The Declaration of Independence: Thomas Jefferson - Research Paper Example

The Declaration of Independence-Thomas Jefferson The Declaration of Independence portrays literal power in the usage of rhetoric devices that clearlystand out throughout the document. The writer had such proficiency beyond doubt that he was a very learned and skilled person. To attest to this proposition, this document analyses some of the rhetoric devices used and the intellectual achievement that Thomas Jefferson had. The rhetoric devices used point at the possibility of a good education and literal skills well developed throughout the writer’s experiences. As studies of the Declaration of Independence find out, the document is perhaps one of the most creatively designed state documents. Distinctively enumerated into exceptional divisions, the writer demonstrated some rare writing skills that make it one of the best literal state papers. The Declaration of Independence can be divided into an introduction, a clearly developed preamble, a section describing the indictment of the Crown, denunciation of the American oppressors (the British) and a good conclusion1. Any paper passing the test of good writing must at least show such organization. Throughout the document, artistic or literary devices (rhetoric devices) can be pointed out to attest to the fact that the writer must have had tremendous proficiency with the topic of artistic discourse. The author is none other than Thomas Jefferson, although history has had laughable doubts of according him the credit. A good example of the weak school of thought that the authorship of the Declaration of Independence could be not Thomas Jefferson is the belated publication of Mecklenburg Declaration. Mecklenburg Declaration which allegedly was duplicated by Jefferson as the proponents of the thought argued was later found out to be a “hoax” by the words of Jefferson himself2. Scholars have widely bought the possibility of the Mecklenburg Declaration being the attempted duplication of the original burnt down copy written by Jefferson. It has also been accepted that the doubted authenticity of the Mecklenburg Declaration should be used against the weak school of thought doubting Jefferson as the author. Academic exposure that Thomas Jefferson had is undoubtedly enough support for the artistic work that the Declaration of Independence is. Jefferson was lucky to have obtained the best education likely to promote his development into a successful writer that the Declaration could possibly have demanded3. He went to a good school and was able to learn foreign languages namely Greek, French and Latin at a very tender age. Learned personalities such as prominent ministers, for instance James Maury are said to have undergone learning at the same institution as Thomas Jefferson did. His higher education specialty can attest to the level of development he had gained at school to provoke great ideas such as the ones in those the Declaration. Some of the studies that Thomas Jefferson specialized in include law, math, philosophy and quantum physics. It is at school that Jefferson developed a rare connection with great writings by British writers which opened up his skills and liking for writing. Growth as a profound student enabled him to enhance his proficiency in French, Greek and music, a rare combination in average students. As a young intellectual, Thomas Jefferson started to practice law in 1776 and later graduated to a higher level of law making, which landed him to a more defined role of preparing state texts. Some of his published works demonstrating his discourse skills include “A Summary of the Rights of British America”, which he did during the time he was representing the County of Albemarle, Virginia, to the House of Burgesses. The other notable works that Thomas Jefferson wrote were tow congressional papers namely; Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms and the Report on Lord North’s Conciliatory Proposal. Only a few changes were necessary to make Jefferson’s scripts adoptable. His writing at the lower engagements he had with the Congress earned him respect and prepared him for much serious state scripture writing. Virginia had Richard Henry Lee as the initial representative to the committee of five for the preparation of the declaration document, but Lee was an orator while Jefferson was a writer. The 1775 Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to prepare the declaration for the accompaniment of resolution of independence. Thomas Jefferson was a renowned writer by then and was eventually elected to write the Declaration which subsequently adopted with following consultations with reliable resources. Contributions to education system which demonstrate his deep rooted liking for literacy and its application go further than his own achievements to include the inception of the University of Virginia. He was growing as a complete scholar with a rare linguistic taste which could have enabled him to prepare the Declaration of Independence. From the introduction, the writer used a lengthy periodic sentence that requires a specific interpretation for the reader to bring out the real meaning of the Declaration4. A