Question

Infer Describe the tone of Douglass's speech. How does his tone contribute to the appeal that he makes using ethos and pathos?

Answer 1

From: Frederick Douglas's speech: 'What to the slave is the Fourth of July?'.

He starts the speech with a humble tone, he tells the audience he is very nervous and ask for them to understand. However, when he starts talking about the fourth being hypocritical, his tone changes to an angry one, because slavery was still evident, this made an stronger appeal.

Answer 2

Answer:

The tone of Douglass's speech is passion.

Explanation:

During his speech, Douglass attracts his receivers by speaking with passion, from the emotional, but without abandoning the moral and with mere authority and honesty about what black men really want. Here, he is using Ethos.  

When he says: "What shall we do with the Negro?" I have had but one answer from the beginning. Do nothing with us! Your doing with us has already played the mischief with us. Do nothing with us! If the apples will not remain on the tree of their own strength, if they are wormeaten at the core, if they are early ripe and disposed to fall, let them fall! I am not for tying or fastening them on the tree in any way, except by nature's plan, and if they will not stay there, let them fall. And if the Negro cannot stand on his own legs, let him fall also. All I ask is, give him a chance to stand on his own legs! Let him alone! If you see him on his way to school, let him alone, don't disturb him! If you see him going to the dinner table at a hotel, let him go! If you see him going to the ballot-box, let him alone, don't disturb him! ”, he uses Pathos, heading completely to the affective side of his receptors, and getting an applause in response.