January 23

Gettysburg Address

Here is a copy of The Gettysburg Address. Read the speech carefully, looking at President Lincoln’s control of syntax. Explain how his syntax (it could be repetition, anastrophe, or any other element) helps to achieve his purpose. Remember this speech was given very quickly after an extememly bloody Civil War battle. You can write 2-3 paragraphs. No more than three. Proofread before you post. Good luck.

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Posted January 23, 2013 by tashak38 in category Uncategorized

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73 thoughts on “Gettysburg Address

  1. Jhoann B.

    Jhoann B.
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English 11 Per 2
    27 January 2013

    Lincoln’s control of syntax in The Gettysburg Address directed the clear and appealing deliverance of his point. He uses repetition and anaphora in order to captivate and inspire his audience, emphasizing the main idea that the United States must emerge from the adversity of the Civil War as a nation manifesting equality and freedom.

    President Lincoln incorporates repetition in his speech, restating the words we, dedicate, and nation, to stress his focal point. Lincoln wanted to motivate his audience to take action and remedy the ailing country, saying that “we must dedicate ourselves to save our nation.” By repeating the word “we,” Lincoln establishes a connection with his audience and upholds the idea that the American people form a united nation. The repetition of the term “dedicate” emphasizes that his call for action is a must, and the recurrence of the word “nation” exhibits that all Americans will be affected by their course of action. Essentially, Lincoln syntactically uses repetition in order to drill his words into his audience’s minds.

    In addition to repetition, Lincoln also includes anaphora in The Gettysburg Address. “We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground,” is an anaphoric phrase stressing the imperativeness of attaining the freedom the dead fought for. Like repetition, anaphora emphasizes Lincoln’s main idea in The Gettysburg Address and contributes to the speech’s memorability.

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  2. DaJohn Wade

    The Gettysburg Address was a memorable speech given by President Lincoln. He used syntax and emphasis to catch the ears of those listening. An example of syntax he used was repetition. He used “we can not” over and over to add power in his speech. Also, he used formal/academic diction. His choice of words made his speech even more valued since the vocabulary he chose fits what he is discussing.
    In his speech, he addresses the fact that we must not forget about what has happened, but simply move on and grow from it. The people of America have had their lives put in turmoil, but the tragedy can lead to prosperity in the future. The audience he is directing this to are those with and without hope. Families of lost deceased soldiers, those who made it back thankfully, and those who were at home hearing of the massacres occurring are his audience. Lincoln wanted this speech to provide reassurance to anyone who has little or no hope.

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  3. Haley R.

    Haley R.
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English per. 2
    27 January 2013

    In Abraham Lincoln’s famous short speech “The Gettysburg Address” syntax is used to create an empowering feeling with dense wording about us; The People. “…We cannot dedicate-We cannot consecrate-we cannot hallow this ground.” Repetition is how Lincoln grasps us in his last statements.
    Lincoln is constantly speaking about “Us” or “We” because we are one nation, but he also tells how we are not together as one, “…testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.” We started to fall apart as Lincoln admits, but we then wanted something better for ourselves and had to take the steps to get there.

    Reply
    1. tashak38 (Post author)

      Good job Haley. I wonder why you switched to discussing “wording?” Make sure you discuss what he appeals to in his audience.

      Reply
  4. Hannah R.

    Hannah Reddy
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English 11, Period 2
    28 January 2013

    In Abraham Lincoln’s speech, “Gettysburg Address”, he targets the citizens of America. He doesn’t target just any citizen however; he targets the nationalists, the people who take pride in their country. He achieves this by referencing the founding father and the casualties who died at Gettysburg. However, Lincoln’s initial goal was to keep the Union intact, that was one of the reasons for the Civil War that the South wanted to succeed from the North. He states, “these dead shall not have died in vain” meaning that the dead soldiers shouldn’t have died for nothing, that these people who died to keep the country together, what the founding father would have wanted, should not have wasted their lives. His new goal however, is to recruit more people in order to fulfill his initial goal.

    Lincoln uses repetition to achieve this goal. He repeats words and phrases like “people” and “we cannot.” Words like these evoke a certain emotion. They bring out the strong will, the stubborn nationalistic people. He does this to gain more people, because they think that what President Lincoln is saying is true. The words “we cannot” is a strong willed phrase, just like the American people. He sets a certain mind set for people, playing on their emotions and toying with their mind, so they can, in retrospect, fulfill his goals.

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  5. Desiree N.

    Desiree N.

    Ms. keeble

    AP English 11

    27 January 2013

    Abraham Lincoln uses different forms of syntax to get his message across in his speech “The Gettysburg Address.” The most apparent form of syntax Lincoln uses is repetion. He uses repetion to send certain messages to people and hopes it will stick to them.
    Lincoln uses the word “dedicate” a lot in his speech. He repeats this word in hopes of sending a message to the people to be dedicated to the United States. At the end of his speech, Lincoln repeats “people” (“government for the people, by the people, for the people”), he is trying to give people hope and courage saying that their government will not perish, it wil always be a strong democracy for the people of the United States.

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  6. Caitlin H.

    Caitlin Huie
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English Per 2
    27 January 2013

    In Abraham Lincoln’s speech “The Gettysburg Address,” he uses syntax to state his position on the Civil War. His syntax allows him to capture the audience and convince them that they need to stay strong and keep fighting. The syntax he applies in his speech is repetition and it is used in a way to inspire and motivate his audience during the hard times of the Civil War.

