How does douglass use hypophora to advance his purpose?

-to establish himself as an authority on the plight of all enslaved people

-to show how inappropriate it is to celebrate freedom when slavery is still practiced in the united states

-to call attention to the importance of celebrating a national holiday

-to convince national figures to change their ways of thinking and create legislation to end slavery

The questions Douglas asks at the beginning ask the audience what was their purpose for asking him to speak on Independence Day since the people he represents are not free or given the rights embodied by the Declaration of Independence. Douglas does not need to establish himself as authority on the plight of enslaved people. That is already known, which is why he finds it ridiculous they asked him to speak. In his questions he does not show why it is important to celebrate a national holiday. While he does want policy changed, he does not use hypophora to do it. He uses hypophora to show how inappropriate it is to be celebrating freedom when there is still slavery. 

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