Rhetorical Analysis Chief Seattle

This Earth is precious” is a transcription of Chief Seattle’s reply to the president of the United States due to the fact they tried to buy their lands. It is thought that this speech was given in 1845, but in fact, the date, location, and the actual contents of it are unclear and disputed. Chief Seattle was a warrior who tried to defend his people, protecting them, and their culture, “considered barbaric by the Washington government of the white invaders of America.” It is undeniable that Seattle’s letter is completely effective and eloquent, making clear the fact that for them their lands are not only something to own, but to respect. In his writing, Seattle invites the Washington government to think about what they want to do, by using certain literary devices, such as, rhetorical questions, irony, euphemism, hyperbole, etc.

To begin with, the presence of rhetorical questions is important throughout the letter, and its role is fundamental to achieve Settle’s aim.

Through them, they invite the Washington government to reflect on what they want to do and its consequences. By using those impactful questions, he is able to make the white man’s offer sounds ridiculous, as he asks himself “how can they buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land?”. Clearly, those things cannot be bought with any money in the world.

In addition, the use of irony is one of the most effective and valuable devices in this literary piece and Seattle use it so precisely that in some parts of the text is implicit. When he says “The sight of your cities pains the eyes of the red man. But perhaps it is because the red man is a savage and does not understand”, he is being very ironical. He knows that the “white man” considers his culture as the only one, the superior one, and he makes it clear by this play on words. Deep inside him, he knows that they think the red man as a

barbarian.
Another important device is the use of personification and sensorial images. They give us the notion that Chief Seattle and his people consider nature as part of them. They do not believe they are the owners of the land; in fact, they worship it as a way of showing their gratitude for what the earth has provided them. For instance, he uses a lot of personification, giving the earth and its elements (water, air, flowers, etc.) human characteristics, because for him the latter is his God: “The air is precious to the red man, for all the things share the same breath-the beast, the tree, the man, they all share the same breath.” And also he considers the rivers part of his family “The rivers are our brothers, they quench our thirst.” What is more, sensorial images are present in most of the writing so as to emphasize the land has for them:” The clatter only seems to insult the ears. and what is there to life if a man cannot hear the lonely cry of the whippoorwill or the arguments of the frogs around a pond at night?"
All in all, it can be said that Seattle’s use of literary devices to convey his message, is effective and powerful. He makes the Washington government to think about their “offer”, which sounds ridiculous for them, as he and his people see the earth as something sacred, impossible to buy and sell. Probably, his rhetorical questions will remain in the USA president for the rest of his life, reminding him that some things cannot be sold and that “For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected.”