    Lincoln uses repetition throughout his speech. He states, “…we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this ground.” The repetition stresses to his audience that they have to keep going for the people that fought or are fighting in the Civil War. The people have to support the war because the Union army is the one representing and protecting the land they are living on. Lincoln also uses repetition when he says, “…government of the people, by the people, for the people…” and emphasizes that the war is intended for the good of the people in the Union.

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  7. jose prado

    Jose Prado
    Period 5
    Ms Keeble
    1/27\13

    In “The Gettysburg Adress” a speech by President Abraham lincoln left a strong message to the soldiers. The way he does that is by using syntax, but mainly repetition in speech. For example he uses “we” through out his speech so the soldiers could get the the message that everyone else is going through a hard time and not just them.

    So by using “we” through out his speech it made the soldiers keep fighting, not only for themselves but for the rest of the people. Which gave them a good reason on why the soldiers shouldn’t give up during hard times.

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  8. Caleb M.

    Caleb M.
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English, Per. 2
    27 January 2013
    In President Lincoln’s famous, Gettysburg Address, various forms of syntax can be identified throughout the document. Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address to boost the morale of the American people because of the devastating effects that the Civil War had made on the Union and the Confederacy. Lincoln’s use of pathos allowed him to connect emotionally to his wide audience and form a sort bond with them. Also, Lincoln used repetition and parallel structure to connect to his audience.
    In the final paragraph of the Gettysburg Address, examples of parallel structure can be found, such as, “we can not… we can not…” and “of the people, by the people, for the people”. The words “dedication” and “we” are constantly repeated in the document as forms of repetition to exaggerate Lincoln’s appreciation for the American soldiers and people. With these simple methods of syntax, the Gettysburg Address allowed President Lincoln to boost the morale of the American people and connect to them on an emotional level.

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  9. Tresean Mitchell

    Tresean Mitchell

    AP English 11
    Ms. Keeble
    1/27/13 per.1

    In the speech, “The Gettysburg Address” , Abraham Lincoln acknowledged his troops wither dead or alive. Also to introduce the next step in abolishing slavery and creating equal rights between men through out the nation.
    Abraham Lincoln uses his syntax to motivate his troops and emotionally move the people of the country in his favor. Using the words “we” and “us” dose not only show unity as one nation in his speech but also reassuring the people he’s there with them to end the war and chaos through out the country.

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  10. Alexia G. (period 1)

    In Abraham Lincoln’s “The Gettysburg Address” he is asking that the people stay hopeful, even though the nation was falling apart. He is praised for his speech that was so compelling, yet brief. Lincoln wanted to honor all who fought in the bloody battle. One way he caught his audience’s attention was by syntactical features that enhanced his purpose.

    Lincoln used anaphora to intensify his speech and keep the audience alive. He repeated the phrase “we can not dedicate-we can not consecrate-we can not hollow this ground” is in regard to the fallen ones who were simply fighting for freedom. Another repeatedphrase “of the people, by the people, for the people” exaggerates that we should trust our selected democratic leaders and have faith in them. The anaphora helps the people think of the speech as a command and reassures that they must defend their nation. Not only his syntactical style, but his eloquence helped achieve his purpose.

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  11. Bilguun Batdorj

    Bilguun Batdorj

    AP English

    Ms Keeble 2*

    The Gettysburg Address was conceived in 1863, a couple of months after the Battle of Gettysburg, by Abraham Lincoln. The short speech was delivered right after the closure of the civil war. Because of the massive death toll of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War, it was a very important speech.
    In order to make his speech organized and sound more appealing, Abraham Lincoln used a lot of repetition. He used the word “we” in the opening of almost all of the sentences. This made the speech have more rhythm and coincidentally made it sound like a poem. By emphasizing the word “we”, the speech showcased a sense of unity for the American listeners. It emphasized the importance of the war that resulted in a reunited, better America.

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  12. Yarelli Lopez

    Yarelli Lopez
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English Language & Composition
    27 January 2013

    The historical speech, “The Gettysburg Address,” by Abraham Lincoln was mainly pointed to the soldiers that fought in the Civil War to show respect. The troops were very tired and had little more to give. So Lincoln addressed this speech to the troopers in order for them to feel pride of their job and to keep on going. In particular, this speech had a style to it. For instance, Lincoln used archaic words to bring out his credibility.

    Lincoln was eloquent. He knew how to get straight to the point, yet very formally and clearly. Throughout the speech, the type of syntax he uses the most is repetition,”we cannot…we cannot…we cannot.” All of the uses of this devices really make his speech more credible. Lincoln really wanted the troops to keep a strong mind filled with hope and pride in order for them to keep on fighting for their own rights and for “the people.”

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  13. Brittany-Ann D.

    Brittany-Ann V. Dela Cruz
    Keeble
    AP English
    28 January 2013

    The Gettysburg’s Address was President Lincoln’s attempt to overcome unity in a divided nation. He wanted his people to understand teamwork and by working as one, it will create a nation that is strong and peaceful. To get his message across, Lincoln appeals to pathos and relies on syntax.

    In Lincoln’s speech, he uses anaphora and expressions that appeal to your feelings. By repeating “we cannot,” it emphasizes the importance of stopping the sinful actions and looking for better ways to solve the issue. Lincoln also uses pathos. By using God and stating everyone is equal, it brings a sense of hope that it will actually happen.

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  14. Canyon Riley

    Canyon Riley
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English 11
    27 January 2012
    The Gettysburg Address is a famous speech given by Abraham Lincoln in dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. Lincoln knew that after two years of fighting the Confederacy with no end in sight, his soldiers were tired of fighting. So he devised the Gettysburg Address to remind his troops that they were not only fighting for the preservation of the United States, but more equality to all of its citizens. He uses repetition and periodic sentences to assert his argument.
    Lincoln uses a lot of repetition throughout the speech. He emphasizes the importance of keeping the Union together by saying,” … we cannot dedicate- we cannot consecrate- we cannot hallow- this ground” and “… of the people by the people, for the people…” Also the Gettysburg Address has an abundance of hyphens towards the end to create several dramatic pauses between each thought.

