Analysis

Here, we will present the main elements of our analysis of “Selling Our Land” by Chief Seattle.

In the following pages, we will explore the topic of the speech – environmental responsibility – and how the speaker links it to differences between the culture of Native Americans and that of white settlers.

We will present the speaker and his background, along with the image he tries to convey in the speech.

We will look at the audience – allegedly formed by officials and locals in Seattle – and at how the speaker targets white settlers as his main audience.

We will discuss the language used in the speech looking at the tone, choice of words, figures of speech and rhetorical devices that make the speaker’s message more appealing and persuasive.

We will present some of the circumstances of the speech, such as the Puget Sound War and the Battle of Seattle caused by disagreements over land rights between Native Americans and white settlers. 

We will focus on the speaker’s intention of convincing the audience to become more responsible with regards to the environment, and the language tools he uses to achieve this.

Read the full analysis in the following pages!

Further help

Do you want additional help with analysis of non-fiction? See our general guide to non-fiction analysis.