Abigail Adams writes to her son, John Quincy Adams, who was living in France with his father, who was in an extremely important diplomatic position. This letter was written during the American Revolution, and it serves as a call to action: to be great, to be a hero, to make the best of bad times. Adams utilizes an instructive tone along with specific diction, metaphors, and commands throughout her letter to both chastise and rebuke her son, with the purpose of providing helpful advice and direction. Adams begins her letter with an almost immediate criticism of her son: she doesn’t believe he has the “proper deliberation” to make life-altering choices, like moving to France. This rhetorical technique serves to belittle J.Q. Adams while establishing Adams’ wisdom and capability to pass judgment. By refusing to apologize for taking …show more content…
Adams argues that the timing of his adulthood prevents him from achieving what his mother wishes for him by, instead, describing it as the perfect opportunity. Adams also sets up a false dichotomy for her son by claiming that “experience” leads to “wisdom,” whereas “leisure” leads nowhere. Adams employs this rhetorical technique to force her son into action and, from there, achievement. Through her use of metaphors and false dichotomies, Adams continues to pressure her son to take advantage of his position, so that he may achieve fame and glory. Finally, Adams raises the stakes in her argument by including religious references, as well as referencing J.Q. Adams’ legacy. Adams notes that “war, tyranny, and desolation are the scourges of the Almighty,” but that it is her son’s duty to witness said “calamities.” By invoking God, Adams is able to deepen her argument by claiming that it is not just herself who wants greatness from her son, but also what J.Q. Adams’ religion is a
Samuel Johnson in response to madams request to have him seek the archbishop for her son to enter the university denies this request in a well-constructed argument. Johnson’s refusal is supported through the use of definitions, diction, and the appeal to logic. These rhetorical devices play an important role in conveying Johnson’s unwillingness to complete the woman's task.
Johnson is using a very logical and rational approach towards the woman's request throughout the entire letter. He warns the woman that hope immoderately enjoyed will be expiated by pain. Johnson is being somewhat critical of the woman's request by grounding her in reality. He is explaining that her hope and request is not a valid reason for admitting her son. His tone is used with a direct and objective reasoning to the negative consequences of excessive hope and expectation which she indulges in.
John Downe emigrated from England to the United States in 1830. Then he wrote a letter back to his wife trying to convince her to join him. He utilized many different strategies to ensure his letter was compelling, many more than one might expect in a letter to a family member. The rhetorical strategies employed ranged from simple hyperboles and understatements to the formal concession and refutation.
First and foremost, some basic knowledge on the early years and the foundation of Adam’s life are imperative to the understanding of Abigail Adams and how she grew into becoming the women she did. Abigail Adams was born Abigail Smith in a church in Weymouth, Massachusetts on November 11, 1744. Adams’s parents were William Smith, a liberal Congregational minister and her mother Elizabeth Quincy was of a prominent political family at the time. Abigail was the second born of four siblings, one brother and three sisters, their family faith was Congregational. The Adams’s were an active family in throughout the community and involved in the politics of the time. A majority of Adams’s younger days consisted of corresponding with family and friends and reading. Her childhood and young adult life didn’t involve much singing, dancing or card playing as young women typically participated in...
In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, Miller demonstrated that it was Abigail William’s flaws – mendacity, lust, and arrogance – that led her to be responsible the most for the tragedy of the witch hunt in Salem, Massachusetts. Driven by lust, Abigail was able to lie to the Salem community in hopes of covering her and her friends’ deeds and gaining the attention of John Proctor. Her arrogance enabled her t0 advance her deceit.
Now letter-Writing is, to me, the most agreeable Amusement: and Writing to you the most entertaining and Agreeable of all Letter-Writing. John Adams
In the letter, Abigail Adams, informs her daughter about how she likes the White house. But throughout it she shows her daughter how she reacts with her new surroundings. She acts spoiled and she complains.
In the “Letter to her Son” Abigail Adams uses diction, tone, and style to author a loving and warm hearted letter to her son, John Quincy Adams, in order to encourage him to improve and possess honorable qualities.
There have been many historical events in history that have impacted America in many ways. For example, famous Speeches given by important people such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the united states which his main goal was to help America recover from the severe economic issues during the 1930’s. Roosevelt used rhetorical devices to persuade desperate Americans, wounded from the Great Depression, by introducing a plan which it will be the best way to recover from the severe crisis that affected Americans. In Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, he used personification, diction, and antimetabole to convey his conflicting feelings about the New Deal, in order to face the economic issues
President Abraham Lincoln used many rhetorical devices to explain the effects of the civil war. Lincoln wanted the north and south to put their differences behind them and unite, to become a single unified country. Many people were surprised by Lincoln’s second inaugural speech, it was shorter than his first. He didn’t take very long to get his point a crossed about how the war would make him feel. Lincoln had hope that the country would turn around. That it would unify against all evils or troubles.
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
In 1796, George Washington presented to the public people, his friends, his family, and his neighbors, his farewell address. He was a remarkable man who lead a courageous journey and left a progressive impact to thrive through the following years. In such speech, he aimed to explain the reasoning for his retirement and to give thanks to the American people that he had formerly lead in turn for their support and cooperation in standing strong together as a whole, as a country and as a family.
“My boyfriend doesn’t message me half as long as I message him!” Every girlfriend has though this once in her relationship. Abigail Adams wrote this in one of her letters to John Adams on March 31st, 1776. “I wish that you would write me letters half as long as I write you.” Though it is inevitable couples will occasionally have their arguments, it is proven through the truckloads of letter between Abigail and John, that they have made a remarkable couple throughout history. They are by far my favorite couple because they both leaned on each other to not only help each other get by but to help build the start of a better nation. In this essay, it will discuss the many ways that Abigail Adam’s services didn’t go unnoticed.
In the early 1700’s Abigail Adams decided to write a letter to her son, John Quincy Adams, explaining why she was so insistent on him going to the voyage to France. She only knew that this trip would be beneficial for him as he already had an advantage for knowing the French language. In Abigail Adams’ Letter to Her Son, (1780) she argues that pushing him into going on this journey also made herself feel guilty, but knows that it will only give J.Q. Adams the great experience needed to grow and mature. She advises him on going by using her ‘motherly tone,’ comparing him to past authorities, such as great Cicero, as well as using his great nationalism to convince him even more that this trip is necessary for him.