philosophical approach was used to outline the introduction as a plain statement that does not clearly bring out the oppression that the Declaration purports to demonize. It acts an interest seeking statement where the reader must invest attention to grasp the developing body. An explanation for the cause is brought out as a natural occurrence which anyone would identify with. Usage of such words as “necessary” creates an impression of strong need for the Americans to take the proposed action, which is well connected to their human nature. “One people” can be translated to send a strong message that the Americans and the British were different people brought together politically and breaking the “political bands” was a necessity for the survival of the Americans. Words chosen for the first paragraph were correctly chosen for the link needed to make the Declaration flow to the second paragraph. Choice of words was intended to capture the attention of America’s friends. The rhetorical conventions applied broadened the audience covering the entire world where the liberal mind got served. The generalization of the audience made the Declaration a universal document that proved the genuineness of the intended cause. Friends of independence would support the resolve to have the Declaration effected and oppression eliminated. Towards the end of the introduction to the Declaration, the words “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” were used to show the inherent rights possessed by the Americans just like any nation should possess5. Nature’s rule of freedom, independence and equality among all the nations is undisputed as the rhetorical device states. Use of “Nature’s God” God stresses the divinity pegged to the independence sought by the Declaration. Contained in the next section, the preamble is the presentation of the philosophy of justification for an American revolution. Precision and economy of wording denoting classical rhetorical texts are finely exhibited in the preamble which is only 202 words. A smooth flow of ideas make the entire preamble section as simple as a statement of its nature ought to be. “Simple and sublime” style was synonymous to Thomas Jefferson’s language usage that he credits Thomas Paine with6. Among the best works that Jefferson chose for highlight and mention included those of Bolingbroke which possessed some unmatched class7. Jefferson portrays conversance with the best oratory and rhetorical prowess of the eighteenth century in the preamble. In his previous works was one that particularly demonstrated this fact, in the manner that rhythm, timing as well as cadence in discourse richly stand out. This was brought out in his essay “Thoughts on English Prosody” written in 1786. The poetic piece brings out connection between rhythm and language contained in the preamble that Jefferson had well mastered by the said year. Usage of “…all men are created equal…” intention could have well been deeply thought to bring a diverse interpretation by the Americans, the British and possible allies who could assist the Americans in their quest for independence8. The preamble consists of a group of five principles of human rights that are naturally and rhetorically read and interpreted together. Rights’ principles brought out include; of equity, inalienability of the rights, examples of the rights, necessity of governments to secure the rights and the right of the people to abolish abusive governments. It is also in this section that the rhetoric device known as sorites is well developed. “…God is omnipotent…” “…an omnipotent…possible…” “…possible…not a contradiction…” “…not a contradiction…” Sorites are artistic devises commonly used in Thomas Jefferson’s age where several propositions are formulated such that the idea in the one preceding the other is developed in such a pattern until all the propositions are highlighted9. The subject of the earlier proposition is not lost in the string. In the above demonstration excerpt from the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson developed the idea of God’s omnipresence and ability which He possesses without contradiction. The structure of the Declaration portrays a clear design with three basic areas tackled namely; a minor premise, a major premise, and a conclusion. The major premise is that the people have a right to denounce and demolish a government that subjects them to suffering which they are initially formed to eliminate. The minor premise is the position that the crown government was in by deliberately trouncing on the Americans rights. The conclusion of the Declaration is that the American people had to take their duty to abolish the British government and form their own promising future security of America. The indictment of the king dispelled the old maxim that absolved the king from wrong any doing. King George III had appeared to have a hard stance against the Americans and the possibility of independence to be forthcoming was almost inexistent10. Strong words had to be used against the King to send signals of an irritated people. Allegiance to the king was the remaining tie that the Americans had with the British and the rhetorical approach to use was to hit