Metaphor in Farewell Address

A “progenitor” is a forebearer. By using this term as well as the metaphor of soil, Washington speaks to a universal and timeless desire for a free, democratic nation. He claims that this “natural” desire stems within the “native soil” of the American people, stretching as far back as several generations.

Washington explains the precarious position of the United States in the global political scene. In commercial matters, he says the United States may get involved with other nations—although only with the utmost caution. With the metaphor of the “impartial hand,” Washington states that the US may get involved in foreign commercial matters; but, like a steady, unwavering hand, it must never ask for favors or force any affairs.

Here, Washington employs two rhetorical devices to convey the importance of morality in government. First, he uses a rhetorical question to ask who would be so immoral as to remain impartial to attempts to tear the nation apart. Second, he compares the nation to a piece of fabric, which conveys a sense of oneness and unity. These combination of literary techniques serves as an appeal to his readers’ sympathies.

Washington employs a fire metaphor to illustrate the importance of checks and balances on the federal government. Like a fire which requires constant supervision and vigilance, so too does a government need constant regulation in the form of checks and balances between the branches of government.

In a lengthy diatribe, Washington warns against forming factions among the people. He writes that those without principles may take advantage of the nation—or the people—and take control of the government. This process, Washington warns, destroys the very “engines” that have brought these dishonest politicians to power. By likening the people to an engine, he not only suggests that the people are the powerful force propelling the nation forward but also that they require care and maintenance for success.

In this metaphor, Washington conjures an image of the government as an impenetrable keep or castle. He likens the unity of government to a political fortress, which when well-guarded, can stand against both internal and external enemies.

Washington describes the audience’s independence in metaphorical terms: as an edifice, or building, held together by the “unity of Government.” Without this edifice, the image suggests, an individual’s independence might come crashing down. It would upset every aspect of someone’s life, from their “safety” to their “Liberty.”

With this metaphor, Washington suggests that the love of liberty is “interwoven” with the “ligaments,” or the connective tissue that connects joints and cartilage. He likens liberty to the fibres that run through the American people’s hearts and which tie the nation together.

Washington metaphorically describes nominating a new president as covering the candidate in cloth. This image suggests that the presidency is chosen or ordained by a larger entity, such as the people. This newly elected president will be covered “with that important trust,” a bind between the office and the people he represents.