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  15. Niauni

    Niauni Hill
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English, Period 1
    27 January 2013

    In the elegant speech, The Gettyburg Address, Abraham Lincoln uses a series of syntax thoughout it. The most common form of syntax Lincoln uses is repetition. The repetition Lincoln uses is to get a serious point across. To get this point across not only does Mr. Lincoln use repetition but also uses a elegant form of words while delivering his speech. The words he uses not only shows that he’s fully aware of everything he is preaching, but the elegance also shows that he is well-educated.

    Why wouldn’t you follow the lead of someone well-educated and elegant speaking? Especially when the well-educated person is speaking positive things…there’s no reason not to. Abraham Lincoln says “and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” What does this mean? This means exactly what it says…all men should be created equal, treated equal, etc. See, Mr. Lincoln delivers his speech in a way where it’s clear and precise for everyone to understand. Mr. Lincoln’s speech was more towards the North to express the importance of human equality.

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  16. Rachael B.

    Rachael Brandt
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English, Period 2
    27 January 2013

    In the speech “The Gettysburg Address,” President Abraham Lincoln expressed his views of the Civil War using syntax. This allowed the president to capitvate those who listened to the speech in a way that is memorable and motivating to push forward. Lincoln’s choices of syntax include repetition to emphasize
    the meaning of war in his perspective.
    Throughout the speech Lincoln uses repetition. In his sentence of “We cannot dedicate… we cannot consecrate.. we cannot hallow…” repeats in a way to stress that the people fighting should not give up their cause and to remain determined through the pains of war. This in a way gives listeners, as well as readers, motivation towards a goal; in this case, the Civil War. Lincoln is pushing soldiers to fight until the end. He also repeats himself when he says “and the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth…” This gave people a reason for the war. The Civil War was clearly for the people and the democracy of the people, no matter what race he or she may be.

    Reply
    1. tashak38 (Post author)

      Well done, Rachel. Look at “from” his perspective–common use of the preposition–be careful. Use your prepositions as is customarily accepted, otherwise it sounds awkward.

      Reply
  17. Adiam H

    Adiam Habtay
    Ms.Keeble
    APENG period 5
    1/27/12

    In the speech ” The Gettysburg Address” former presidents Abraham Lincoln uses a great amount of syntax to help appeal to the people of his great nation. Due to the fact he wrote this motivating speech very quickly after a bloody war, he did an excellent job. The syntax Lincoln presents are repetition and alliteration. In many ways it helped him achieve his purpose by honoring the soldiers who fought in the bloody war, and to acknowledge the importance of liberty and freedom.

    Lincoln uses repetition throughout his speech to sculpture his audience’s thoughts about the about the aftermath of the civil war. He stated ” We can not , dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground.” He repeats “we can not” to make American citizens feel as if they are apart of helping their nation. Lincoln also uses alliteration in his speech. He addressed ,”The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.”. He is saying that the soldiers action speak louder than his own words. By saying “poor people” that is an alliteration. All in all, Lincoln uses alliteration and repetition to help achieve his purpose of The Gettysburg Address.

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  18. Alexis L.

    Alexis L.
    AP English 11
    Ms. Keeble
    1/27/13
    In the speech, ” The Gettysburg Address”, Abraham Lincoln’s purpose of this address was to emphasize that the Civil War was for the people. He used repetition to show the importance of the people during this gruesome time period. Lincoln knew that if he had the support of the people he win the war more easily.
    “… and the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”, Lincoln’s repetition helped him gain support from the people by showing them that without their hope for something better then the war would be pointless. With this speech Lincoln was able to instill hope in the american people of the U.S.

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  19. Thomas T

    Thomas T
    Ap English
    Keeble
    Period 1

    In Lincoln’s “The Gettysburg Address”, he uses syntax to convey his message. Lincoln uses ethos and diction to instill a sense of nationalism to his audience while reminding everyone that there is no common enemy. It is obvious that the Union is fighting the Confederacy, but Lincoln doesn’t address the Confederacy as an enemy but as if they are the Union by using “we”. Lincoln appeals to his audience through ethos by manipulating their beliefs. “Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure.”

    Lincoln refers to the founding fathers to remind his audience that they are fighting to reassemble the nation that was torn in half. He thinks of the war as a testament to the people’s faith in their own nation that was created not so long ago.

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  20. Aaron Chon

    Aaron Chon
    Ms Keeble
    AP English 11 P2
    28 January 2013

    In “The Gettysburg Address”, Lincoln does not only address the members of the Union, as most people would believe, but both sides of a divided nation. His speech is not only for the militants, but for the citizens that are devastated by the war as well, facing a war of their own in their very own backyards and cornfields. He utilizes repetition and parallel structure to emphasize the challenge of a nation that is struggling over the ideals upon which it was founded. His words praise and respect the efforts of those who have perished, but while acknowledging these things, he also goes on to elaborate that their efforts should not go on in vain. When Lincoln speaks to both sides of the ailing nation, he makes a point that it becomes necessary for those that remain to remain as a single nation, as made clear in his last line.

    Lincoln uses parallel structure in describing what remains to be done, as he states “…that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” His parallel structure discusses the steps which the nation needs to undertake in order to become whole once more, and the end result of such an effort. When he specifically uses repetition through the word “people”, Lincoln seeks to emphasize the importance of a nation that cannot exist separately as individuals, but united as a “people”, which in that state would not “perish from the earth.”

