The main rhetorical device used in the excerpt is rhetorical question. Patrick Henry poses a question about the conduct of the British ministry to challenge assumptions and provoke thought among his audience, rather than seeking an answer.
Read the excerpt from Patrick Henry’s speech “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death.” What is the main rhetorical device used in the excerpt?
I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House.
(1 point)
Responses
juxtaposition
juxtaposition
analogy
analogy
rhetorical question
rhetorical question
hyperbole
5 answers
What is the author’s purpose for using the rhetorical device you identified in the excerpt?
The author's purpose for using the rhetorical question in the excerpt is to challenge the audience's complacency and to provoke critical thinking about the situation with the British ministry. By asking what justification there is for hope based on past conduct, Patrick Henry aims to highlight the lack of evidence that would support continued trust or optimism in British actions. This device encourages the audience to reconsider their position and to rally for a more active response to the growing tensions, thus strengthening his overall persuasive argument for liberty and resistance.
so would you say,
To make a clear connection between the past and the future
To make a clear connection between the past and the future
To help readers understand the difference between judgment and justification
To help readers understand the difference between judgment and justification
To ask a question for dramatic effect
To ask a question for dramatic effect
To explain a new idea using familiar terms
To make a clear connection between the past and the future
To make a clear connection between the past and the future
To help readers understand the difference between judgment and justification
To help readers understand the difference between judgment and justification
To ask a question for dramatic effect
To ask a question for dramatic effect
To explain a new idea using familiar terms
The most fitting option would be:
To ask a question for dramatic effect.
This captures the essence of why Patrick Henry uses the rhetorical question. It emphasizes the urgency and intensity of the situation, engaging the audience emotionally and compelling them to reflect on the implications of the past on their future decisions.
1 answer