In the following letter, Abigail Adams (1744–1818) writes to her son John Quincy Adams, who is traveling abroad with his father, John Adams, a United States diplomat and later the country’s second president. Read the letter carefully. Then, in a well-developed essay, analyze the rhetorical strategies Adams uses to advise her son. Support your analysis with specific references to the text.
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In 1780, Abigail Adams wrote to her son who was traveling with his father due to his mothers urging. Although, at that point, her son, John, was not president she still tries to guide her son in the right direction. She does this through a shifting tone and diction.
ReplyDeleteAdams' tone shifts throughout the letter from motherly to very strict. She starts the letter with, "I hope you have had no occasion, either from enemies or the danger of the sea, to repent your second voyage to France." Through these words, she is appealing to pathos by letting her son know that she hopes he is safe and satisfied with his decision to travel. In the same paragraph she continues on to apologize for pushing him to go with his father and brother. In the paragraph that follows, however, she shifts to a stern tone. She basically states that he needs to make the best of the decisions he made and he his equipped to do so in the most appropriate manner possible. She then goes into a more philosophical tone, while simultaneously using historical allusions. She questions, "Would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orator if he had not been roused, kindled, and inflamed by the tyranny of Catiline, Verres, and Mark Anthony?" This gives the letter an elevated level of thought and expectations.
Abigail's diction is a mixture of personal, strict, and assertive. She opens her letter with "My Dear Son," which is immediately appealing to pathos. This is a signal that the letter is not one of disappointment or regret, but turns out to be a personal letter of guidance. She is constantly praising him to establish more pathos. She said near the beginning of her letter, "Nature has not been deficient," which means that he has been blessed with many talents and gifts. Which was also a call to take advantage of his gifts because not everyone had the same talents as he did. In lines 43-49, she is strict in the way she tries to persuade him to take a step to end war. In these lines she also makes him feel guilty, as if it is his responsibility to change the world. The words she chose were a mixture of personal and powerful.
Abigail Adam's was very efficient with the rhetoric she uses to guide her son. Her tone and diction are the main strategies she relies on. Through them, she appeals heavily to pathos, using the unbreakable mother-son bond. Although her son was a thousand miles away, her guidance lead way the to the sixth president of the United States of America and ultimately the safety of her homeland.
I agree that Abagail Adams used effective tone in persuading her son, but I do not believe it ever was strict. I think it was always uplifting and empowering which you later described it as in you analysis. I also think you nailed the diction right on the nose. You explained it very logically and in a well formed paragraph. Good work.
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DeleteIn the letter Abigail Adams wrote to her young son, she spoke of the fact that the job and passion he is pursuing is a dangerous one and that he needs to be careful. This should not be surprising, as all good mothers will worry about their children and what they do. She is behind him all the way on whatever he chose to do, but worried nonetheless. She achieved her argument by means of her usage of symbolism, rhetorical questions, and the tone that she uses to accomplish her task.
ReplyDeleteThe first rhetorical strategy I found while attempting to decipher this surprisingly short letter full of old speak was her use of imagery in the fourth paragraph. She used the phrase “still calm of life,” which one can really see if they take long enough to think about. She is trying to show that this life will be dangerous, but it can be achieved if they work hard enough.
The second strategy I found in this essay was her use of rhetorical questions. This was something that I wasn’t sure if it really was rhetorical questions, as there were no question marks, but I thought that this could be a question, “Would Cicero have shone so distinguished as orater, if he not been roused, kindled and enflamed by the tyranny of Catiline, Millo, Verres, and Mark Antony.” There is a period, not a question mark, but the wording leads me to believe that the author meant it as a question. This could just be because they wrote differently in the old days. This helps her argument because she is telling her son that he is great, but because of the situation he is in at the moment, he is shining even brighter.
“Yet it is your Lot my Son to be the Eye witness of these Calamities in your own Native land,” which is found in paragraph six, shows the usage of diction and syntax of this letter. She also achieves a sense of pathos by means of emotion with the whole usage of the word son. She also capitalized random words, which could have been because they were important, but that could have just been how they wrote letters in that time.
This letter is an interesting read by someone in this age as they would need to actively read it to get the full meaning, that she is telling her son to be safe in this time of turmoil. She achieves this sense of security she is trying to impose onto her son by means of different rhetorical strategies, including imagery, rhetorical questions, and diction and syntax.