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  21. Diana Larios

    Diana Larios
    AP English 11
    Period: 1
    Keeble
    1/27/13

    In the famous speech, “The Gettysburg Address”, President Lincoln’s use of diction and anaphora is what got his message through to his projected audience, the people of the United States.
    He starts off by talking about “our fathers” he is speaking to everyone creating a connection to the nation as a whole. That caugh my attention because it shows how he used diction to create this connection. I believe that by saying this he wanted to show everyone that “all men are created equal” and it was something that our nation was created on by “our fathers”. It was to question why we were at war with ourself when our founding fathers wanted us to be on terms where equality spread all through the nation.
    There is also anaphora that is used at the end, “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Lincoln’s purpose was to abolish slavery and I believe that by saying this he is comfirming that the government was to serve and protect “the people” which is everyone in the nation and not just one side.

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  22. Areli S

    Areli Sanchez
    AP English 11, 2nd period
    Ms. Keeble
    January 27th 2012

    In, “The Gettysburg Address”, President Lincoln tackles a very sensitive issue that had currently given way to a war. In this speech, the president uses syntax to make his message clear. The form of syntax presented in this piece is and not limited to, the use of repetition and anaphora.

    If one were to closely pay attention and reread this piece various times, it could be noticed that there are a few words repeated vastly throughout the speech. These words are dedicaition and nation. Perhaps the multiple usage of these words, were for President Lincoln to have his audience rest upon them and hold them close to their belief system.

    Anaphora is also present in Lincoln’s speech. Examples would have to be in the phrases “we cannot dedicate…we cannot concecrate..we cannot hallow” . Another example would be “..of the people, by the people, for the people..” . This usage helps the message be more powerful and it adds emphasis.

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  23. Joelynn D.

    Joelynn D.

    Ms. Keeble

    AP English – 2nd period

    27 January 2013

    In “The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln tries to motivate the people to not give up hope during the civil war. Even though the union was not doing as well as they had hoped, Lincoln believed that they could still win. By giving this speech, Lincoln hoped to incite the people to help and not loose hope.

    One factor that makes Lincoln’s speech as memorable and effective as it is, is its syntax. For example, when Lincoln says “we can not dedicate- we can not consecrate- we can not hollow” and “That from these… That we here… That this nation… And that government,” he gives of an air of authority through repetition and anaphora. With the repetitive phrases at the beginning of each statement, he is very assertive and leaves no room for others to argue. Even if nobody else believes that the union will win the war, Lincoln refuses to give up hope and inspires others not too give up either.

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  24. Michael Griggs

    Michael Griggs
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English 11
    Jan 27 2013
    Per. 5

    President Lincoln wrote a speech titled “Gettysburg Address”, in which he gave after a great battle in the Civil War. In his speech, he uses syntax in order to help deliver his message to the people and present his important ideas. The syntax he used helped clarified his key main points.

    The type of figurative language he used were things such as repetition and alliteration. As part of the speech, Lincoln said,”…we cannot dedicate– we cannot consecrate– we cannot hallow– this ground…”, as an example of repetition, which is the syntax of his speech. These were mainly used to help deliver his speech in a loud and comprehensive tone.

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  25. Alicia O.

    Alicia Oseguera
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English
    27 January 2013

    In The Gettysburg Address(underline) given by Abraham Lincoln on the top of a hill in Gettysburg,PA in a cementary where people died from the war emphasizes/highlights that the Civil War was being fought for freedom. Not only that but to honor those who fought in the war but died hoping for the nation to still be a nation. Abraham Lincoln’s use of syntax(anaphora) was able to emphasize the sole purpose of this war. Lincoln had to be very careful with his syntax making sure that it helped him achieve his purpose. 

    Lincoln uses syntax in this speech by the use of anaphora. Through his speech Lincoln says “… we cannot dedicate- we cannot consecrate- we cannot hallow- this ground”. This anaphora is used by Lincoln for the purpose of honoring those who have died in this war. Letting his audience know that those who die will be remembered. Lincoln also says “… and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” to establish the real reason for this war which is freedom. He uses anaphora to make his purpose clear and for him to reach his purpose because the using of anaphora stands out and gets inside his audience mind. The same words being used is what doesn’t let the audience forget them helping Lincoln reach his purpose of the war being fought for freedom and to honor those who have died.

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  26. Dartise

    Dartise
    Jan. 27, 2013
    AP English, 1st period

    In the speech, The Gettysburg Address (underline), Abraham Lincoln uses the rhetorical device, pathos and ethos to get his audience members to keep fighting. He made them feel as if it was their duty to keep fighting for their country. He told them that they were all created equal which provoked them to keep fighting for everyone’s freedom including slaves.

    The reason why this document was so good because Lincoln’s tone was persuasive and powerful. Once he began to speak, his leadership showed by the authority in his voice. He also uses anaphora, alliteration and repetition to get his point across. His great use of syntax and rhetorical devices lead to one of the most remembered speeches in American history.

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  27. Johan Ocegueda

    Johan Ocegueda
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English
    27 January 2013
    In “The Gettysburg Address”, Abraham Lincoln uses syntax to get a little deeper into the readers mind. He uses a lot of repetition. For example, he says “We can not dedicate- We can not consecrate…” Lincoln uses repetition to make his claim just that much more effective. He is really trying to get something into your head.
    Also, Lincoln uses anastrophe. In the Gettysburg address he says “The world will little note…” Lincoln really used syntax t get into our heads. And as you can see he accomplished his goal. This document is one of the most famous in U.S. history.

