Chief Joseph: Surrender Speech, 1877 andVisit to Washington DC, 1879

Historical Context

Chief Joseph was a leader of the Wallowa band of Nez Perce, a Native American tribe of the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States. He was committed to peace with the Euro-Americans and walked a tight rope between his desire to retain his lands and his people’s need for peace.
His Surrender Speech in 1877 came after the divisive Nez Perce War with the United States; the speech is known for its expression of dignified defiance.
Visit to Washington D.C, in 1879 was aimed at advocating for the rights of his people and to petition for the return of his people to their homeland in Idaho.

Stylistic Features

Oral tradition: As a spoken text, Chief Joseph’s speeches reveal the tradition of oral story-telling, vital in Native American cultures. Remember, effectiveness can come from simplicity, repetition and utilisation of rhetorical devices.
Rhetoric: Use of persuasive and emotive rhetoric, appealing to listeners’ empathy; particularly clear in the Surrender Speech as he describes the difficulties and exhaustion faced by his people.

Key Themes

Conflict and Injustice: Joseph continuously discusses the conflict between the Native Americans and the US government, evoking the sense of injustice experienced by his people.
Loss and Suffering: His speeches reflect the hardships, loss, and suffering of his people due to displacement and war.
Resistance and Resilience: Even in surrender, Joseph’s speeches express a defiance towards the U.S. government, showcasing the resilience of his people in the face of adversity.

Language and Structure

Mixture of English Language and Native American syntactical forms: His speeches often include sentences that reflect his native language’s way of structuring thoughts.
Rhetorical questions: Used to challenge listeners and to force them to interrogate their own attitudes to the Native American plight.
Metaphors and Similes: Predominant use of figurative language to illustrate his ideas and to appeal to the listeners’ emotions.

To ace your revision, remember to highlight the historical context and the influence it had on Chief Joseph’s speeches as well as the linguistic, structural and stylistic devices used to convey his message to his audience.