Wife of U.S diplomat and mother of future president, Abigail Adams in her letter to her son John Quincy Adams advises him during his journey with his father about the advantages of learning from his experiences. Adams purpose is to encourage her son to set out and learn in order to become a better person. She adopts a nurturing tone to guide her son and give him advice that would be beneficial to him. Adams successfully gets her advice across to her son with the use of remorseful diction, inspiring exemplification, and proud pathos. In her letter, Adams begins by implementing remorseful diction. The incorporation of powerful words such as “repent”, “reluctance”, and “averse” allow the reader insight on Adams regret of her advice to her son as she realizes it may not have been the best thing to encourage him to do something he was not sure about. She reveals her repentance to her son in order to convince him that although he may not have wanted to take this chance he should take the opportunity to learn from this journey. Adams guilty tone conveys her true regret while revealing how she had her son’s best interest in mind while not knowing he was hesitant about the voyage. …show more content…
The support of the example “would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orater if he had not been roused, kindled, and enflames by the tyranny of Catiline, mile, verres, and Mark Anthony” justifies Adams idea that if it were not for mistakes you would not grow to the person you are. She reveals how he will only become a true person if he learns through his own experiences and mistakes not by merely expecting things to come to him. Adams’ inspirational tone emphasizes her advice on the importance of her son to not only learn from what life gives him, but to realize how it will help him become a person she would be proud