Rhetorical Devices In Black Hawk's Surrender Speech

In Black Hawk's Surrender Speech in 1832, he uses many rhetorical devices to address the ending of Black Hawk. He uses these devices to express his emotions and thoughts of his ending.

Black Hawk first uses narrative to describe the event of when he realized his "evil day" was coming. He gives details on how well the white men fought even though Black Hawk fought his hardest. Black Hawk describes that day as "the last sun that shone on Black Hawk." He then goes on to describe how the white men talked bad about his people. But the Indians did not do the same. Black Hawk then states "An Indian who is as bad as the white men, could not live in our nation..." He gives the white men a negative connotation because to act like on of them would be

like the ultimate sin. And the punishment for this would be death then eaten by wolves.

When Black Hawk knew that the white men had "poisoned" them, he looked up to the Great Spirit or great father. He uses an allusion because he is referring to an almighty such as God. He continues on by using the reference of "father" and how he will commend Black Hawk one day. Black Hawk's tone changes in the ending of his speech by showing his emotions and explaining how a true Indian cries like a woman because of his family and friends.

Black Hawk closes his speech with the same reference in the beginning, "His sun is setting and he will rise no more." He explains or describes himself as a sun which is a methapor.