Unit 5 Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

Unit6GiveMeLibertyorGiveMeDeathAforcefulargumentativeessay,thistextconveysthespeaker'sviewpointsandsentimentsclearly,convincinglyandimpressively.Thetextcanbedividedintofourparts.Thefirstparagraph,thebeginningpart,presentssomebackgroundinformation,tellingusabouttheorator'smotiveforhisspeech.Thesecondpart,paragraphs2-4,pointsoutthecrueltruthaboutreality:TheBritishministryhasnotactedinabenevolentmanner.Rather,BritainisaccumulatingnaviesandarmiessoastoforcetheAmericansintosubmission.Theoratoradvisesthehousetoknowthewholetruth,toknowtheworstandtoprovideforit.Thethirdpart,paragraphs5-7,arguesforthespeaker'ssentimentseloquentlyorpersuasively.Theoratormakesitclearthatitisnousefurtherarguingaboutthesubjectandresortingtoentreatyandhumblesupplication,andthatitisfutiletoindulgeinthefondhopeofpeaceandreconciliation.TheoratoralsocriticizesthegroundlessviewpointthattheAmericansareweak--unabletocopewithsoformidableanadversary.Meanwhile,hearguesforthebeliefthattheAmericansareabletoactuallywinthebattle.Thelastparagraph,thefourthpart,vividlydrawsattentiontotheactualsituationandurgentlycallsontheAmericanpeopletofightforfreedom.Thelastsentence,whichhasnowbecomeafamousandfrequently-quotedsayingthroughouttheworld,declaresthespeaker'sattitudetowardlifeandfreedom.Thefollowingfourquestionsaretobediscussed:(1)Whydidthespeakerboldlyspeakhisopinions?Becauseifhehadwithheldhisopinionsatsuchacriticaltimethroughfearofgivingoffence,hewouldhaveconsideredhimselfguiltyoftreasontowardhismotherland,andofanactofdisloyaltytowardGod.Inotherwords,itwasoutofloveforhismotherlandandoutofhisloyaltytowardGodthathefelthewasduty-boundtoexpresshisideasboldly.(2)Giveexamplestoprovethesentence:?wehavedoneeverythingthatcouldbedonetoavertthestormwhichisnowcomingon.“Wehavepetitioned;wehaveremonstrated;wehavesupplicated;wehaveprostratedourselvesbeforethethrone,andhaveimploreditsinterpositiontoarrestthetyrannicalhandsoftheministryandParliament.Ourpetitionshavebeenslighted;ourremonstranceshaveproducedadditionalviolenceandinsult;oursupplicationshavebeendisregarded;andwehavebeenspurnedwithcontemptfromthefootofthethrone!(3)Whatviewpointdoestheoratoremphasizeinhisspeech?Theoratorstressesthat:theyhavenowayoutbuttofight;theymustfightforfreedomandindependence.(4)Whatisthespeaker'sattitudetowardthewar?Headoptsanactive,resoluteattitudetowardthewar.Theoratorrepeats,Letitcome!Letitcome!Sinceitisinevitable,itisrighttoletitcome.AnalysisofPara.1Thefirstparagraph,thebeginningofthetext,immediatelyattractstheaudience'sattention.Thespeakerfirstexpresseshisopinionofthegentlemenandprepareshisaudienceforadrasticallydifferentpositionfromthatofthegentlemen.Next,hereferstothequestionbeforethehouseasoneoffreedomorslavery.Then,hementionsthemotivefortheexpressionofhisopinions.Thefollowingtwoquestionsaretobeanswered.(1)Doyouagreethatthegentlemendonotconsiderthequestiontobeoneoffreedomorslavery?Yes,Ido.Theanswercanbeinferredfromthefirstparagraph.(2)Whydoesthespeakerthinkthatheshouldexpresshisopinionsboldly?Tothespeaker,Americaisatacriticaljuncture,andhethinksheisduty-boundtosavehismotherlandandthatheshouldbefaithfultoGod.Shouldheholdbackhisopinionsatsuchatime,throughfearofgivingoffence,heshouldconsiderhimselfasguiltyoftreasontowardhiscountry,andofanactofdisloyaltytowardtheMajestyofHeaven,whichhereveresaboveallearthlykings.LanguageworkPara11.NomanthinksmorehighlythanIdoofthepatriotism,aswellasabilities,oftheveryworthygentlemenwhohavejustaddressedthehouse.=NomanadmiresmorethanIdothepatriotismandabilitiesofthenoblegentlemenwhohavejustdeliveredspeechestothehouse.worthyadj.(usu.jocular)deservingrespect,recognition,orconsiderationTheyareworthycitizensofthetown.Weareengagedinaworthycause.Shehasaworthyrecordofachievements.beworthyofsth./todosth.:deservesth.ortodosth.Herachievementsareworthyofthehighestpraise.Shewasnotworthytoacceptthehonorofferedher.addressvt.tomakeaspeechtoapersonoranaudience,esp.formallyThechairmanwillnowaddressthemeeting.ThePresidentisnowaddressingthenation.housen.agroupofpeoplewhomeettodiscussorpasslawsInthisspeech,thehousereferstotheHouseofBurgesses,therepresentativeassemblyofcolonialVirginia.Andhere,thehouseisusedasacaseofmetonymy.Seemoreexamplesbelow.TheHouseofCommons/Lordsarediscussingthelaw.TheHouseofRepresentativespassedthreelawsatthelastsession.2.Butdifferentmenoftenseethesameobjectindifferentlights;and,therefore,Ihopeitwillnotbethoughtdisrespectfultothosegentlemen,if,entertaining,asIdo,opinionsofacharacterveryoppositetotheirs,Ishallspeakforthmysentimentsfreelyandwithoutreserve.=However,differentpeoplefrequentlyviewthesameissuefromdifferentperspectives;thus,Ihopeitwillnotberegardedasbeingoffensivetothosegentlemen,ifIdoholdopinionsentirelyoppositetotheirs,Ishallexpressmyopinionsfreelyandfully.sentimentsn.pointsofview,opinions;anattitudeoropinionusuallyinfluencedbyemotionWhatareyoursentimentsonthisissue?Shemadeaspeechfullofloftysentiments.entertainvt.toholdsth.inthemindorfeelingsSheentertainssomedoubtsaboutourscheme.Theyentertainprejudicesagainstus.3.Thisisno