let you borrow something, to convincing the teacher to let you turn in work later and most commonly used by teenagers to convince your parent to let you go out. Rhetorical appealing is used every day and the more effective you use it the more you can get away with things. For instance Patrick Henry was able to convince his audience to take action leading to the Declaration of Independence. Work Cited Page Henry, Patrick. Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death. 23, March 1775.
