[Student Example] Rhetorical Analysis: Banneker Letter

In his letter to Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Banneker uses comparison and contrast to argue against slavery by asking Jefferson to reflect on how he fought against the injustices imposed by the British. Banneker calls out Jefferson's hypocrisy, by comparing what happened to the Colonialists to what is continuing to happen to slaves. Banneker also makes a sharp contrast between Jefferson fighting for freedom because all men are created equal with how he is still inflicting the same injustices upon slaves.

 When Banneker uses point of view, it causes the reader to see both sides of the story. In this instance, Jefferson was, from his own point of view, recalling when America was being treated badly by the British, and then from the point of view of an African-American slave being treated, not only the same, but worse.  This element helps Banneker's argument by relating Jefferson's struggles to the struggles of slaves that he caused.

 Throughout the letter, Banneker points out many pieces of evidence to prove his point. He mentions evidence from the Declaration of Independence, which Jefferson wrote, and paired it with the evidence of slavery going on at that time. He then used those words written by Jefferson and showed that he was contradicting the very thing he fought for.