Question

The quote below is from Wilberforce's famous anti-slavery speech delivered in the British House of Commons on May 12, 1789. This was his first major address advocating for the abolition of the slave trade. In this speech, Wilberforce described the horrific conditions endured by enslaved Africans during the Middle Passage—the transatlantic journey from Africa to the Americas. He had reviewed horrifying evidence (including drawings, testimonies, and ship logs) and used this speech to urge Parliament to act with urgency and moral responsibility.


"So much misery condensed in so little room is more than the human imagination had ever before conceived. … We are all guilty — we ought all to plead guilty, and not to exculpate ourselves by throwing the blame on others."

How does Wilberforce’s word choice affect the reader in this excerpt?

(1 point)
Responses

It uses technical terms to explain how the slave trade worked.
It uses technical terms to explain how the slave trade worked.

It makes the issue feel distant and impersonal.
It makes the issue feel distant and impersonal.

It creates a strong emotional reaction by using powerful and guilt-inducing language.
It creates a strong emotional reaction by using powerful and guilt-inducing language.

It encourages readers to be patient and wait for reform.

Answer 1

It creates a strong emotional reaction by using powerful and guilt-inducing language.