Which line from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" supports Douglass's claim that the Fourth of July is not a cause worthy of celebration by all?
A. Fellow Citizens, I am not wanting in respect for the fathers of this republic. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were brave men. They were great men, too great enough to give frame to a great age.
B. Would to God, both for your sakes and ours, that an affirmative answer could be truthfully returned to these questions! Then would my task be light, and my burden easy and delightful.
C. Fellow-citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them.
D. But, I submit, where all is plain there is nothing to be argued. What point in the anti-slavery creed would you have me argue? On what branch of the subject do the people of this country need light?
Answer (2)
Frederick Douglass argues that the Fourth of July is not celebrated by all, notably by enslaved individuals who suffer while others enjoy freedom. He highlights this disparity with his line about hearing the 'mournful wail of millions,' emphasizing the ongoing pain that contrasts with the celebration. This demonstrates the hypocrisy of celebrating independence while ignoring the suffering of those still in bondage.
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Frederick Douglass argues that the Fourth of July is not a cause for celebration for all, highlighting the suffering of enslaved individuals. His line about the 'mournful wail of millions' underscores the contrast between the joy of freedom and the reality of oppression. This rhetorical device effectively illustrates the disparity between the experiences of white citizens and enslaved people. ;
