Mahatma Gandhi’s
“Quit India Speech”
GEORGIA MORGAN
AP ENGLSIH LANGUAGE &
COMPOSITION
S T I T E S – 3 RD P E R I O D
SOAPStone - Speaker
 Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948)





Known as Mahatma – the great souled one
A lead figure in India’s independence from Great Britain
Studied law in London
Worked in South Africa to stop discrimination against Indians for
nearly 20 years
Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi practiced civil
disobedience and passive, nonviolent resistance against Britain
Boycotting British manufacturers and institutions
 The idea: Without money, the British would find no use in India



Britain granted India it’s independence in 1947 (Gandhi: 78 years
old)
Assassinated in 1948 over his attempts to create peace between the
Hindu and Muslim people
SOAPStone – Occasion
 Bombay, India (now known as Mumbai)
 August 8, 1942
 Gowalia Tank Maidan: a park in central Mumbai
 5 years before India’s independence
SOAPStone - Audience
 Given to the AICC- All India Congress Committee
 AICC
 A committee of the India National Congress Party
 Headed by the Congress President
 Make decisions about the actions of the party to further Indian
rights
 Large and powerful political party
that was dedicated to the furthering
of Indian rights and freedoms
SOAPStone - Purpose
 To basically outline his plan for the “Quit India”
Movement
 To persuade the AICC to vote to support his
movement
 After his speech, the AICC were going to vote for or
against supporting the movement
SOAPStone - Subject
 The “Quit India” Movement
 A movement to partake in civil disobedience toward the British
authority that had oppressed the Indian people
 An effort to gain immediate independence from British rule
 First of three “Quit India” Speeches (persuasive)

Before the decision was made
 Persuading the AICC to aid him in pursuing his
movement
SOAPStone - Tone
 Tone: the author’s attitude toward the subject or
audience, either stated or implied
 Tone of speech toward audience: Earnest and
respectful, yet forthright

“I ask you to consider it from my point of view…”
 Tone toward subject: objective, concerned, and
determined in an undaunted way

“If in the present crisis… I failed to make use of the God given
talent, God will not forgive me and I shall be judged unworthy
of the great gift. I must act now.”
Ethos
 Credibility: Gandhi (73 at the time) was extremely well
known, so he had automatic ethos due to his extensive past


“There are many people who ask me whether I am the same man that I
was in 1920, or whether there has been any change in me… I have not
changed in any fundamental respect. I attach the same importance to
nonviolence that I did then. If at all, my emphasis on it has grown
stronger.”
“There is no real contradiction between the present resolution and my
previous writings and utterances.”
 Persona: Nonviolent and non-hating but assertive


“As a matter of fact, I feel myself to be a greater friend of the British
now that ever before.”
“The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.” -Lincoln
 Personal history: Well learned and religiously devout


Makes allusions to God or some religious belief over 12 times
“I read Carlyle’s French Revolution while I was in prison, and Pandit
Jawaharlal has told me something about the Russain revolution.”
Pathos
 Audience: A board of members that he must persuade in
his favor
 Emotional appeals to audience: shows that his
movement, though nonviolent, has just as much power as
a full out war


“I believe that in the history of the world, there has not been a more
genuinely democratic struggle for freedom than ours.”
“Everybody will be his own master.”
 Author’s expectations: call to action


“Ours is not a drive for power, but purely a nonviolent fight for
India’s independence.” (Diction in purely is to say they do not wish to
do anything but obtain their rights as citizens of India.)
“We must, therefore, purge ourselves of hatred.”
Logos
 The exigence (situation requiring action):
 “I have noticed that there is hatred towards the British among
the people. The people say they are disgusted with their
behavior. The people make no distinction between British
imperialism and the British people. To them, the two are one.
This hatred would even make them welcome the Japanese. It is
most dangerous. It means they will exchange one slavery for
another. We must get rid of this feeling. Our quarrel is not with
the British people, we fight imperialism.”
 Conclusion author draws: Rationalizes a way to fight
against the system, not the people (which could
easily lead to violence)
Logos (continued)
 The exigence (situation requiring action):

