entry 7

William Wells Brown uses a compilation of genres in order to compose and express his own life and experiences. This common technique used by many slave authors in fact became so popular and widely used that it became its own genre. The slave narrative genre became a conglomeration of the travel story, the adventure narrative, and the spiritual odyssey. Slave narratives were used to promote Africans as a race and exemplify that they were worthy of salvation through the church and therefore worthy of natural liberties granted to free white men.

Well known authors such as Olaudah Equiano drew parallels in his writing to emphasize the similarities between the trials faced by the Jews and the trials faced by his native people. While Wells Brown’s use of the spiritual odyssey characteristics were limited within his narrative, he references his faith multiple times in the preface and letters to and from friends regarding the publication and content of his narrative. On the other hand, Wells Brown’s entire narrative mirrors the travel story and adventure narrative. When he describes his first attempted escape, his trials within the institution of slavery, and his successful escape to the north; his stylistic strategies almost exactly parallel those of the adventure genre.

William Wills Brown uses various rhetorical strategies such as pathos, or emotional appeal, and ethos, or moral arguments, in order to achieve his purpose. Pathos is prevalent in his narrative through the use of imagery, passionate and complex syntax and diction, tone, and paradox. Use of complex syntax and diction throughout his narrative, not only adds depth to the arguments and points that he emphasizes, but it also gives legitimacy to his credibility as a slave who was civilized and educated. Writing was one of the most effective ways in that time period to establish legitimate education, so Wells Brown takes advantage of this standard by exploiting his rich vocabulary and fluid writing. He uses imagery to order to portray the cruelties that he and his fellow slaves experienced. The colorful language allows the reader to taste the actual feelings flowing through slaves when they were mistreated and abused. William Wells Brown takes on a serious tone thought out the narrative in order to emphasize the gravity of the feelings that resulted from the treatments he received. In addition to various strategies to achieve emotional appeal, Wells Brown also uses ethos in order to strengthen his argument. He appeals to the audience, arguing that his African brothers are no different than white men and therefore should be treated equally. He further strengthens his argument in various letters to friend where he used scripture and religious quotations to support his point.

Overall, William Wells Brown exploits rhetorical strategies in his narrative to emphasize the cruelties in slavery. His writing shows how even the people who try to remain unattached from the institution of slavery still become corrupted. His use of pathos and ethos allows the audience to empathize with his trials and feel the horrors that slavery encourages.