Rhetorical Annalysis of Benjamin Banneker's Letter to Thomas Jefferson

In lines 31- 41, he talks about how Jefferson does not realize that there are certain advantages he is given by nature. The Declaration of Independence was written to gain freedom for Britain. Although the whites were not enslaved racially, they were forced into some of the worst working conditions. As a white man, Jefferson is already born with more rights as a black man. Even as a slave he would receive more respect than an African American slave. America says that they are enslaved and suffering from the rule of the British, but even in their own country, African Americans are enslaved by the same people who wanted their freedom from Britain, and still could not get the basic rights a white man had. Banneker’s use of pathos helps him to connect with the oppression of the colonists including Jefferson, to the tribulation of the slaves in

Thomas Jefferson’s relationship with slavery is a complex one. It is, perhaps, ironic to think that someone who owned slaves would be an advocate to end that very same practice. How can Jefferson be hailed as a champion for slave rights because of his opposition to slavery while, at the same time, using other people as property? Although somewhat contradictory at first, the nature of the relationship between Jefferson’s opinions and his attitudes towards slavery will be thoroughly examined in order to understand the means by which he helped fuel a revolution in the context of a society that was so dependent on slavery. In other words, Jefferson was a significant piece of the abolitionist movement, and so that the seeming differences between what he did and what he preaches can be understood, we must also analyze the historical context. By doing so, we find that Jefferson was indeed ahead of the times, although in his own unique way, and the reason why it might have been significant that he was a slaveowner while trying to end the practice.

“Sir, suffer me to recall” the mistakes, the hypocritical attitude, the forced “state of servitude”, the way Banneker and others were treated and overlooked by the famous line “all men are created equal”. (20, 1) At the start of the essay, Banneker starts to explain to Jefferson that long ago

Banneker brings up God and the Bible saying it’s a “pity” how Jefferson talks about their creator but goes against what God wants. God wants all men to be equal and have the same type of freedom and that is the point Banneker is trying to get across. Mr. Banneker brings up the passage from the bible “put your souls in their souls stead,” explaining to Jefferson that he should put himself in the shoes of slaves and take a step in their life for once. In the story How to Kill a Mockingbird, everyone was against Boo Radley because of the rumors they heard. But Scout went out of her way in the end and realized that he wasn’t a bad person, he just wasn’t given the chance to show everyone that. Banneker wants Jefferson to comprehend how it feels to be a former slave and what scars it can leave on [them]. Banneker states that people of color are not getting the unalienable rights that are stated in the Declaration of Independence. “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness,” they are not getting their freedom or the right for their life, they have to fight for

Before the civil war, African Americans endured slavery and oppression as part of their life. Although at first these custom were seemingly unchallenged, fervent abolitionist and anti-slavery sentiments soon became prominent among society. Many of these abolitionist were prominent African Americans who had escaped slavery or earned their freedom, one of them including Benjamin Banneker. In his letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1796, Banneker utilizes a variety of rhetorical devices to employ a poignant argument against slavery. Through his use of allusions, logic, strong diction, and logic, Banneker effectively elaborates an efficient argument to state that slavery is morally incorrect.

By making this analogy, he hopes to gain Jefferson’s attention and sympathy as he could relate to the hardship under the British rule. The colonists were slaves to the British Crown, but the colonists are now masters to African slaves. While Banneker points out that Jefferson was impressed with “proper ideas of the great valuation of liberty,” he then accuses Jefferson by saying “how pitiable is it to reflect…” because he committed a criminal act of “detaining by fraud and violence” those people who happened to be black and not white “under groaning captivity and cruel

Benjamin Banneker in his letter to Thomas Jefferson offers a series of arguments against the institution of slavery through a series of rhetorical devices. Banneker, who is an exceedingly educated African American man, never refers Jefferson by his name, but by only calling him “sir,” to show his respect. In the late eighteenth century, it is not a black man’s place to condescend a white man. Even though Banneker is a respected man, he is indicating that he must show his respect for Jefferson just because he is white and Banneker is black. Thus, showing Jefferson the “injustice” of the country that he helped develop.

Slavery was a terrible thing, it was brutal and violent. When people went to fight against its existence, they needed evidence to prove to people it's inhumaneness. Sadly this fight for abolition of slavery was long and slow going. Benjamin Banneker was a son of former slaves who argued against slavery in a great way what made it great was that he used many helpful points and rhetorical devices to strengthen his argument.

