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A Rhetorical Analysis Of Benjamin Banneker's Letter

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A Rhetorical Analysis Of Benjamin Banneker's Letter
In the letter by Benjamin Banneker in 1791 he tries fighting for the freedom of slaves by appealing to the secretary of state, Thomas Jefferson, with the utmost respect. Slavery has been a part of American history, undoubtedly from the beginning, and this letter is one step towards an improvement in the social hierarchy. Benjamin Banneker constitutes his argument through certain rhetorical devices.

One rhetorical device Banneker uses is repetition. Throughout the letter Banneker creates a respectful appeal towards Jefferson, by repeatedly calling him "sir". The establishment of the repetitive notion emphasizes that, admittedly Banneker does not agree with Thomas Jefferson's ideology, he still holds the utmost respect for him. The use of
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