Biblical Imagery: Strong Women
The appeal is prefaced by an excerpt from the Biblical book of Esther which reveals her strength and determination. This work is an example of a persuasive argument and one of the keys to its construction is that the author has identified a specific audience. Throughout the text, she calls upon imagery of strong women from the Bible including, in addition to Esther, Miriam, Jezebel and even Mary Magdalene, all in an attempt to subtly motivate the women she is targeting to rise up against slavery.
Biblical Imagery: Slavery in Scripture
Bizarre as it may sound, the Bible was (and is) actually used to justify slavery. The author focuses on the elements of scripture most often called upon for this perverse purpose to conduct a very sly little magic track upon her readers: revealing that this justification is constructed upon an illusion created by those intentionally misinterpreted the meaning precisely to serve their misguided argument that the stories prove God is authoring approval of slavery.
Light
Again and again, the author turns to the imagery of a shining light illuminating the darkness as a metaphor for coming to an understanding of the fundamental perniciousness of accepting slavery as a way of life endowed with the approval of God:
“moral, like natural light, is so extremely subtle in its nature as to overleap all human barriers, and laugh at the puny efforts of man to control it”
“well know that the first thing to be done to help you, is to pour in the light of truth on your minds, to urge you to reflect on, and pray over the subject”
“the era in which we live, and the light which is overspreading the whole world on this subject, clearly show that the time cannot be distant when it will be done.”
The Monster
The author’s go-to imagery to describe the entire concept of American slavery is that of a comparison to a monster. Several times she directly addresses the peculiar institution buy using a form of the word. This is, of course, a common tactic in persuasive writing: vilify the enemy so that it is inhuman and make it The Other which threatens normalcy:
“There is in this country a monstrous inequality of law and right.”
“Yes, Northerners know every thing about slavery now. This monster of iniquity has been unveiled to the world, her frightful features unmasked”
