Literary Analysis Thomas Jefferson

Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Literary Analysis of the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson was a member of the five-person committee that drafted the declaration of independence in 1776. Jefferson took the main responsibility for formulating the declaration, though other notable members such as Benjamin Franklin and John Adams contributed suggestions (Cooke 2). While drafting the declaration, Jefferson employed all the three persuasive appeals, including ethos, pathos and logos, to make his audience accept his message. Tandem to this, he uses persuasive voice to address his audience on the importance of adapting change (Gibson 18). Naturally, the declaration of independence was aimed at King George III; however, it still has a significant meaning for many nations today. Question 1 While drafting the declaration for independence, Thomas Jefferson had observed that it was necessary to implement a law that would provide equal opportunities for all citizens of the United States. Jefferson argued that “people are equal under the law; therefore, there should not be one law for the poor and another for the rich” (Cooke 2). The Phrase, “All men are created equal. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal….” not only justifies the philosophy of equal rights but also justifies the philosophy of limited, government, popular control, justification for rebellion and the social contact. When Jefferson used the term, “Self evident” perhaps his goal was to demonstrate to King George III and the general population that equality calls for no defense because its virtue is unquestionable (Gibson 87). The persuasive appeal of this sentence is rooted from the use of ethos and pathos. While Jefferson employs pathos to appeal to the emotions of the audience. He uses ethos to make a standing on his points of view on human position in society. For instance, ethos is seen when Jefferson emphasizes on the importance of equality (Gibson 91). While emphasizing on equality, Jefferson promoted the track of human actions that facilitated freedom in America. On the other hand, Pathos is seen in the repetition of the word "that". By repeating this word, Jefferson was able to express his ideas in a way that persuaded King George III and the public to change their take on the position of every human being (Cooke 2). For instance, many abolitionists could use the declaration of equity in antislavery argument to reflect their take on slavery. To date, a wide group of substantial people in social and political life have incorporated or quoted the phrase in their speech to justify the importance of equality in the society. Among the notable figures that have incorporated the phrase, include Martin Luther King and Benjamin Franklin (Willis 98). The frequent and continuous use of this phrase has proved that it will remain relevant forever. Question 2 In regards to Jefferson argument on human rights, one can agrees that unalienable rights are those that belong to the people in their corporate or collective capacity and, as such, “these rights cannot be parted with or transferred to another person” (Willis 142). One cannot control or regulate these rights. However, it is critical to note that once a nation establishes a government, these rights lose their unalienable status. This implies that the sovereign power, while keeping with natural law, can regulates these rights to promote the well-being of the society. When Jefferson developed the phrase, “Men have unalienable Rights: Life, Liberty and the pursuit of...