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  28. Veronica

    Veronica
    January 27, 2013
    Ms. Keeble
    1st period

    In The Gettysburg Address (underline) by Abraham Lincoln, he uses pathos to address his civilians to keep fighting, repetition to show his people are of importance and anaphora in order to emphasize the country can’t go on the way it has been going. He uses these form of syntax to not only appeal to his audience, but to convince them they should still strive for a strong country.

    He also used a powerful tone to convince his audience they are not only important, but also equal. His use of figurative language helps him get his point across of the series events that shaped and scarred America. All these forms of syntax helped shape Lincoln’s ideas and helped get his message across which is no surprise we still use this important document today.

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  29. lizbeth R

    In the speech “The Gettysburg Address” President Abraham Lincoln uses repetition to stretch out his message. It was a way to motivate the people after such a terrifying war had happened. He was trying to convince the people that things are going to better from now on. The way that President Lincoln ended the speech was with repetition and was a very way to emphasize his idea on how everyone should be united.

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  30. Ryan C.

    Ryan C.
    Ms. Keeble
    Period 1

    In the speech, “Gettysburg Address”, President Lincoln uses the syntax repetition to help bring the people together. This syntax also helps achieves the essays purpose, which is to mourn to those that lost their lives and to raise more moral to the people.

    President Lincoln uses repetition in his second paragraph when he says, “We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to …” This repetition makes brings everyone together and that they are there to mourn the dead as nation. With this repetition, brings a sense of equality among the people and brings morality up.

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  31. Ross Hatlen

    Ross H.
    Keeble
    APENG Period 2
    27 January 2013

    In his post battle speech, “The Gettysburg Address”, President Abraham Lincoln used syntax in the form of repetition and alliteration to provided a tired army a moral boost to win a horrendous war. In his third paragraph Lincoln uses the word “here” seven times in three sentences. This is to emphasize the importance of Gettysburg. Lincoln uses it as a piece of propaganda to make his army want to finish the war. This battle was horrible and so many Americans died, that Lincoln does not want to have another “here”. He wants his army to gain the upper hand, and take out the southern army.

    Lincoln also uses alliteration to show how the men that were lost will help America, “that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” Lincoln is giving reason to the many deaths that plagued Gettysburg. He reveals that because these people have died, America can become a Greater place to live. America’s whole outlook on democracy will be changed because someone fought for it. That if you fight, you will be helping out the Union. Lincoln achieved his goal of boosting moral, so much that the North won the Civil War

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  32. Jonathan v

    Jonathan V
    Ms.Keeble
    Period 1
    Ap Eng and Comp

    In “The Gettysburg Address” former president Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech to the people after one of their bloodiest battles in the Civil war. He saw that his soldiers were dying by the minutes, and if he did not do anything to get the broken spirits back in war mindset, they were for sure going to lose this one. Although this speech was made in the shortness of time, it contains many rhetorical appeals that with the first word were engaged in his words. The term “Four score and seven years ago…” quickly got the audience’s attention because this language was not common to everyone, it was old-fashion talk which got the people thinking. He laid the foundation of his speech by saying what the speech was going to be about, the freedom that was being threatened in this war which was so hard to achieve by the Founding Fathers four score and seven years ago.

    His syntax made a big impact on how the people took in the anxiousness in his voice and the need to act fast. He used anaphora when he said, “we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate-we can not hollow this ground”. By using anaphora he emphasized that this ground is not just for one sole purpose, when someone dedicates something to someone else, it’s theirs to keep. Lincoln also uses ethos to emphasize this line, “the world will little note, nor long remember what we said here. But it can never forget what they did here”. This line connects to the people’s ethic, because they know that they are not big in this world and they know, but in the situation being the actions are the ones who talk in this situation not the words. At the conclusion of his speech he uses repetition, “..-That this nation, under god, shall have a new birth of freedom- and that government by the people, by the people, for the people , shall not perish from the earth”. This statement made clear that it is THEIR government and that they are the ones that are going to make the choice to get the freedom taken from their hands or keep fighting to keep it for the generations to come.

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  33. Kiloni D

    Kiloni Driskell
    27 January 2013
    AP English
    2

    In “The Gettysburg Address” Abraham Lincoln uses the syntax parallelism to express his beliefs and ideas.”We cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground.” Lincoln was mostly speaking on general values. The purpose of this speech was to help abolish slavery in the south and to never forget the brave men who sacrificed their lives. Lincoln’s tone was remorseful and abstract giving in to his audience.

    His audience were the union soilders “living and dead” who lost their lives during the war. The speech was straight forward going into the past, present, and the future. Lincoln speech was in chronological order. In the first paragraph he goes back to the past of the signing of the “Declaration of Independence” Then he transitions into the present, describing the civil war, the battle of Gettyburg. Then Lincoln concludes a image of the future that we become a new nation.

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  34. Sidney

    Sidney
    Keeble
    AP English

    In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered one of his most famous and   Known speeches, The Gettysburg Address. The speech was written and delivered after a bloody battle in which many lost their lives.

    Lincoln’s  repetition of “We” as his syntax delivers the point of unity. Lincoln’s main  purpose in this speech is to unite and reaffirm the ideas in which the United States was based on. He wants to remind the nation that the war was being fought in order to protect the morals nature to the states, equality, democracy and liberty etc. The civil war was known as one of the most causality causing wars being that Americans were lost on both sides. This, must have caused many questions and concerns amongst “the people” so in order to keep civilians trusting in their government and willing to fight he had to convince them of the cause, and to continue having faith. 

