Chief Joseph, or Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, was the leader of a Pacific Northwestern tribe. In 1877, with white people now on the west coast, the tribe was now on its last legs. What was Chief Joseph to do now, that the white people were closing in? Through simple and emotionally charged words, Chief Joseph surrendered and put the fighting to an end.
In his speech, Chief Joseph lists his reasons as to why he will stop fighting. "I am tired of fighting", Chife Joseph says, "Our Chiefs are killed; Looking Glass is dead". There are no more ways that Joseph could continue, without the help of others. "My people, some of them, have run away to the hills, and have no blankets, no food", Chief Joseph continues. The tribe is now only able to turn to their last resorts. In a closing statement, Chief Joseph states, "I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more". He has now surrendered to the coming white people.
Chief Joseph's tone and simple, yet depressing imagery conveys his message to the audience. Throughout the speech, his tone remains reserved, as to evoke emotions of a peaceful sadness in the audience. There is no intense or overly pleasant tone here; it is almost neutral. Chief Joseph uses simple imagery of sick people, people freezing to death, and dead chiefs to convey a very sad emotion to the audience. His use of imagery and tone are effective in making clear his message.
Chief Joseph's surrender was charged with the depressing tone and imagery throughout his speech. Since the audience receives his message as emotions, the main rhetorical device here is pathos. If this was only one Chief's surrender, other surrenders may have been emotionally charged as well.
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