Dubois Speech to Niagara Movement
W. E. B. DuBois Analysis In his speech, DuBois’ use of language achieves a number of differentiating purposes. One purpose, like many abolitionists before him, is to make clear that inequality is fallacious and simply unjustifiable by painting an understanding of its grotesque face. The underlying purpose, however, is that DuBois wanted his followers to truly grasp John Brown’s aggressive dogma in the hopes that they inherit it. His speech is powerful as it appeals to human senses, and has manipulating qualities to it.
As DuBois praises John Brown for his effort and goals for equality among races, he deliberately distinguishes those goals as sacrifices, “on the altar of right. ” DuBois effectively utilizes over a dozen literary devices, and of those devices, the three most powerful are antithesis, chiasmus, and parallel structure. Antithesis is the contrasting of two ideas in a phrase to elucidate that what is being contrasted is of two different elements. In DuBois’ speech, he achieves this and more at the end of his speech when he quickly identifies the divine brotherhood of all men, “white and black, rich and poor, fortunate and unfortunate. The antithesis of these elements within a society, at first, conflict with his statement about brotherhood. In truth, by contrasting these elements, the listener or reader acquires a much more profound understanding of the meaning of brotherhood. No matter how different two races seem, they in truth are still human beings no matter what. No matter how large the discrepancy in terms of wealth between social classes may seem, one cannot exist without the other.
DuBois emphasizes that there are truly no differences between whites and blacks and for this reason he believes that they should fight for equality like John Brown. Chiasmus is used to appeal to the Niagara Movement through the emphasis of logic. Chiasmus emits a certain balance to it whenever it is applied, because the two statements are direct inverses of each other. While DuBois explicitly denoted the educational and literary situation occurring, he assertively states, “Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. This statement is in fact the truth in a sense that America must choose one path. The path of equality and erasing prejudice from their soil will lead to prosperity, whilst the path of inequality and ignorance will cause the nation to collapse in on it. DuBois applies this in order to justify immediate action and if they need, aggressive action. The final literary device utilized is parallel structure. Whenever it is applied in a speech of some sort, it often elucidates the true meaning of the speech itself. DuBois is aware of this and thus wisely repeats the word; “we. “We” as parallel structure, is utilized for a number of reasons. One is to point out the number of oppressing aspects within their Negro lifestyles and to give support to immediate action. Another reasons is to emphasize that Americans as whole, not just blacks, is meant to be a single, unified force. Although whites will be whites and blacks will be blacks, they, again, exhibit a brotherhood quality that is not acknowledged often enough. DuBois simply uses the word “we” in order to elucidate that underlying fact that Americans need to live up to their foundations and be “one. ”
