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Rhetorical Analysis Of Abigail Adams Letter To Her Son

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In a letter written by Abigail Adams to her son John Quincy Adams who is travelling abroad with his father John Adams , a former United States diplomat, advises her son to take advantage of the opportunity by using his own knowledge and skills to gain wisdom and experience growth in developing his character, persuading him to take his first steps to becoming a leader. There are many rhetorical strategies used by Mrs. Adams to persuade her son, among them are metaphor and affectionate tone, rhetorical question and long and involved sentences , and organizes the essay by using argument. Throughout the letter Abigail Adams uses an affectionate tone to advise her son to make his country and family proud. Mrs. Adams uses words such as “ your ever affectionate mother” (62-63) and “My dear son” throughout the letter. By doing so she is coming across as an affectionate and understanding parent, who wants their child to recognize their full potential. In another example she states, “It will be expected of you my son, that, as you are favored with superior advantages under the instructive eye of a tender parent, you improvement should bear some proportion to your advantages” (21-24). She is reminding …show more content…

Her letter to John Quincy Adams, her son shows the affection she has for her son. She writes formally and personally to get her point across yet, still making it clear that her son has a support from his loving family to help guide him through any adversities that may be thrown his way. Through her rhetoric Abigail Adams is able to show the perfect balance a mother must have in guiding her son towards the direction best for him, while maintaining logical and emotional

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