    If this were to happen now, I’m not sure the country would agree to fight such a war. Everyone’s freedoms of speech and separate ideas gets in the way of their patriotism. Not many trust the government enough to go fighting their own brothers and sisters for it. 

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  35. Efrain E.

    Efrain E.
    Period 1
    AP English

    In his speech, The Gettysburg Address (italicized), President Abraham Lincoln seeks to motivate the northern soldiers and anyone who is dedicated to their cause. He also wants to commemorate the sacrifice that all the soldiers in the war have made by dying for cause and country. He wants to make sure that everyone knows that this war is not in vain; he seeks to clarify that the war is being fought to protect the United States of America and the freedom of every citizen. He achieves his purpose using repetition and anaphoras throughout his speech.

    Lincoln’s use of anaphora becomes evident in the phrases, “ We can not dedicate-We can not consecrate-We can not hallow-this ground,” and “that government of the people, by the people, for the people”. Lincoln uses anaphora to emphasize the sacrifice that the soldiers made in the battle, and to emphasize the fact that the government was created to serve the people that it governs. This supports his main purpose by making clear how important it is for the living soldiers to continue fighting to unite the north and the south into one nation. The nation was created to serve the people and give them the freedom they deserve, and if the States are divided, then the vision of our founding fathers cannot be fulfilled.

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  36. Zoey Madsen

    Zoey M
    Period 5
    27 January 2013

    In Abraham Lincoln’s The Gettysburg Address, he uses constant repetition, cumulative sentences, and periodic sentences to create an aspiring tone for his crowd and persuade them to keep pushing for what they want and what the United States needs. He says, “our father brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” This periodic sentence provides complex imagery and independent thought towards the United States and it’s powerful beginning. Thus ambitiously grabbing the crowd and creating an empowering vibe.

    “But, in a larger sense, we cannot dictate-we cannot consecrate-we cannot hallow- this ground.” This is a firm example of the cumulative sentence structure Lincoln is using. Cumulative sentencing builds suspense, and helps Lincoln create anxiety and excitement in his audience, even through all the destruction that was happening in that moment.

    Using precise syntax structure, Abraham Lincoln was able to successfully empower his people and give them the hope they needed in their abysmally transformed world. Lincolns speech shows how profound literature can affect one person, or in this case, a whole nation.

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  37. Raymond P

    Raymond P
    AP English 11
    Ms. Keeble
    27 January 2013

    “The Gettysburg Address,” President Abraham Lincoln gave is a memorable speech. Lincoln gave this speech to disband slavery from the southern states. Lincoln’s speech is well written and gives multiple syntax.

    “That from these honored dead we take increased devotion… That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not died in vain… That this nation, under God…” this an example of repetition. Lincoln repeats the word That, he is trying to emphasize the importance and power.

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  38. Sarai P.

    Sarai Polanco
    AP English
    Keeble
    28 January 2013

    In “Gettysburg Address,” President Lincoln uses syntax to rely a powerful message. Lincoln primarily uses repetition throughout his address to convey his emotion.
    In his address, Lincoln consistently uses the personal pronoun, “we.” By using the word “we,” Lincoln is including himself in the hardships being faced by the people. If Lincoln would gone about using a different pronoun such as “you,” the overall effectiveness of his speech would have decreased. Lincoln’s address heavily included pathos. However, the pathos would have had little to no avail if not for the constant repetition of the pronoun “we.” Repetition did not have only face value with pathos, but it functioned to convey the feelings which Lincoln was trying to emit to the people.

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  39. Amacalli Duran

    Amacalli Duran
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English
    28 January 2012

    In the midst of a bloody civil war, despair and chaos overcame America. Four months after the Confederates won at Gettysburg; President Lincoln delivered his notorious speech, “The Gettysburg Address.” Lincoln used pathos and various forms of repetition to inspire remaining soldiers to continue in the war and recognize those who already died on the land considered the National Cemetery.

    President Lincoln used pathos to instill nationalism into the remaining soldiers. It was obvious that their will to fight, that was once a fire inside the soldier’s hearts, had diminished to nothing more than a flame. As a form of persuasion Lincoln states, “we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Lincoln uses pathos when recognizing the soldiers who died in combat for the cause. He explains how they died protecting their country as a model to other soldiers. He also states that not only do the soldiers fight for their comrades that died, but for their very own country. A country who Lincoln declares will be reborn under just laws and equality. By using a very emotional aspect of war, death, Lincoln invigorates the soldiers to keep fighting.

    President Lincoln used a variety of repetition such as assonance and alliteration to emphasize important messages. Alliteration was shown when had stated “poor power” and consonance when he used the words, “battlefield; field; final; for; fitting.” By using alliteration and assonance, Lincoln brought power to his words. However, his most powerful form of repetition was when he stated, “cannot dedicate … cannot consecrate … cannot hallow.” Through repetition, Lincoln brings forth attention to his speech. With such eloquence and confidence, soldiers found refuge in Lincoln’s words. They wanted the reborn America that Lincoln described and were inspired to fight to their hearts desire to protect their nation from corruptness.

