Frederick Douglass “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” Essay Assignment
The purpose of this essay assignment is for the student to analyze rhetoric in speech. Rhetoric is the art of using
language to persuade. Consider before writing whether you believe Frederick Douglass is effective in his persuasion, and
what evidence he puts forth that is most effective. Grading will be based on the Kentucky Writing Scoring Rubric.
Prompt:
In Frederick Douglass’s 4th of July speech, he uses rhetorical devices to argue that the American holiday celebrating
independence exposes the great hypocrisy of the nation. In a 5-8 paragraph essay, cite 3-4 examples of Douglass’s
rhetorical methods and how they strengthen or weaken his argument.
Rhetorical Devices discussed in class/evident in the essay (look them up if you don’t know what
they mean):
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Rhetorical Questioning
Lists/Comparisons (showing disparity)
Hyperbole
Biblical allusion
Examples: personal/anecdotal
Shift in tone
Call to action
Requirements:
Your essay should be rooted in the text itself. In other words, you must use an actual quotation from the text to
demonstrate your point. That being said, quotes should not be free-floating and should be introduced adequately using
the “comma, quote” method (intro, comma, quote).
Example: In the speech, “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro,” Frederick Douglass says, “(insert quote here),” to
demonstrate (what the quote shows in relation to Douglass’s argument). Note: The use of the entire title of the speech
should be used only once in the essay. Thereafter, it should be referred to as the “speech,” not the “article” or the “book.”
This is in fact a speech that Douglass gave, not a book he wrote.
Another example: To show that (idea that quote demonstrates), Douglass uses (rhetorical device), saying, “(insert quote
here).” In saying this, Douglass exposes the holiday’s hypocrisy by (what the quote proves, etc.)
Your essay should also include adequate commentary of the quotations and should not be merely a string of quotes. Just
because I have a college education, do not assume that I have the ability to read minds. The effect of the quote in the
argument is not always obvious, and it is essential that you explain it with 2-3 sentences. Effective methods to do this
are: paraphrasing the argument using an “in other words” statement; and, linking the quote and your commentary to
the prompt itself by answering the question, “How does this quote demonstrate the hypocrisy of the holiday?”
Errors to Avoid
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Do not write in first person. There is no reason to put in “I believe” or “In my opinion” statements. This is your
essay and I will assume it is your opinion.
Be careful of unclear pronoun references. If you use the word “it” or “he” or “this,” be sure that it is clear who or
what you are talking about. If it is not, put a noun in place of the pronoun.
Do not leave a quote hanging. Make sure that you have adequately explained it.
Use paragraphs. You should have one paragraph for each rhetorical device you are analyzing. Do not shift
between devices during one paragraph. Do not repeat the same device over and over within your essay.
Do not use contractions. It isn’t, it is not. It doesn’t, it does not.