I thought your pick up on imagery was very well done, but I wish you would've gone a little more into detail into how it affected her argument. I struggled to see what connected the imagery to the piece. However, I thought you effectively explained the usage of rhetorical questions, and you also explained them effectively. Well done.
DeleteI think you should have developed more in the diction and syntax paragraph. I think that your analysis of rhetorical questions was your best paragraph.
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DeleteThe empowering words of a mother often sway the minds of her sons. It was that very message that Abigail Adams was trying to convey to her son, John Quincy Adams. Her main message in this letter was that him traveling abroad was necessary to his success and a journey that could only benefit him and his future. Mrs. Adams used two rhetorical strategies extremely effectively to persuade her son to continue his travels. The two strategies were a positive and uplifting tone and the use of powerful metaphors linking her son to great men of history and major events.
ReplyDeleteSometimes persuading a person is not about using the correct words, but it is rather about the means of delivering the words, how it is said. Abigail Adams shows an understanding of that power through her uplifting tone. Throughout the entire letter her words can be read with no sense of shame towards her son, rather she only expressed pride in his actions. She started out her letter at the end of paragraph one explaining her faith in John Quincy. She stated, "If I had thought your reluctance arose from proper deliberation, or that you was capable of judgeing what was most for your own benifit, I should not have urged you to have accompanied your Father and Brother when you appeared so averse to the voyage." The tone from this exert and the rest of the letter uplifts the spirit of her son and helps convince him to travel abroad.
Being linked to a powerful person in history is enough to drive a man to greatness. That linkage through the use of metaphors connecting Abagail Adam's son to important people surely fueled his fire for achieving greatness. In paragraph three, she relates her son's studies to the speech given by Cicero after being enflamed by the conspiracy against Cesar. She also related her son to a judicious traveler who's intentions are true and acquires information from all areas of his travel. These relations to people and things greater than John Quincy Adams himself seemed to have given him the strength and power to continue on with his journies. Abigail did an amazing job at putting pictures into her son's mind of him being in a more powerful state than he was currently in. Through her use of metaphors as well as her tone she was able to empower her son to continue his travels.
The power of making someone feel bigger than themselves was a powerful tool used to get success out of Abigail Adams' son, John Quincy Adams. She used the rhetorical strategies of empowering tone and ego-building metaphors to make her son feel as if he could complete his travels. Her message proved to persuade her son, and he eventually did become greater than he was eventually becoming the president of the United States of America.
I agree that there is not a sense of shame, but I think that there is an underlying sternness to the letter in order to show that she is serious about her message. I also think you effectively showed the connections to great men of history and how he would one day become one.
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DeleteThe letter from Abigail Adams to her son, John Quincy Adams, is a rhetorical text that truly portrays parental expectations at the core. Abigail uses a stern tone, composed diction, and allusions to her expectations for her son in a subtle and organized manner. Her son, whom she'd prompted to travel with his father, was nudged one step in the direction that led closer to his eventual presidency, due to the concerns and unfaltering guidance from his mother.
ReplyDeleteThe tone for the subject matter comes through as thoroughly stern, and rightfully so, as it seems young John is not quite utilizing all the resources he'd been blessed with. "You however readily submitted to my advice, and I hope will never have occasion yourself, nor give me reason to Lament it", it is here that Mrs. Adams immediately sets him straight, "do not disappoint me nor scorn me, for I am only trying to assist you" she states plainly enough. The continuation of her authoritatively stern aura does not falter as she both compliments and chides him simultaneously, as if he needed to reminded of his wit in general intelligence on language in general. All in all, Abigail's stern tone demands a respect and understanding, she implores him to lend an ear for what he needs to hear, as opposed to what he yearns to hear.
While it is clear that John's mother is somewhat cross with him and his less than exceptional attitude, her diction remains composed and refined to an exquisite level of calm that only a parent can fully grasp. She recites a string of factual, historical examples of great achievement and endurance, not once coming right out and exclaiming "shame on you" through her masterful writing. "All History will convince you of this, and that wisdom and penetration are the fruits of experience, not the Lessons of retirement and leisure." At every turn of the argument she is calmly giving him more reason not to give up or give in to the tantalizing idea of a boring, leisurely lifestyle.
