The Gettysburg Address



The Gettysburg Address

Directions: Answer the all parts of the questions in complete sentences and use pen.

1. Identify the tone of the speech with a two-word phrase -- an adjective-noun combination (“angry sarcasm”), or a combination of adjectives (such as “wistful and melancholy”).

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2. What does Lincoln refer to in his opening sentence?

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Explain the effect of this sentence.

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3. When Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, the audience was quite surprised by how short the speech was: a mere 272 words. Discuss the rhetorical effects of such brevity.

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4. Indicate examples of repeated diction and explain the effect and probably purpose of these repetitions.

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5. Note and explain diction that has to do with life and death. Explain its effect.

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6. Considering the importance of the speech, not how ironic it is that Lincoln said, “The world will little not, nor long remember what we say here…” Why do you think it endured?

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7. Indicate as many examples of parallelism as you can find. Explain their effect.

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8. Identify and explain the effect of Lincoln’s use of juxtapositions and antitheses.

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9. Note the rhetorical shift Lincoln indicates with “But…” in paragraph 3. Explain its purpose and effect.

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10. Note specifically the word “perish” in the final sentence of the speech. How does its connotation differ from, for example, “die,” “pass away” or “fade?”

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11. In such a short speech (272 words), the final sentence is notable for its length (82 words) and complexity. Explain the effect of concluding the speech with such a sentence.

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12. Provide on example each of an appeal to ethos, logos, and pathos. Which one is the most prominent and effective in the speech.

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