Comparative Analysis: Edwards' and Hawthorne's Religious Narratives

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In the passages “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards and “Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne are both powerful text. Edwards used more of an effective style to get his point through. He used a harsh and blunt tone to prove the God is a powerful man and can strike at any time but does not. This is why his text is better that Hawthornes.
In Edward’s text his theme was God is a very powerful man and can strike and any time but does not, and in Hawthorne's text his theme was don’t judge someone by the way they look. Edward used 2nd person, which uses the word “you” a lot. He also had a very harsh and blunt tone about it. Using this point of view and style it makes it seem like the was directing it towards the reader. he used real life situations to relate what was happening to the reader. “It gave him,to the very depth of his kind heart ,to observe how the children fled from his approach.”(Hawthorne,Pg,109) To this day people still have to deal with situations similar to this, therefore he could relate to some of the readers. “Such was the effect of this simple piece of crape” He used an outdated style so some of the readers might not of been able to get the full picture if was trying to present.
Edwards style was more effective in his case because he made it seem like it was directed to the reader and used many rhetorical devices like “the bow of God’s wrath is bent and the arrow made ready on the strings…” (Edwards,Pg,25) (which is a metaphor) has a very powerful effect on the reader. His diction was blunt,straight forward and aggressive also something that made it a very powerful text.
Although Edwards style was more effective some may think that argue that Hawthorne's style is better. Since he used 3rd person omniscient the reader could see all the feelings and actions of many people. “Lift the veil but once and look me in the face” (Hawthorne,Pg,109) this is a line that someone said the the main character. It also gives you a look into what others

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