Much like with the theme of "Slavery," you probably saw "Hypocrisy" coming a mile away.
It's right there in the title: "The Hypocrisy of American Slavery." We can't say Douglass didn't warn us. He loads up the speech with examples of how what America claims to stand for (freedom) and what America actually does (slavery) are in direct contrast. America has a serious case of "do as I say, not as I do," and Douglass lets us hear about it through the use of numerous examples of how American ideals contrast with American reality.
Questions About Hypocrisy
- Can you think of any other historical or contemporary examples in which a nation claims to stand for one ideal while being false to that ideal in actual practice?
- For Douglass, what does "hypocrisy" mean in this context?
- Douglass criticizes America from start to finish in this speech. Is it possible to point out your country's flaws and still be a patriot?
- Is slavery a hypocritical practice on other days, or just on the Fourth of July?
Chew on This
Douglass defines "hypocrisy" as a disconnect between ideals and actions.
Douglass' use of sarcasm and irony underline the theme of hypocrisy by juxtaposing the disconnect between words and meanings with a disconnect between ideals and reality.