Blog Task: Abraham Lincoln Speech

The following speech by Abraham Lincoln is famous for its brevity and effect. The speech was delivered from the back of a train as Lincoln was about to leave his home town to take up the presidency in Washington, DC in 1861. Many people have noticed the rhetoric (the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the exploitation of figures of speech and other compositional techniques) employed in the speech including ANTITHESIS (two opposites are introduced in the same sentence, for contrasting effect), PARALLEL STRUCTURE (use of the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance, using coordinating conjunctions such as “and” or “or”), and ANAPHORA (repetition of a sequence of words at the beginning of clauses). 

Read the speech  and consider the purposeful use of syntax (the way in which words are put together). Why would Lincoln have made the choices he did? Use PEE structure in your answer.

“My friends: No one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of  a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried. I now leave, not knowing when or whether ever I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of that Divine Being who ever attended him, I canot succeed. With that assistance, I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.”

This is a goodbye speech from Abraham Lincoln, so the literary devices should be directed to create an emotional scene. Lincoln is trying to make the point that he is loyal to his town by showing feelings of sadness, this is proved when he repeats the word "Here".