Despite all the patience so obviously intwined within the words of her letter, allusions to her slight disappointment in her son are still present nonetheless. After all, it's logical to assume that the letter wouldn't have been as successful as it was without some sort of dare, or rather, some sort of challenge. With all they'd provided for their dear John, what was he to do with his education and support in return? Was he to merely throw in the towel when greatness dangled just before his nose? No, his mother so many times reiterated, "try again, my son" she urges despairingly. In fact, Abigail refuses to bring the letter to an end until she's painstakingly sure he understands she's done all she could, "I cannot fulfill the whole of my duty towards you, if I close this Letter, without reminding you of a failing which calls for a strict attention and watchfull care to correct".
Altogether, it's evident the fanciful woman truly knows her son's needs at heart. Her argument demands, not requests, his attention. She refused to let her baby trip up when standing on the doorstep of greater and grander experience and discoveries.
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ReplyDeleteThrough use of rhetorical strategies such as metaphors, syntax, and didactic language, Abigail Adams writes a letter to her son John Quincy Adams as he travels abroad with his father. Abigail's use of rhetorical strategies helps her to get the point across to her son that he is lucky to be traveling and learning like he is, and that he must take advantage of the things he is learning to do good for the world. In her letter to her son, she uses these specific rhetorical strategies to open his eyes to what he is really experiencing.
To start, Abigail Adams uses the strategy of metaphors. She states specifically that, "wisdom and penetration are the fruit of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure." Her use of a metaphor in this area of writing is aimed at the goal to teach John Quincy Adams that life and the good things that come along with it are not earned easy, that you must work for change and success. She uses this rhetorical strategy to try to get her son to realize that he must work hard while he is traveling so that something good may come out of it one day, not just sit along on the ride while his father does the work. As we know through the history of the United States, Abigail's son must have listened to her advice, for he later became president of the United States, a title that is not obtained through "retirement and leisure."
In this letter, Abigail Adams has a natural type of syntax, diction, and tone that prevail through her writing. Her syntax gives the letter a feel of formality, as many sophisticated words and phrases are used in the letter, as well as deep thoughts that are not often mentioned in a simple friendly letter. Her diction also adds to the formal feel of the writing. As mentioned before, she uses large and sophisticated, formal words which thin the letter, adding to the over all feel of formality. Though Abigail Adams uses formal syntax and diction, she also gives a feel of intimacy and friendliness through her use of tone and expletives. Her tone through the letter seems to reveal a "proud mother" sort of feel, as she reveals that she is proud of her son, and that she wants him to do everything he can to make the most of his trip. Her expletives also help break up the formality of the text by addressing John Quincy Adams directly several times throughout the letter. This combination of formality and informality within the letter help the letter itself to appeal to ethos in a way, as the letter is written from a person with authority in John Quincy Adams's life, but also at the same time from his loving and caring mother.
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ReplyDeleteLastly, Abigail Adams uses a didactic feel in this letter to her son. This rhetorical strategy helps the audience of the letter, John Quincy Adams, realize that this trip is a learning experience for him. Abigail Adams's letter teaches her son that nothing in life comes without hard work, devotion, and learning, so he must work his hardest while abroad so that he may gain later in life. In this letter, Abigail Adams also uses a rhetorical question to help her son understand that the hardships that he will encounter should be used as a lesson learned. This rhetorical question gives example of Cicero, a man who would not have been such a great person if he had not encountered challenges and hardships from other people in his lifetime. This specific reference to history and several other metaphors and ideas within the writing are used as a method for Abigail to teach her son how to make the most of his study abroad so that he may benefit from it later in life.
Through these rhetorical strategies of metaphors, syntax, and didactic language, Abigail Adams writes a rather effective letter to her son. Through this letter and these strategies, she reveals how proud of her son she is, and how she believes he must use his time traveling wisely so that he may benefit from it later in life. These rhetorical strategies help to emphasize that nothing in life comes for free, so John Quincy Adams best use his time wisely so that he may build up a life of success and prosperity for the future.
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DeleteIn a letter written by Abigail Adams to her son John Quincy Adams who is traveling abroad with his father John Adams, Abigail advises her son to take a chance of this opportunity to use his own knowledge and skills to experience growth in developing his character, persuading him to take his first steps to becoming a leader. There are many rhetorical strategies used by Abigail Adams in the letter to her son, of these are her use of an maternal tone, allusions, and irony.