“But it is my conviction that inasmuch as these struggles (French and
Russian revolutions) were fought with the weapon of violence they
failed to realize the democratic ideal. In the democracy which I have
envisaged, a democracy established by non-violence, there will be equal
freedom for all. Everybody will be his own master. It is to join a
struggle for such democracy that I invite you today. Once you realize
this you will forget the differences between the Hindus and Muslims,
and think of yourselves as Indians only, engaged in the common
struggle for independence.”
 Conclusion author draws: Democracy is a government
where the people are the main source of government. To
stay true to the idea of democracy, they must establish
freedom for all people. Violence will lead to persecution of
some people, which doesn’t reflect what they want. They
must pursue a non-violent path, reinforced by support of
both Muslims and Hindus.
Syntax
 “I have noticed that there is hatred towards the British
among the people. The people say they are disgusted with
their behavior. The people make no distinction between
British imperialism and the British people. To them, the two
are one. This hatred would even make them welcome the
Japanese. It is most dangerous. It means they will exchange
one slavery for another. We must get rid of this feeling. Our
quarrel is not with the British people, we fight imperialism.”




Starts by stating phrases like “hatred toward the British” and “disgusted
with their behavior”
Ends with showing that this common behavior and belief of the British is
actually harmful because it will “exchange one slavery for another.”
Position of words starts by connecting with the majority of people, then
shows why this feeling of hatred is wrong
Like he is teaching them to control their feeling through his speech
Diction
 “A nonviolent soldier of freedom will covet nothing
for himself, he fights only for the freedom of his
country.”





Nonviolent soldier: nonviolent and soldier are two subjects
not often put together, but he chooses these words to show
that not participating in violence still has the honor and power
of a soldier
Freedom: what they are fighting for from the British
Covet (yearn to possess) nothing for himself:
honorable, humble, and fighting for higher purposes
He fights: Reiteration of the nonviolent soldier
His country: Ownership of the country, not submission to
British dictation
Other Rhetorical Strategies
 Posing Questions while playing devil’s advocate: tackling
probably questions head on so as to give a direct answer

“It will not be for you then to object saying, ‘This community is
microscopic. That party did not play its due part in the freedom’s
struggle; why should it have all the power?’”
 Satire: language or writing that exposes follies or abuses by
holding them up to ridicule




“It is not a happy position for a big country like India to be merely
helping with money and material obtained willy-nilly from her while the
United Nations are conducting war.”
Uses satire and diction to show that something must change because
India is compared to being easily taken from while the United Nations
are in war.
India: big country paired with “not a happy position” and “willy-nilly”
= weak and silly
United Nations: conducting and war= powerful and serious
Other Rhetorical Strategies
 Allusions
 God, religion, and Ahimsa (Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain
principal of nonviolence)
 “I read Carlyle’s French Revolution while I was in prison, and
Pandit Jawaharlal has told me something about the Russian
revolution.”
 Oxymoron: A figure of speech consisting of two
apparently contradicting terms

“God has vouchsafed to me a priceless gift in the weapon of
Ahisma.”
 Hyperbole: a figure of speech that uses exaggeration
to express strong emotion or make a point

“They are on the brink of an abyss.”
Works Cited
 Author Unknown. Mahatma Gandhi. Photograph. Bashir, Jai.
“Utalizing Gandhi’s Dreams of “Swadeshi” For Our Everyday Lives.”
Sustainable Utah. University of Utah, 11 October 2013. Web. 12
February 2014.
 Staff, History.com. “Mohandas Gandhi.” History.com. A+E Network,
2010. Web. 13 February 2014.
 “The Quit India Speech – 1942 by Mahatma Gandhi (18691948).”NavaYuvaz.com. Blogger, Web. 17 February 2014.
http://navayuvaz.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-quit-india-speech-1942by-mahatma.html
 Author Unknown. All India Congress Committee. Photograph. Gupta,
Sarthak. “Congress Readies for Organisational Polls.” TopNews.in. Top
News Network. 19 October 2009. Web. 19 February 2014.
<http://www.topnews.in/congress-readies-organisational-polls2225853>