A Rhetorical Analysis Of Old Major's Speech

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Old Major’s Speech Analysis
In Old Major’s speech the speaker (Old Major) presents it to the (audience who are) animals of the Manor Farm. Old Major explains his thoughts on the life he had on the farm since he is dying soon. He summarizes how the farmers (Mr. Jones and his men) treated the animals harshly throughout the years by not giving them enough food, water, and time to rest from labor. Listing all of man's crimes, Old Major calls the other animals into planning the rebellion. He emotionally conducts his message to the animals by using ethos, pathos, and rhetorical questions to make it more effective.
Firstly, in the beginning of Old Major’s speech he has a very important message to the animals. He explains that he will die soon and has valuable information to pass on. Although Old Major already has high authority, he uses the first paragraph to establish credibility with the audience. In the beginning paragraph Old Major states that he has “had a long life” and that he has “wisdom” to “pass on” that he acquired throughout the many years of living (Orwell 6). Old Major uses ethos in order to get the animals more aware that Old Major is a very experienced and knowledgeable pig. Now whatever Old Major says the animals will …show more content…

He explains how they are horribly treated by Mr. Jones and his men throughout there short lifetimes by applying pathos. Old Major states that, “...we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those of us who are capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our strength; and the very instant that our usefulness has come to an end we are slaughtered with hideous cruelty” (Orwell 7). Old Major uses pathos in the speech in order to get the animals thinking about how cruelly they are treated. It makes the animals feel for one another and get them angry at the tyranny of Mr. Jones and his

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