The Pilot Rhetorical Analysis

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The three ships had avoided any known confrontation. When relief finally set in, the fleet was a few days west of the Island of Palma of the Canary Island group. It was apparent to all of the crew that now a true and direct westerly course had been held for more than twenty-four hours. The ship made fifteen leagues that day alone. In order to avoid that the crew might not become disheartened or alarmed if the voyage became too lengthy, Columbus determined to reckon a straight path so as not to deeply test their endurance. When the sailors steered badly letting the Santa Maria fall off to west by north and sometimes west-north-west, the Admiral rebuked them and insisted that they hold a true westerly course. The Enterprise was now an undisputed …show more content…

He asked the Pilot, “What lay before us?” The Pilot was thinking and spoke, what they all were thinking, “What lay before us is unknown water over unchartered courses. How thrilling and how worrisome. We only have the wind, the sun, the stars, the moon and the sea to guide us. And we only have the wind, the sun, the stars and the moon to fear. As far as we know…” The Pilot voice drifted and he did not vocalize his worries of whether the water would be deep enough or too deep to sail upon. He did not share his worry and that of all that the sea would take them on a course that would curse their ambitions and their skills. He did not even allow himself to think if the Admiral was anchored enough to lead upon these …show more content…

When I had exhausted all of my scientific arguments, withholding of course, the Toscanelli Chart and my cherished globe, for fear that they would use this evidence for another secret voyage, I then had to meet the scripture with scripture in order to persuade them further. They were unresponsive.” He shook his head with frustration. “I finally confessed that I had one additional secret reason for wanting to undertake this Enterprise. I was about to disclose it to Mendoza and Talavera for the first time and had piqued their interest. They were finally silenced when I confessed to them that I have always held the hope that one day it would be possible to rescue the Holy Sepulcher from the hands of the infidels.” La Cosa felt a chill creep down his spine and he slowly massaged his palms. “I had a feeling that the Eternal God sometimes chooses strange messengers, often humble people, to accomplish his plan. In any event I felt compelled to speak from a sincere belief and could not control myself. I did not seek all of these rewards for my own advancement nor for my own wealth or for that of generations to come. Because I was chosen to spread the word, I would not retract one word from my request and was eternally ordained to undertake this Enterprise." La Cosa’s

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