Goodner ENGL III AP LANG & COMP 1
Sojourner Truth: Rhetoric & Style
Answer the following questions concerning Rhetoric and Style in Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a
Woman?”
1. How does Truth’s opening paragraph set the tone for her speech? Is referring to her audience
as “children” likely to antagonize them? What is the effect of the rhetorical question that begins
the second paragraph?
She's using complex syntax to express the idea that the movement of towards equality
is gaining momentum in the United States. No, I don't think she is referring to her
audience as "children" to antagonize them. It's effective begins it gains the reader's
attention and engages them with the topic that Truth is about to discuss about.
2. What is the effect of her repeated question, “And ain’t I a woman?” How is this question an
appeal to ethos?
The effect of Truth's repeated question is that she wants to establish some form of
equality and equal rights as men have by repeating the question to remind the
audience about what she's fighting for and that she's proud to be a women and wants
more power and freedom like men. This question appeals to ethos because she's
saying this with her motive and saying it in an emotional way.
3. What is her appeal in each of the three central paragraphs? What would be the effect of
omitting any one of them? Could the order be changed?
Her appeal to each of the three paragraphs is that she wants all women of color to be
as equal as men and to have equal rights for a less-hatred society of both genders.
There would be the same amount of effects as omitting any of them because she is
fighting for the same topic she is discussing and the order can be changed in any
way.
4. What is the ratio of questions to declarative sentences in this speech? What conclusions can you
draw from that information?
Conclusions that I can draw from this information is that I think Truth is right about
women having equal rights compared to men because then it makes more of an equal
society with less amounts of violence and more peace. I also believe with her
statements when she says that all women of color should be considered equal and that
they deserve the same amount of rights as other women of color and men. Therefore,
her statements are arguments are trustworthy and provides great reasoning and claims.
Goodner ENGL III AP LANG & COMP 2
Sojourner Truth: Rhetoric & Style
5. Mark the speech into appeals to ethos, logos, and pathos. Discuss one example where all three
coincide.
The speech appeals to ethos because she's credible about women deserving the same
equality as men because other women besides even her are fighting for the same
purpose and she comes up with good purposes to stop the discrimination and gain the
same amount of equality and freedom like men. This also appeals to logos because
she uses her logic and evidence to assume to her audience that what she's fighting for
is worth the respect from the world. Lastly, this appeals to pathos because she's
expressing her emotional about how she feels about women inequality and she's
showing this by repeating the same question, "And ain't I a woman."
6. How does Truth use religion in her speech? Does she risk being accused of blasphemy?
Truth uses religion in her speech by mentioning Christ when she says that the little
man said that women aren't equal and will never be equal because Christ was a man
and not a woman. I don't necessarily think she really risks of being accused of
blasphemy.
7. How would you characterize Truth’s presentation of herself in the ending sentence?
She tells the audience that she has had a rich life experience and offers some
valuable wisdom.
