A Mother's Advice In 1780, only a few years after the United States got its independence from Great Britain, John Adams, diplomat and later the second president of the United States, takes his son along with him to his meeting abroad. During their trip, his wife Abigail Adams writes to their son, John Quincy Adams, to motivate him as he is about begin his political career. In the letter, Abigail Adams reminds Quincy Adams of her expectations regarding his duty towards his country through the use of an analogy and ethos, while displaying her motherly affection and teachings with emotional diction to develop a intense yet caring tone as well as encouraging him by comparing him to a historical allusion. Adams reminds her son of how privileged …show more content…
In the beginning of her letter she shows concern when she says, "I hope you have had no occasion, either from enemies or the dangers of the seas". Adams's choice of negative diction such as "enemies" and "dangers" being balanced by positive diction such as "hope" displays a maternal tone thus shifting the connotation of the rest of the letter. When she advises and reminds Quincy Adams of her expectations, her apprehension confirms she wants the wellbeing of her child thus sounding more considerate and caring instead of domineering and commanding. Granted that Abigail Adams hopes for the safety and welfare of her son, she also wants Quincy Adams to stand up for his beliefs and morals. She states that "War, tyranny, and desolation are scourges...and ought to be deprecated" suggesting that he should be a leader and tackle these immoral issues. As the letter develops, Abigail Adams becomes more intense, her tone shifts from a worried, protective tone to a heartening, courageous patriotic tone. The pathos becomes more visible as the letter progresses creating a spark inside the reader, Quincy Adams, to enforce his mother's morals and make them his own
Abigail Adams an American Woman was written by Charles W. Akers. His biographical book is centered on Abigail Adams the wife of John Adams, the second president of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president. She was the All-American woman, from the time of the colonies to its independence. Abigail Adams was America's first women's rights leader. She was a pioneer in the path to women in education, independence, and women's rights.
The tone of the letter provides a sense of sternness yet warmth to the readers as they become aware of Adams hopes and aspirations for JQA. Abigail continually uses tone to justify her claim of certainty upon her son’s “improvement” and “advantages” he will achieve while away. The author applies a solicitous tone to express her compassion she has for her son’s growth and responsibilities he is being bombarded with. Adams achieves this while explaining the “calamities” JQA must be an eyewitness to as well as the “war, tyranny, and desolation…” he will have to deal with. This builds the relationship between Adams and JQA as the greater good is expressed in Adams
On January 12, 1780, Abigail Adams, former First Lady, wrote to her son, John Quincy Adams, while he was abroad with his father and brother. Adams addressed to her son and future President to maintain his spirit to learn and grow. She expressed his purpose through her motherly tone, various religious and historical allusions, use of logos, rhetorical question with simple syntax and use of metaphors.
John Adams being a foreign diplomat upheld the responsibility to travel throughout the world and discuss foreign relations relating to American sovereignty. When under the dominance of such a prestigious family, John Quincy Adams, through the impressment of his mother was sent upon a journey with his father to new lands. In her letter, second First Lady of the United States and wife of John Adams, Abigail Adams elicits that her son John Quincy Adam’s will elaborate upon the virtues he desires through human experience–despite his initial reluctance and imprudence towards it. Adams constructs this elicitation by applying emotional and invoking language with a nuturingly considerate tone, by using figurative language like metaphors to embellish
Abigail Adams: A Revolutionary American Woman. Abigail Adams married a man destined to be a major leader of the American Revolution and the second President of the United States. Although she married and raised men that became such significant figures during their time, she herself played an important role in the American society. The events that happened in her life, starting from childhood and ending in her adult years, led her to be a revolutionary woman. Three main reasons behind her becoming such a strong, independent woman was the fact that she married a man who had an important role in politics, growing up with no education, and raising a family basically by herself.
Abigail Adams’s Letter On January 12th, 1780, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her son John Quincy Adams, to help guide and support him on his “second voyage to France” (line 3). Throughout, she uses emotion mixed with information to help convey her message to John. Abigail Adams, being the concerned, loving mother she is, uses rhetorical strategies in her letter to advise her son. Pathos was used to assist her in motivating John Quincy Adams.
