Rhetorical Analysis: Declaration of Independence

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According to the Declaration of Independence, “all men are created equal”. This statement may refer to the equality of the American people but it only applies unalienable rights to a certain group of citizens rather than the entire nation. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Fredrick Douglass, famous opposers of this document, strongly criticize the hypocrisy of the government and the socalled American Dream. However, each individual had their own reasoning in why they don’t favor and agree with the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Sentiments was an inspiring and powerful speech written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton where she argues about the inequality of women and the lack of rights given to them, regardless of them being poor, wealthy or a different race. She mentions that all men and women are “endowed by their Creator with certain alienable rights” to provide the idea that the government has no authority to decide on who has freedom and who does not. A strategy she uses is including parallel structure to intensify her message which gives details on the list of grievances that can be identified in the repetition of the infinitive phrases of “he has...”. Her syntax and organization of her passage establishes an extended analogy to the Declaration of Independence which forms a satirical piece to create a powerful argument to support her position of all females wanting the same rights as white men. Since she is a witness of bearing the lack of freedom, she creates a high credibility in her speech knowing that women and male supporters will believe in her claim of demanding equal rights to women. Fredrick Douglass was a rare educated slave that learned how to read and write. He knew the unnecessary evils behind slavery, unlike others who were taught to be inferior to their masters. In 1852, he delivered a scathing attack on
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