AP Essay ANALYSIS: Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (Q2)

Sample Rhetorical Analysis:

Students were asked to identify Lincoln's purpose, followed by an analysis of his rhetorical strategies. To find the purpose, always look at the beginning and the end. A writer always ends his or her work with the main idea. Below, I have placed in red lines that help reveal Lincoln's purpose. Key phrasing has also been underlined.

The introduction should clearly--and specifically--address the speaker's purpose. The following paragraphs examine particular choices made by the speaker, presenting specific supporting evidence, and explaining HOW and/or WHY the choice helps the speaker accomplish his purpose.

IMPORTANT: Commentary should explain HOW the speaker's choice affects his or her audience. Talk about the intended and likely effects. What is the audience supposed to think or feel? The more you talk about the effect on the audience, the higher your likely score.

The full-text of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address:

Fellow-Countrymen:

AT this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.

1

On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, urgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.

2

One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh." If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether."

3

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

Who is Lincoln's audience?

Clearly, he speaks to both North and South. He continually uses words plural pronouns: both, us, we, neither, each.

Now, how does Lincoln try to convince his audience that they should come together to "bind up the nation's wounds"?

Consider the following:

1. Diction: Throughout the speech, Lincoln addresses the country--then divided into two--as one. Through this approach, he reinforces the commonality of the divided people. Consider the following sequence of sentences:

• Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained.

• Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease.

• Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding.

• Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other.

This series of parallel sentences all begin with a word encompassing both North and South. The content reinforces the commonality of the peoples. In this way, Lincoln works his audience to an understanding that they can come together as one because they are both the same.

2. Passive Voice: Lincoln writes, "Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came." Notice the final phrasing: "...[A]nd the war came." Lincoln presents the war as unwanted; furthermore, his wording is not accusatory. Though he subtlely suggests that the South as the instigator, he does not directly blame the people. He says the "war came," but who brought it? The lack of a subject causing the action clearly indicates that Lincoln's focus is not on who to blame for the war but reinforcing his motif that the war has brought equal suffering to both North and South.

3. Religion: Most students recognize that Lincoln uses religion to remind his audience--both North and South--of their commonalities. Few students, however, address this line: "If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him?"

Remember "...and the war came"? Now ask yourself: Who brought the war? Lincoln's answer: God. Note the phrases above colored blue. Lincoln presents the war--and all its suffering--as the will of God, our punishment for slavery. Remember earlier this year we read the original draft of the Declaration of Independence, which had intended to eradicate slavery. Instead, our leaders chose to allow slavery to continue.

As the war came to a close, consider the feelings of anger, resentment, or hatred that many people must have felt. Lost sons and husbands. Orphan children. The destruction of property.

By associating the cause of the war with the Divine, Lincoln circumvents these bitter feelings. The outcome is God's will. Who can be angry with God?

4. Tone (or attitude): Consider how Lincoln could have spoken as the victorious Commander-in-Chief after a long war. He could have celebrated. Glorified himself. Condemned the enemy. Called for vengeance.

Instead, he quietly reflects on the shared suffering of both North and South and calls on all Americans to put their bitterness and resentment behind them in order to come together as one: "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

The evidence used to discuss tone can vary, but explain how Lincoln wanted to listeners to react.