Miss Case

the introduction of the essay, Banneker asks Jefferson "to recall to your mind that time in which arms and tyranny of the British Crown were exerted with every powerful effort in order to reduce you to a State of Servitude." This is a rhetorical question, and by Banneker asking this, as well as more to follow on the same topic, he opens up Jefferson's mind to past events where he was in Banneker's position, ultimately making the reader "Jefferson" feel pity and sorrow for him and other slaves. In asking these questions, he is attempting to sway Jefferson's mind to oppose slavery because of his morals and pity because of personal experiences. Banneker also says "you cannot but acknowledge that the present freedom and tranquility which you enjoy you have mercifully received and that is it the pecular blessing of Heaven," this shows how Jefferson was so happy to overcome his hardships and how happy he was, and makes him compare himself to the slaves to how happy they would be if slavery was abolished.

In the second paragraph, Banneker takes Jefferson back to "a time in which you saw into the injustices of a state of slavery," making Jefferson compare himself to how he is now and his views on things, and how he was in the past, to make him personally see how much he has changed over time, making him feel nostalgic about how he was in the past and how he balanced and made everything work so well. Banneker also used cause and effect threw out the essay saying how because he understood Banneker's position and how bad slavery really was, he "publicly held forth this true and valuable doctrine." This again made Jefferson feel "tender feelings for yourselves,"comparing himself and realizing how much he has changed, ultimately again making him feel pity, and challenging his morals and respect for others, it is ethos in a nut shell.