What Are The Rhetorical Strategies In Speech By Florence Kelley

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This speech by Florence Kelley is filled with numerous rhetorical strategies. Giving her speech in Philadelphia, she touched the hearts of many. Appealing to the emotions of the other women in the audience, Kelley got her point across. She despised child labor as she felt it was dangerous and inappropriate. By using rhetorical strategies such as imagery, anaphora, and forced teaming, she engages the right audience (women attending the suffrage convention) whom were already seeking change. Describing the working conditions and how long these children were working in the factories, the audience begins to realize how difficult these jobs can be on the children. Not only how hard they work, but also for how long. The ages represented how young these children were. Sarcasm even took place as she said for their 14th birthday, they enjoyed now being able to work all night. Women …show more content…

The repetition of “Tonight while we sleep” is intended to make us feel guilty. Also the repetition of “all night long” makes the audience realize how hard these children have to work. However, what the audience also has to consider is this is happening every night. Now it becomes all night, every night, as we sleep. Also, Kelley uses a strategy known as forced teaming. The first word of her speech is “We”, meaning we're on her side already. As mentioned before, the phrase “Tonight while we sleep” automatically includes the audience. Followed by lists of all the things the children produce for the common man. These items listed were simply products used in the everyday life of humans. Kelley is making the audience feel guilty for purchasing those items made by children. Florence Kelley had a big influence on America. Although using these rhetorical strategies, she persuaded the minds of women to support her claim, her speech touched the hearts of many. Speaking at a convention filled with women was smart and

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