Rhetorical Analysis of the Confessions of Nat Turner Essay

In The Confessions of Nat turner, Thomas R. colour attempted to provide the public with a cave in understanding of the origin and progress of this dreadful conspiracy, and the motives which influences its diabolical actors ( greyish, 3). gray-headed hoped to deputize a thousand idle, exaggerated and mischievous reports with a single, authoritative fix out of the event. To do so, he had to establish that the confession was voluntary, that the transcript was accurate, and that food turner was grievous the truth.As for the sincerity and truthfulness of the pris mavinr, old said he cross-examined turner and found his statement corroborated by the confessions of other prisoners and other circum offices. While he claims that these confessions were recorded with little or no variation, hoars verbose introduction addressed to the public was intended to frame turner and as a psychotic villain that was rightfully punished for his unconventional acts against society.In an campaign to exact turner appear more sinister, Gray described turner as being a gloomy fanatical revolving in the recesses of his hold dark, bewildered, and overwrought mind, schemes of indiscriminate massacre to the whites (Gray, 3). Though he may not live been as vicious as Gray portrayed him to be, the description was meant to to bring its object into a field of vision, to make that object speak for itself convincingly and to give it form, character, and tone (Browne, 319).This horrific kitchen range of Turner was intended to shape the minds of the public in such a way that their minds would be made up before even reaching turners actual confessions. Browne points out that by assuring the reader of the textbookual matters veracity and by designating the monstrous motives that drove him to such whole kit, Gray prefigures not only the chronicle to follow but establishes the readers preferred stance toward it, which given the events is a negative one (Browne, 319). The authenti city of this document is something to be contested.As a lawyer working on Turners case and a supporter of sla genuinely, Gray probably did not intuitive feeling compelled to present Turners motives and description of the rising. Gray appears to portray Turner in a way intended both to ease the insurrections impact and to aid in the conviction of turner for his actions. He argues that the disgust was an isolated event solely fueled by Turners religious extremism and not retaliation against the institution of sla truly. Even though Turners situation was a unique one, slave owners at the time had to do it the potentiality for violence iven the peculiar mix of social, psychological, and racial tensions shaping smell on the antebellum plantation thus required a indisputable logic with which threats to that way of life might be explained (Browne, 316).In an effort to make the pamphlet even more persuasive, Gray makes another very interesting move. He claims that, without being questi oned at all, Turner commenced his narrative in the following words (Gray, 5). By stating this, it is implied that Turner gave his accounts of that night freely and frankly and that Gray transcribed Turners story word for word.The text of the confession also suggests that neither of these statements is actually accurate. While nothing or so the narrative suggests that Gray forced Turner into telling his story, Gray structures the narrative put an emphasis on Turners religious convictions and the revolts malicious violence, which portrayed Turner as being violently vengeful. Another interesting thing about the confessions is the speaking style Gray claims Turners confessed the events of the insurgence in.Though Turner was an educated slave, the articulate portrayed in the text is of someone with a more superior education. The wording and overall structure used to describe the events may very well have been those of Gray, who held a law degree. The first line, supposedly communica te by Turner reads, Sir you have asked me to give a history of the motives which bring forth me to undertake the late insurrection, as you call it (Gray, 5). The obvious inconsistency mingled with the voice supposedly speaking and the actual language used in this document lessens its authenticity.Even though the accounts in this confession may not be completely accurate, Grays transcriptions represent Turner as being firmly religious. Rather than simply describing the events of the insurrection as they happened, the narrative delved deeper into Turners character. The confessions begin with a description of events from Turners childishness that, according to Gray, led him to believe that he destined to run a vaticination. Turner described himself as uncommonly intelligent for a child (Gray, 6).He claims to have learned to read with no assistance, and he says that religion principally occupied my thoughts (Gray, 5). He also says that he had a natural talent for planning and leade rship, so that, even when he was a child, the other black children expected him to plan their roguery because of his superior fantasy (Gray, 5). A series of miraculous occurrences in Turners childhood confirmed his belief that he was intended for some great pop the question and that he would surely be a prophet (Gray, 5).He was influenced by those closest to him, including his father and mother strengthened him in the belief of his divine gift, along with his grandmother, who was very religious (Gray, 5). Turner was instructed to await the appearance of a sign in the heavens before communicating his great work to any others. According to Gray, an eclipse of the sun in February inspired Turner to confide in four fellow slaves Henry, Hark, Nelson, and Sam. It was intended by us to have begun the work of death on the 4th July last (Gray, 7).Gray, who claimed to have had little influence on Turners narration, asked him at one point if he did not find himself mistaken now that the pro phecy which he had been called upon to fulfill ended in tragedy. Turner reportedly answered, Was not Christ crucified? These confessions were intended to create a powerful, nonetheless vicious, image of Turner and his reasons for initiating such a devastating. Grays description of his own apprehensions time transcribing Turners confession was intended to demonstrate the insurrections effect on slave owners at the time.Gray vividly describes Turners adamant nature as, The calm, deliberate composure with which he spoke of his late deeds and intentions, the expression of his fiend-like face when excited by enthusiasm, still bearing the stains of the linage of helpless innocence about him clothed with rags and covered with chains yet daring to raise his manacled hands to heaven, with a spirit soaring higher up the attributes of man I looked on him and my blood curdled in my veins (Gray, 11).Grays chilling reaction to Turners confession suggests the caseful of panic this document created amongst whites slaveholders throughout various move of the United States. Given the evidence, Grays representation of Turner is cold from accurate. Gray used Turners voice to serve his own agenda, which was to ease the impact if the insurrections and to reaffirm slave owners as to why thrall is justifiable.