ReplyDeleteThroughout her letter, Adams uses her encouraging maternal tone to advise her son to make his parents very proud of him. She consistently uses the words “my son”, from the beginning starting off her letter with “my dear son”, to the end. She does this because she wants to show him that he does have an advantage in all that he is trying to do, and whatever he does his parents will always be proud of him and that he can do anything if he really puts his mind to it at all times.
The second strategy that Abigail used was her use of allusions. In this letter she alludes to a lot of the past and the different things that happened in history to show the journey of John Adams past. She talks about the war, and the tyranny. She alludes to the different beginnings of America in becoming an independent country, because she wants to show her son that out of out of hard work and dedication something good can always come from it if you just sit back and wait for it.
The third strategy that is used in this letter to Adams son is irony. Irony is used to help Abigail Adams to develop a good purpose. This shows that John Quincy can do anything if you put your mind to it. Abigail emotion plays a lot into this letter. It really brings all of the rhetorical devices together. Pathos keeps the material tone going giving motivation to her son.
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DeleteAbigail Adams shows her respect, love, and care for her son within her letter. She shows her feelings for him, her thoughts about him, and what she feels will come for him. All this is shown within the great use of her rhetorical strategies. She uses analogys, foreshadows, and even a few metaphors that we never really see or hear people use.
ReplyDeleteThe analogy that is used is almost the entire third paragraph, lines 16-27. She compares her sons life choices and advantages to the small comparison of a traveler to a river that some author spoke of. She states that the author compares a traveller to a river. The river spreads into smaller streams as it goes further and further away from wherever it originally came from, expanding itself over a vast area of land. The traveller is the same way, but it is probably his mentality. The further and further he goes out and into the world, the more ground he can cover, the more knowledge he will obtain. This is what she hopes for her son, to go out into the world and obtain more and more knowledge.
Adams foreshadows what her son will do in the near future. Usually when someone tells another what may come for them, that man or woman will usually stride to achieve what was said. More or less, she cares a lot about his future and does not want him to stop reaching out for it. She knows he will always be willing to learn. Of course mothers know the most about their children and what they need to survive.
Within lines 37-41, Adams uses a metaphor to describe what happens when someone finds something they love to do most. She states,"When a mind is raised and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities, which would otherwise lie dormant, wake into life and form the character of the hero and the statesman." She is showing her son that he should do what he believes is best for him, whatever makes him feel like a true man, makes him live and want to keep going. Like before, she is trying to push him to success, but in a way that she is helping him take the right path to it.
Through her analogy, foreshadow, and metaphor, as seen within the previous paragraphs, Adams writes this letter using these to show her son that no matter what he does, he should be the best at it. He should live up to his potential and always strive to be the best in his nature. Adams may not have known where her son was going or why he would have chosen that path, but either way, she was the reason he became the man he was. He became the president of the United States, leading without giving up and always pushing for the best.
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DeleteIn 1780, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her son, the future president, John Quincy Adams who traveled across the sea to France for the second time with his father. Abigail Adams was trying to convince her son to continue traveling and to embrace the opportunities presented to him. Through the use of the rhetorical strategies of tone, analogy, and allusion, Abigail Adams effectively presents her argument.
ReplyDeleteAdams begins the letter with a tone appealing to pathos. She opens with "my dear son." This example signifies the loving relationship between mother and son. It shows that Adams has the best interest for her son and wants to guide him in among the best decisions for his life. Her tone then turns to guilt by stating, "I should not have urged you to have accompanied your Father and brother when you appeared so averse to the voyage." As any mother she only wants what is best for her child and through her shifting tone from assertive to guilt she expresses her argument. By using this shifting tone and diction, Abigail Adams strengthen the idea of convincing her son to travel to ensure a bright future.
Through her use of analogy, Adams shows the benefits of embracing opportunities as a traveler. She "compares a judicious traveller to a river that increases its stream the farther it flows from its source." If John Adams would partake in more traveling he would be well versed through the virtues and diversity of different places. The farther he goes the more enriched his mind will become. It appeals to pathos of wanting to better himself. She compares the traveler also "to certain springs which running through rich veins of minerals improve their qualities as they pass along." This again refers to the idea that when John Adams travels he will be enriched with knowledge.
There was a strong use of allusion throughout the letter to Abigail's son. She alludes to history by writing, "Would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orater, if he had not been roused, kindled and enflamed by the Tyranny of Catiline, Millo,2 Verres and Mark Anthony." By alluding to these men in history, it establishes ethos to the point that if a man is not challenged he will not succeed. John Adams will be challenged by traveling and becoming familiar with the hardships of the world. It proves that the easy paths of leisure will not better Adams.
