Rhetorical Analysis Of John Downe's Letter To His Wife

John Downe, an immigrant weaver from England, in his letter to his wife, creates a picturesque image of America. Downe’s purpose in doing so is to convince his wife to emigrate to the United States. He uses a dreamy tone in order to show his wife his extremely positive view of America.
Downe opens his letter by creating a friendly view of America’s people. His use of the tone words “ . . . welcome . . . house . . . pudding . . . fruits . . .” and “ . . . wish . . . “ all strengthen this image by creating a very relaxed atmosphere. This was used in order to help the wife feel comfortable and more open to Downe’s ideas. This then allows him to create the image of America his wants to paint in his wife's mind.
Downe continues his letter by

exaggerating the space available in America. He reinforces his image by the use of the hyperbole, “But there is plenty of room yet, and will be for a thousand years.” This hyperbole is meant to break the misconception had that because of how many people were immigrating, there would end up being a lack of sufficient space. This effective strategy makes the wife see an image of a place where she would never have to worry about the crowded conditions she lives in again.
Downe concluded his letter with a reassurance of success. He uses the imagery, “Poverty is unknown here. You see no beggars.” to make his wife feel safety in their move to America. This imagery is extremely effective as the wife, who currently is not living in the greatest financial condition, sees the assurance that she would no longer have to live through the stresses of poverty. This allows her to feel even safer in her decision to move to America and adds another layer of depth to the author’s picture of this perfect place to live.
Downe effectively uses the rhetorical strategies of tone words, hyperbole, and imagery to state his reasonings, in a dreamy tone, for his wife to join him in his new world.