Benjamin Banneker Letter Figurative Language

Farmer, astronomer and author Benjamin Banneker in his untitled letter strongly argues against slavery. Banneker's purpose is to argue and persuade against slavery and explain how it's unjustified at a time after the American Revolution and during a time when the House of Burgesses took away African's rights and made them forever bound to slavery brought by the slave codes. He adopts a serene tone in order to calmly and professionally expound on the ideas that he's going to explain to show why slavery is unjustified in his letter to a man of higher authority. Banneker achieves his purpose/tone through the use of diction and figurative language. In the beginning of Banneker's first paragraph, he uses tranquil and professional diction. Use of such

Benjamin Banneker was successful through the use of some words like "sir," "recall" and "grateful." Utilizing such words like these most likely made an impression on the individual whose this letter was written to, it exemplifies how African Americans aren't just property they are capable of much more and are not "savage" as some view them as. Being professional and serene in a letter on a solemn topic shows a level of sophistication that must be taken seriously, as well as justifies the idea that slavery isn't something that should be played out. Then later in the letter Banneker switches to a more strong and provocative diction. He uses this diction to truly get his point across on the board, he starts off neutral but then he lets all his emotions and ideas out to end vigorously and powerful. Banneker was successful through the use of some locutions like "guilty," "criminal," "cruel" and "oppression." Utilizing these words most likely turned the way the reader was interpreting