    Reply
  40. Amacalli Duran

    Amacalli Duran
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English
    28 January 2012

    In the midst of a bloody civil war, despair and chaos overcame America. Four months after the Confederates won at Gettysburg; President Lincoln delivered his notorious speech, “The Gettysburg Address.” Lincoln used pathos and various forms of repetition to inspire remaining soldiers to continue in the war and recognize those who already died on the land considered the National Cemetery.
    President Lincoln used pathos to instill nationalism into the remaining soldiers. It was obvious that their will to fight, that was once a fire inside the soldier’s hearts, had diminished to nothing more than a flame. As a form of persuasion Lincoln states, “we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Lincoln uses pathos when recognizing the soldiers who died in combat for the cause. He explains how they died protecting their country as a model to other soldiers. He also states that not only do the soldiers fight for their comrades that died, but for their very own country. A country who Lincoln declares will be reborn under just laws and equality. By using a very emotional aspect of war, death, Lincoln invigorates the soldiers to keep fighting.
    President Lincoln used a variety of repetition such as assonance and alliteration to emphasize important messages. Alliteration was shown when had stated “poor power” and consonance when he used the words, “battlefield; field; final; for; fitting.” By using alliteration and assonance, Lincoln brought power to his words. However, his most powerful form of repetition was when he stated, “cannot dedicate … cannot consecrate … cannot hallow.” Through repetition, Lincoln brings forth attention to his speech. With such eloquence and confidence, soldiers found refuge in Lincoln’s words. They wanted the reborn America that Lincoln described and were inspired to fight to their hearts desire to protect their nation from corruptness.

    Reply
  41. Tanzeel H.

    Tanzeel Hak
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English, Period 2
    26 January 2013

    The “Gettysburg Address” was given by President Abraham Lincoln to acknowledge all of the soldiers dead or alive for their courageous acts and to present a new United States where there would be a new birth of freedom. Race and ethnicity would no longer determine the path someone’s life would take. There would be equal treatment between the citizens of the United States, regardless of skin color. The government protected everyone’s rights, white or black.

    Abraham Lincoln used syntax including, repetition and anaphora to get his message across. He wanted to emphasize the past, present, and future of the United States. Lincoln described how our founding fathers brought forth the values we hold today, which includes that all men were created equal. Then he spoke about the honorable and brave men who died. Lincoln finished with what the future was going to look like, with true freedom for all, a government by the people, for the people, and how it would remain that way hence forth.

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  42. Jessica A

    Jessica A
    AP Lang & Composition, Per. 5
    Ms. Keeble
    26 January 2013

    In “The Gettysburg Address,” Abraham Lincoln’s purpose is to persuade the soldiers to continue fighting for their freedom and unity despite the losses the soldiers have already faced. Lincoln also gave the speech to honor those who have already perished on the battleground. Perhaps if I was in the same predicament today as the citizens of the United States were during this time, I wouldn’t praise this speech, because I find it quite ironic that the soldiers of one country fought against one another to maintain freedom and unity. If unity existed prior to the war, the war could’ve been prevented.

    However, Lincoln persuaded his soldiers, and citizens, to continue fighting using repetition and an allusion. One form of repetition, “that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth,” emphasizes that the government shall remain strong throughout this time, for it is governed by those who it governs, therefore pushing for unity and freedom. Also, Lincoln alludes to the Pledge of Allegiance,”that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.” By alluding to the pledge, he once again allows the reader to feel persuaded– that this Civil War is one that will bring about new freedom (even though it was thought to have existed prior to the war), and God would like it that way as well.

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  43. Gonzalo Haro

    Gonzalo Haro

    In the speech, “The Gettysburg Address”, president Abraham Lincoln uses a lot of tone to appeal to his audience. He puts emphasis on the word “Liberty”, as a friendly reminder that that is what the country is fighting for. The audience might have felt a sense of pride and nationalism when they heard that their country was fighting for liberty and freedom.

    Lincoln uses the repetition of “we can not” to give the individual a sense of responsibility. If you don’t do your part, then the country might lose. That makes the audience feel for the cause. He clearly states his purpose and he expresses that he wants the country to make it through hardships as well as inspire people into supporting the war effort.

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  44. David D.

    David Delgado
    Ms. Keeble
    Period 2
    Ap English
    24 January 2013
    In “The Gettysburg Address” Abraham Lincolns purpose was to motivate the people to keep fighting even after a terrible loss to the south. He used multiple things to get the people’s attention he appealed to them by using pathos. When he mentioned that they should continue fighting so that there comrades and families wouldn’t die in vein this motivated people to keep fighting. The syntax he uses also helps add a motivating mood; he uses periodic and complex sentences in the Gettysburg Address. What these sentences do is set a more serious and motivating tone because Lincoln says it one whole breath.

    Abraham Lincoln also uses repetition in his speech when he says “…We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate-we cannot hallow-this ground.” When he does this he is creating more emphasized and power on what he is saying. Also in his speech he uses formal diction; I noticed that because he doesn’t use words like ain’t, doesn’t, haven’t, etc. The reason why though was because the language back then isn’t the same as today especially with all the slang going on today.

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  45. Maliko P.

    Maliko P.
    1/25/13
    Period: 02

    In his memorable speech The Gettysburg Address (underline), President Abraham Lincoln uses both the syntax anaphora to stress his message. The purpose of Lincoln’s speech to end slavery in all of the southern states.

    Lincoln uses a large portion of anaphora in his speech. He does this to display the importance of abolishing slavery in the states. “and the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” is One example of Lincoln using anaphora. This shows that all men should have equal rights regardless of the color of there skin.

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  46. Jashleen Singh

    Jashleen Singh

    In the well-known speech “The Gettysburg Address” President Lincoln uses anaphora to present his message to his audience. The purpose of his speech was for him to have his audience acknowledge that slavery in the southern states would be abolished.

    “We cannot dedicate- we cannot consecrate- we cannot hallow this ground” and “Of the people, by the people, for the people.” are examples of anaphora and repetition in this speech. By saying “we cannot” emphasizes the importance of how the country cannot continue to with it’s path the way it has. By repeating people in the last sentence, he makes it clear to his audience and makes them feel confident that the government is run by the people, and should protect the people.