Throughout the entire letter, the most noticeable technique Banneker uses to persuade Jefferson is by using repetition. His most common use of repetition is of the use of the word “sir.” He uses the word “sir” to show that he respects Jefferson and to keep Jefferson interested in his letter. Banneker uses the word “sir” at the beginning of every paragraph, for example, “Here, sir, was a time in which your tender feelings for yourselves had engaged you thus to declare…” The word “sir” shows Banneker’s intelligence and his respect for what Thomas Jefferson did for his people. This word probably helped convince Jefferson to read the entire letter or to at least keep reading it.

All those born under the red, white, and blue can agree that the Constitution is a document that we all for as it states are given rights that shall not be stripped for those in are nation but it might not be widely known that this wasn't always the case. As even of the writers of the document tended to turn a blind eye to the those being stripped of their human rights. Author Benjamin Banneker in his letter to Thomas Jefferson notes the hypocrisy and inequity of slavery in the states whilst remaining a somewhat formal tone frequently addressing Jefferson as Sir even when denouncing him at the same time. Banneker brings up the history of America of fighting for freedom and equality for all.

Banneker’s first step towards Jefferson was to evoke his memory towards slavery. In order to bring up the efforts that were brought to stop Jefferson’s use of slavery, Banneker alluded to the British Crown. “..British Crown were extorted with every powerful effort in order to reduce you to a State of Servitude.” By doing so, Banneker enhanced the efforts that was used to lessen Jefferson’s use of slavery. Since Jefferson may not be stimulated to stop slavery, Banneker has attacked Jefferson once more by referring to “the

Benjamin Banneker was a smart and educated black man who lived in the same time as Thomas Jefferson. Banneker wrote a message to Jefferson concerning the “situation of my brethren”. Banneker in his letter to Thomas Jefferson uses a series of arguments against the institution of slavery through a respectful tone, religious, and historical references. Through his respectful tone Banneker is also attempting to persuade Thomas Jefferson, the man in which the letter is written to. Banneker is a very compelling man as he uses Jefferson words against him. By means of the word “you” throughout the message directs the letter to Jefferson and not Washington and Banneker makes it known.

When he describes the “freedom” which Jefferson has “mercifully received” he is establishing a firm foundation of Jefferson’s present standing at that time. Jefferson is a white man who need not further fight for privileges as he already possesses them. Banneker describes Jefferson’s “apprehensions of the horrors” involving slavery, but goes on to examine how Jefferson “can be found guilty” of accepting the same practice of owning slaves that he outwardly protests. The final piece, with which Banneker’s accusatory tone demonstrates, is his supposition that Jefferson’s knowledge of this conflict is “too extensive to need a recital;” Banneker ends his purpose claiming that Jefferson will “need neither the direction of myself or others” in order to come to an acceptable resolution. Again, Banneker’s tone says everything within just a few

He then tells Jefferson and his colleagues to “‘put your souls in their souls stead’, thus shall your hearts be enlarged with kindness and benevolence towards them” (49-51), communicating the idea of understanding the slaves and what they believe they deserve as a replacement to treating them as if they did not exist or their well-being did not matter to anyone but themselves. As Banneker communicates this plea, the tone then veers into one of hopefulness, he believing that Jefferson and his men reading his letter over the issue of slavery will hopefully open their minds and give slaves what they have been begging for ever since they were forced here by the British who came before Jefferson’s time. With this kindness Banneker discusses, Jefferson and his men “need neither the direction of myself or others, in what manner to proceed herein” (52-53), and instead they can become better people and lead a better nation by grasping Banneker’s plea and argument and truly learn that slaves are meaningful as any other citizen of the United States and that they deserve as much as a right to stand tall and free just like any other white

The rhetor uses his elegantly constructed diction to argue against slavery in his effort to convince Jefferson that slavery of a “groaning captivity and [a] cruel oppression”. His repetitive use of the word ‘sir’ on the one hand, blandishes and inflates Jefferson’s ego, while, on the other, highlights how reverent Banneker is toward Jefferson. This overt show of respect compels Jefferson to listen to Banneker’s reasons in his letter. Banneker also selects words with negatively charged connotative value when referring to slavery. In the second paragraph he describes slavery