at the highest possible signal. The conflict between the two parties is well brought out in the indictment of the British Monarch. Accurate and dignified tone is maintained in the critique of the monarch contempt of the American people11. Relating well with the previous words of the preamble, the writer brought in the flow of the idea of Americans rights, which the Monarch had trounced. Indictment uses the word “tyranny” to point at the gravity of the matter. Rhetorically, accusing the Monarch to be a tyrant was the most serious statement to the Kingdom. Since the indictment of the King required proof in that age, the section details in the manner in which the King had “…repeated Injuries and usurpations…,” keeping in touch with classical Englishmen rhetorical conventions. Twenty eight grievances raised against the King are contained in the bill of particulars clearly developed in the Indictment of the King. Phrases such as “…candid world…” have been used to rhetorically prove the American case against the crown by showing the unbiased audience likely to understand the Declaration. Since the indictment could only be legal to sustain a rhetorical hearing at the time, words such as “facts” acted to serve the purpose very well. “Fact” had another rhetorical meaning denoting a crime which augured well in the indictment statement in rhetorical terms. Thomas Jefferson having been a lawyer well versed in law usages of the word was the ideal candidate to draft a document reaching that effect12. Throughout the indictment, it is clearly demonstrated that the King had led the British government to deny justice to the American people yet the rights are inalienable. The developed discourse therefore points at the justification of the right that the American’s resolve to find a way out of the oppression. Denunciation of the American oppressors involves the inclusion of “others” in the grievances, which is ideally intended to indict the British parliament in the process. British administration is therefore dragged into the cause of the American agony. The cause of declaring independence is clearly developed with enough evidence from legal and rhetorical grounds to sufficiently present it as a strong case. Alliteration is demonstrated in the summoning of the crown and the British parliament with such wording as “connections and correspondence”, “British brethren” and assonance depicted by such style usages as “them from time to time.” The usage of a single to two syllable words makes a high proportion of the entire document, which illustrates the prowess of the writer in the writing of such documents13. The concluding part of the Declaration of Independence was designed that it was ensured that the document ended in a more artistic style than it begun. A fine trilogy is attached at the end of the conclusion with artistic rhetoric phrases such as “our sacred Honor”, “our Lives” as well as “our Fortunes” and capture the rare patriotic that the audience needs to feel the attachment. Rhetorical discourse could not be captured better than by the use of unification and instillation of pride in the ears of the revolutionaries as well as the general American citizenry. In the conclusion, heightening of the conflict between the two countries has been achieved by the usage of word such as “he” “us” our” “them” we” and “they”14. The purpose of the declaration is not lost at the excitement of concluding which maintains the artistic touch. Capturing these rhetoric and artistic devices throughout the text could not have been done without a brain that only the linguistic, legal and academic elite like Jefferson possessed at his time. The legal profession as well as the academic ambition he had always possessed placed him in such a position as would have enabled such a writer to achieve. Besides being the learned individual he was, his political ambitions supplemented the credentials that a possible writer of the Declaration must have had15. This is because were it not for his presence among the political class mandated to draft and present the document to the congress, his artistic prowess could never have found his way to the law makers. Bibliography Alan L. Golden & James L. Golden, Thomas Jefferson and the rhetoric of virtue. Lanham, ML: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002, 75 James H. Moore, Defence of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence: an exhaustive review of and answer to all attacks on the declaration. (Raleigh, North Carolina: Edwards & Broughton, 1908), 150. Thomas W. Benson American rhetoric: context and criticism. Chicago, IL: SIU Press, 1989. Stephen E. Lucas “The Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of Independence.” http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_style.html Celeste Michelle Condit, John Louis Lucaites, Sally Caudill Contemporary rhetorical theory: a reader. Spring Street, NY: Guilford Press, 1999, 302. Francis D. Cogliano Thomas Jefferson: reputation and legacy. George Square, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2006, 207. Michael Shalom Kochin Five chapters on rhetoric: character, action, things, nothing, and art. University Park, PA: Penn State Press, 2009. Read More