    Reply
  47. Dominique N

    Dominique N.
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English 11 Per 2
    24 January 2013

    In his famous speech “The Gettysburg Address,” President Lincoln uses syntax to emphasize his message. The syntax Lincoln uses in the speech is repetition and figurative language. He uses both these different forms of syntax to bring the speech to life and to persuade the reader. He uses both these different forms of syntax to amplify the history and evidence to make it an interesting impactful speech.

    President Lincoln uses a huge amount of repetition in his speech. The purpose of repetition is to emphasize that there was no difference between the North and the South, because they were all American. The Civil War equally affected both regions and they could not say differently or argue with one another just because they did not like the opposite one. Repeating main points will show the reader that it is important topic and it will eventually stick in their heads.

    The other form of syntax Lincoln used was figurative language. Throughout the speech, Lincoln talks about a chain sequence of events including the past, present, and future results of the war. These metaphors and other examples of syntax and figurative language help Lincoln deliver the purpose and message of his speech, that had a huge affect on history and is still remember today.

    Reply
      1. Elisha Hussain

        Elisha Hussain
        AP English 11
        Ms. Keeble
        January 11, 2013

        In the speech, ” The Gettysburg Address”, Abraham Lincoln uses a lot of syntax. He uses mostly repetition and alliteration. Even though this was written in a rush, Lincoln did a splendid job using all of this syntax to express his ideas. He clearly presented his ideas in a way that made him seem well educated and like an everyday citizen, but he also had his authoritive tone in the speech. You can feel how powerful his voice was on that day, and it makes you wonder how the audience reacted.

        Licoln used a lot of repetition throughout this speech to stress ideas. For example, “We are met on a great battlefield of that. War. We have comets dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that the nation might live.” He clearly expresses the importance of appreciating those who had given their lives for the North and South. During the Civil War the Confederates and Unions had a bloody battle, resulting in numerous deaths. Lincoln was merely trying to use repetition to show how important it was for the North and South to thank those who died to give the slaves freedom.

        Also, used in this speech was alliteration to help prove a point. An example would be, “…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom- and that government of the people, by the people,for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Lincoln makes the claim that everyone is born equal and should be treated that way. This quote was mostly for the North, because it was a message that was finally expressing and telling them that equality was and is important to EVERYONE. Lincoln used both repetition and alliteration to stress key points and have his message be heard loud and clearly.

        Reply
  48. Abraham N.

    Abraham N.
    AP English 11
    Period 5
    24 January 2013
    Ms. Keeble

    Abraham Lincoln, the speaker of the Gettysburg Address, uses a lot of syntax in the speech. For example, the repetition of the word, “we” in his speech, which gives a sense of a formal feel to the speech, mainly because he was talking to the union soldiers after a victory against the confederates during the Civil War. Also, the constant use of a word like “we” is also known as repetition in writing. The address also has an uplifting type of tone to it even though Lincoln talks about the many deaths of the Civil War, he still looks to the future in a positive light. For example, when Lincoln says, “that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom— and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” (Lincoln Gettysburg Address). The tone changes from a reflect on the fallen soldiers, to a look of a brighter future for the Union, which arguably is the purpose of this victory speech.

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  49. Rebekah N.

    Rebekah Novak
    AP Engilsh 11
    Ms. Keeble
    24 January 2013

    President Lincoln begin’s his spiel with a periodic sentence, which produces an effect of suspense and worry. Because The Gettysburg Address was given very quickly after an extremely bloody civil war battle, it was totally appropriate for the president to do this. Saving the main point of the sentence until the end but foreshadowing that main point with diction such as conceived, dedicated, equal, and proposition gives the audience a sense of nationalism and unity which what the country was feeling and what it needed after this event. The powerful introduction of this presidential address also emphasizes the belief that all men are created equal which is significant to this time period, as many people were not ready to treat all men equally.

    In an attempt to, per say, calm the country, President Lincoln instead challenges the unity of the country in the second paragraph. He questions the perseverance of The People but also shows a sense of belief in The People as he offers our land to “those who here gave their lives.” and that it is “altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.” Lastly, as The President closes out his spiel, a reminder that this war was not a mistake was particularly highlighted. “that these dead shall not have died in vain” proves the certainness of The President of both the importance of this war and the emotional toll many are enduring that the audience should have sympathy for.

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  50. Rachel N.

    Rachel N.
    Ms. Keeble
    AP English Language & Composition
    28 January 2013

    In the speech, “The Gettysburg Address,” spoken by Abraham Lincoln after a horrifying Civil War battle, he uses repetition to emphasize his emotions about the lesson our nation needs to be enlightened by from this war. In implementing this literary device, Lincoln’s tone of reflection and resilience is strongly portrayed to the audience through his speech. He says, “But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.” Not only does he say consecrate twice, but he reiterates his point again using different word choices. Lincoln conveys here that these soldiers have sacrificed their lives for our country’s safety. A debt that cannot be repaid no matter what. He repeats this twice to highlight to America that this is not your regular death in society that would go unnoticed, but one that would be recognized on this day.
    Moreover, Lincoln uses repetition to achieve his purpose of giving hope to America during this difficult time. He is aware that he must grieve in front of the American people, but also must encourage them to not give up. Lincoln says, “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.” With saying dedicated twice, he underlines that even though we may have suffered a great loss, we can’t give up what our troops died for. Likewise, he inspires them to keep fighting so we can preserve our nation that was founded on freedom. In fact, he says that since our nation was founded on the principles of equality we should strive to save it from collapsing.

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