Abigail Adams wrote this letter to her son to aid him in embracing opportunity in the aspect of traveling. By using the rhetorical strategies of tone, use of analogy, and allusion her argument would strongly affect her son, John Adams. She wrote to her son to ensure his future be bright as well as those his life would affect.
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DeleteIn 1780, prior to being the First Lady of the United States of America, Abigail Adams wrote an encouraging letter to her son John Quincy Adams in an attempt to steer him on the correct path in his life. As she writes, she is stern with her son but does not make an attempt to scold him. The whole purpose of her letter is encourage her son to live a great life and to not settle to be mediocre in doing this she uses many rhetorical strategies to help her cause. The strategies she uses include metaphors, allusion to the past, and a common goal to reach.
ReplyDeleteEarly in the letter Adams uses a metaphor that shows what she wants her son to live like. In lines 16-20 she tells of an author that compares a traveler to a flowing river. This metaphor helps her argument in several ways. It helps her because her son is traveling so he can easily relate to the example. She says that a river flowing from its source gains qualities from where it has been. This is an attempt to get him to strive to travel and become the best person possible.
Adams also alludes to past events that help her argument by providing examples of successful people. She speaks of the great Cicero and how he moved through adversity and was successful in his life just as she wants John to be successful in his. She says that history should convince him to realize how fortunate he is to be where he is in life this far. She in line 41 she speaks of how war, tyranny, and desolation have destroyed men and how she does not want his life to go in that direction.
Overarching all strategies in her letter, Adams sets a goal for her son and keeps referring back to it. In the whole letter she gives examples of honor and how men have proven themselves successful. She talks about him improving character daily. All of these things give him a goal to strive for and a path to take in like and this is exactly what Adams what's to happen. She finishes off the letter by speaking of manliness, honor, and virtues that challenge him to be a great person.
Abigail Adams writes because she cares about her son. She writes because she wants him to be successful. She uses metaphors, allusions, and goals to help argue that her son needs to reach high places in his life. She makes it hard for her son to ignore the message she has sent. Not only because she is his mother but also because she gives examples of how success has fueled humanity.
In the year 1780, Abigail Adams composed a letter to her loved son John Quincy Adams who at the time was traveling with his father. His father was the well know John Adams who was a United States diplomat and then later became the second president of the United States. Abigail Adams writes to her son in hopes of aspiring his thoughts and actions to extend into the greatness that he may one day be able to achieve with the use of hard work and devotion. She is aware that this journey will add grow for a improving future in her young son. Abigail Adams uses rhetorical strategies such as tone, irony, and also allusion to bring across her belief that taking opportunity can be challenging but is also important for human growth.
ReplyDeleteAbigail runs the role of a mother as she lovingly cares for her young son John Quincy Adams. She used her voice as a sense of encouragement to lead the boy into a life of challenging decision making. Her tone grants comfort toward John which persuades him to take her advice to action. Abigail thought that she knew what was best for John and his life. She goes on to explain her reasoning of pulling such a subject on him by stating, “If I had thought… you was capable of judging what was most for your own benefit, I should not have urged you to accompany your father and brother”. As a mother Abigail uses her instincts to guide her child in a direction she believes is necessary by using her set tone.
Abigail also uses irony which helps her to develop a purpose and add meaning to the letter. She uses the irony particularly in lines 3-8 as she goes on to speak of her sons path of life. She gives him hope by believe in his own wisdom. As for he can do anything he puts his mind to. She does this to create an inspiration to give her son a true passion in creating that purpose.
Without adversity people would struggle in life when facing challenges. Abigail Adams uses a sense of allusion to bring in references to view additional opportunities for John to grow off of in hopes of finding his own future. She reveals "Would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orator if he had not been roused, kindled, and inflamed by the tyranny of Caitline, Verres, and Mark Anthony?". Abigail believes that since John has already became involved in struggles that he will soon learn to reach for success.
Abigail Adams wrote to her son John Quincy Adams in hopes of granting him great benefits to pursue a well lived life. She shows her appreciation in all the works he has taken part in and those works he will obtain in the years ahead. Abigail uses great rhetorical devices as she expresses her tone, irony, and allusion in her letter to reveal an encouraging message to her son.
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