GEORGIA MORGANAP ENGLSIH LANGUAGE &

COMPOSITIONSTITES – 3 R D PERIOD

Mahatma Gandhi’s “Quit India Speech”

SOAPStone - Speaker

Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) Known as Mahatma – the great souled one A lead figure in India’s independence from Great Britain Studied law in London Worked in South Africa to stop discrimination against

Indians for nearly 20 years Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi practiced civil

disobedience and passive, nonviolent resistance against Britain Boycotting British manufacturers and institutions The idea: Without money, the British would find no use in India

Britain granted India it’s independence in 1947 (Gandhi: 78 years old)

Assassinated in 1948 over his attempts to create peace between the Hindu and Muslim people

SOAPStone – Occasion

Bombay, India (now known as Mumbai)August 8, 1942Gowalia Tank Maidan: a park in central

Mumbai5 years before India’s independence

SOAPStone - Audience

Given to the AICC- All India Congress Committee

AICC A committee of the India National Congress Party Headed by the Congress President Make decisions about the actions of the party to

further Indian rights Large and powerful political party that was dedicated to the furthering of Indian rights and freedoms

SOAPStone - Purpose

To basically outline his plan for the “Quit India” Movement

To persuade the AICC to vote to support his movement

After his speech, the AICC were going to vote for or against supporting the movement

SOAPStone - Subject

The “Quit India” Movement A movement to partake in civil disobedience toward

the British authority that had oppressed the Indian people

An effort to gain immediate independence from British rule

First of three “Quit India” Speeches (persuasive) Before the decision was made

Persuading the AICC to aid him in pursuing his movement

SOAPStone - Tone

Tone: the author’s attitude toward the subject or audience, either stated or implied

Tone of speech toward audience: Earnest and respectful, yet forthright “I ask you to consider it from my point of view…”

Tone toward subject: objective, concerned, and determined in an undaunted way “If in the present crisis… I failed to make use of the

God given talent, God will not forgive me and I shall be judged unworthy of the great gift. I must act now.”

Ethos

Credibility: Gandhi (73 at the time) was extremely well known, so he had automatic ethos due to his extensive past “There are many people who ask me whether I am the same man that I

was in 1920, or whether there has been any change in me… I have not changed in any fundamental respect. I attach the same importance to nonviolence that I did then. If at all, my emphasis on it has grown stronger.”

“There is no real contradiction between the present resolution and my previous writings and utterances.”

Persona: Nonviolent and non-hating but assertive “As a matter of fact, I feel myself to be a greater friend of the British now

that ever before.” “The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.” -Lincoln

Personal history: Well learned and religiously devout Makes allusions to God or some religious belief over 12 times “I read Carlyle’s French Revolution while I was in prison, and Pandit

Jawaharlal has told me something about the Russain revolution.”

Pathos

Audience: A board of members that he must persuade in his favor

Emotional appeals to audience: shows that his movement, though nonviolent, has just as much power as a full out war “I believe that in the history of the world, there has not been a

more genuinely democratic struggle for freedom than ours.” “Everybody will be his own master.”

Author’s expectations: call to action “Ours is not a drive for power, but purely a nonviolent fight for

India’s independence.” (Diction in purely is to say they do not wish to do anything but obtain their rights as citizens of India.)

“We must, therefore, purge ourselves of hatred.”

Logos

The exigence (situation requiring action): “I have noticed that there is hatred towards the British

among the people. The people say they are disgusted with their behavior. The people make no distinction between British imperialism and the British people. To them, the two are one. This hatred would even make them welcome the Japanese. It is most dangerous. It means they will exchange one slavery for another. We must get rid of this feeling. Our quarrel is not with the British people, we fight imperialism.”

Conclusion author draws: Rationalizes a way to fight against the system, not the people (which could easily lead to violence)

Logos (continued)

The exigence (situation requiring action): “But it is my conviction that inasmuch as these struggles (French and

Russian revolutions) were fought with the weapon of violence they failed to realize the democratic ideal. In the democracy which I have envisaged, a democracy established by non-violence, there will be equal freedom for all. Everybody will be his own master. It is to join a struggle for such democracy that I invite you today. Once you realize this you will forget the differences between the Hindus and Muslims, and think of yourselves as Indians only, engaged in the common struggle for independence.”

Conclusion author draws: Democracy is a government where the people are the main source of government. To stay true to the idea of democracy, they must establish freedom for all people. Violence will lead to persecution of some people, which doesn’t reflect what they want. They must pursue a non-violent path, reinforced by support of both Muslims and Hindus.

Syntax

“I have noticed that there is hatred towards the British among the people. The people say they are disgusted with their behavior. The people make no distinction between British imperialism and the British people. To them, the two are one. This hatred would even make them welcome the Japanese. It is most dangerous. It means they will exchange one slavery for another. We must get rid of this feeling. Our quarrel is not with the British people, we fight imperialism.” Starts by stating phrases like “hatred toward the British” and

“disgusted with their behavior” Ends with showing that this common behavior and belief of the British

is actually harmful because it will “exchange one slavery for another.” Position of words starts by connecting with the majority of people, then

shows why this feeling of hatred is wrong Like he is teaching them to control their feeling through his speech

Diction

“A nonviolent soldier of freedom will covet nothing for himself, he fights only for the freedom of his country.” Nonviolent soldier: nonviolent and soldier are two

subjects not often put together, but he chooses these words to show that not participating in violence still has the honor and power of a soldier

Freedom: what they are fighting for from the British Covet (yearn to possess) nothing for himself:

honorable, humble, and fighting for higher purposes He fights: Reiteration of the nonviolent soldier His country: Ownership of the country, not submission

to British dictation

Other Rhetorical Strategies

Posing Questions while playing devil’s advocate: tackling probably questions head on so as to give a direct answer “It will not be for you then to object saying, ‘This community is

microscopic. That party did not play its due part in the freedom’s struggle; why should it have all the power?’”

Satire: language or writing that exposes follies or abuses by holding them up to ridicule “It is not a happy position for a big country like India to be merely

helping with money and material obtained willy-nilly from her while the United Nations are conducting war.”

Uses satire and diction to show that something must change because India is compared to being easily taken from while the United Nations are in war.

India: big country paired with “not a happy position” and “willy-nilly” = weak and silly

United Nations: conducting and war= powerful and serious

Other Rhetorical Strategies

Allusions God, religion, and Ahimsa (Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain

principal of nonviolence) “I read Carlyle’s French Revolution while I was in prison, and

Pandit Jawaharlal has told me something about the Russian revolution.”

Oxymoron: A figure of speech consisting of two apparently contradicting terms “God has vouchsafed to me a priceless gift in the weapon of

Ahisma.”Hyperbole: a figure of speech that uses

exaggeration to express strong emotion or make a point “They are on the brink of an abyss.”

Works Cited

Author Unknown. Mahatma Gandhi. Photograph. Bashir, Jai. “Utalizing Gandhi’s Dreams of “Swadeshi” For Our Everyday Lives.” Sustainable Utah. University of Utah, 11 October 2013. Web. 12 February 2014.

Staff, History.com. “Mohandas Gandhi.” History.com. A+E Network, 2010. Web. 13 February 2014.

“The Quit India Speech – 1942 by Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948).”NavaYuvaz.com. Blogger, Web. 17 February 2014. http://navayuvaz.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-quit-india-speech-1942-by-mahatma.html

Author Unknown. All India Congress Committee. Photograph. Gupta, Sarthak. “Congress Readies for Organisational Polls.” TopNews.in. Top News Network. 19 October 2009. Web. 19 February 2014. <http://www.topnews.in/congress-readies-organisational-polls-2225853>