In the cold mitts of January, 1780, 4 years after the Declaration of Independence was written, Mrs. Abigail Adams has wrote a letter to her son, John Quincy Adams. Mrs. Adams letter explains that during his trip he should try to gain knowledge and wisdom. She uses imagery, metaphors, and historical allusions to advise John Quincy Adams while he is abroad with his father. This letter shows how she is caring about her son and wants safety for him during the trip as well. She is also very strict with her motherly side in this letter.
In 1780, John Quincy Adams --soon to be the president of the US--- travelled abroad with his father, John Adams. During his journey, his mother Abigail Adams, sends her son a letter on the 12th of January to advise her son --Adams-- that in his ventures, he should utilize his innate wisdom to honor his country and make them proud by exerting his unyielding attitude. Her request is evident through her frequent use of parallelism and her references to her own experience and knowledge.
Influential men in the creation of the republic, Adams and Hamilton remained largely absent from each other’s lives besides a brief correspondence from Adams in July 1789 where requested the younger Hamilton allow his son Charles Adams to clerk for him because he wanted to “get him into some office in New York, and should give the Preference to you” but rested on two contingencies, one of which Adams suggested “you may become a Minister of State, or some other Thing better or worse than the Practice of the Bar, but, however, incompatible with it.” This letter underlines two facts; first, Adams held Hamilton in high regard by entrusting his son to him. Second, for Adams, it was apparent that Hamilton was not destined for a career in law and
As Abigail intends to teach her son, John Quincy Adams, how to live, she uses very confident diction. As Abigail states, “it will be expected as you, my son, that, as you are favored with superior advantages under the eye of a tender parent, your improvements should bear some proportion to your advantage”. She is proposing a statement that without parenting, John Quincy would not grow to his full potential. While Abigail continues down the road of her inspiring lecture, she brings out yet another reason, “nothing is wanting you but attention, diligence, and steady application. Nature has not been deficient”. With that, she shows off her confident diction by comparing life aspects with nature. All life wants in someone is their positive self, and that is what Adams is trying to pass to her son.
Influential men in the creation of the republic, Adams and Hamilton remained largely absent from each other’s lives besides a brief correspondence from Adams in July 1789 where requested the younger Hamilton allow his son Charles Adams to clerk for him because he wanted to “get him into some office in New York, and should give the Preference to you” but rested on two contingencies, one of which Adams suggested “you may become a Minister of State, or some other Thing better or worse than the Practice of the Bar, but, however, incompatible with it.” This letter underlines two facts; first, Adams held Hamilton in high regard by entrusting his son to him. Second, for Adams, it was apparent that Hamilton’s future laid in political office, not private
First, Adams illustrates pathos by constantly telling her son she wants the best for him, so that he will give the voyage a valiant effort. Adams tried to convince her son that she only wants the best for him. In her letter, Adams declares, “If I had thought your reluctance arose from proper deliberation, or that you were capable of judging what was mostly for your own benefit, I should not have urged you to accompany your father and brother
The process by which I found this letter was quite simple. From following the instructions on the unit one writing assignment document, I was able to find the letter regarding women’s rights quickly. First, I went to the UNLV library database and chose “History” as my research subject. Second, I chose “North American Women’s Letters and Diaries” out of the seven library databases that was listed on the instructions, because, this database caught my attention among the other six. Additionally, the combination of words I used to make my search more advanced was, “Adams, Abigail” and “Revolution.” Third, I went through seven letters that were written by Abigail Smith Adams to her husband, John Adams, but the one that stood out to me the most was
For it was his father who had brought him to the new land with only his mother’s urge. She only wishes that he must not forget who he is in the new land and to always remember his mother who had urged him to go with his father. If it weren’t for his father, who had been called to the American colonies, they would never had that opportunity. Adams concludes her letter by saying, “...render your parents supremely happy…” She summarizes that anything he should intend to do should still make his parents
In a letter to her husband, Abigail Adams asked him to remember the ladies, and "to be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors". She goes on to warn John Adams not to put unrestricted power into the hands of men (Doc B). Abigail wrote this letter in light of the new position women are representing. The women finally decided to take action and rebel against how their ancestors have lived in the past.