Sophia Keely

Mrs. Crandall

AP Language-2nd

19 December 2019

“Phillips Call to Action” Revised

This persuasive speech, delivered by Wendell Phillips, debates the rights and roles of

African Americans serving in the military, and celebrates the achievements of Haitian General

Toussaint Louverture. Phillips uses a combination of compare and contrast and metaphors to

influence African Americans to come together and defend their nation. The Author makes his

purpose for delivering this speech excessive and magnified, that is to leave the Northerners with

a better clarified understanding of the topic, and sense of motivation in response to Phillips’ call

to action.

Phillip opens his speech with a metaphor, conversely, in a way that targets the common

beliefs of the audience and displays his accusations suddenly, yet effectively. He says, “you,

think no marble white enough on which to carve the name of the father of his country” (Phillips

6-7). The manner in which Phillips incorporates diction such as, “you” adds value by pointing

fingers at the Northerners lack of urgency toward a rather severe issue. By comparing a marble

to the leader of the United Sates, suggesting that no one person is “white enough” to satisfy the

needs of the citizens of the nation, nor deserve such a significant role in the government.

Through this standard, Phillips does not fail to bring forth the possible racist qualities of the

audience, by addressing flaws in their attitudes and insulting their approaches, making it rather

obvious that the audience’s implied beliefs must be contradictory to those of his.
 Phillips continues on using compare and contrast to productively stimulate his audience

to support his prerogative. He analyzes what other military generals have accomplished opposed

to Louverture: “Now if Cromwell was a general, at least this man a soldier […] we measure

genius by quality not by quantity”, symbolizing that although others have conquered an

abundance of territory, Louverture’s defeats stood significant and meaningful (Phillips 21-26).

By rivalling Cromwell, a white soldier, to Louverture, an African American soldier, Phillip is

adept to prove to the Northerners that men of color can offer the militaristic advantage that the

nation is longing for.

Throughout the duration of the speech, Phillips is able to gain credibility and

encouragement amongst his listeners, incorporating efficient stylistic remarks such as metaphors

and compare and contrast to heighten the influence left on the audience. Phillips closes the

speech with words that both motivate and stimulate his listeners by allowing them to engage in

the topic. Therefore, by the end of Phillips’ speaking the spectators are left determined to make

change midst the unfortunately common beliefs of the American people of this time.