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Abigail Adams Letter To Her Son Rhetorical Analysis

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The newly established land of America was attempting to break away from the mother country, England, to become the independent land that we know as the United States. The letter by Abigail Adam was written to her beloved son whom was traveling abroad with his father. Throughout the letter, Adams uses inspiring diction, allusions to historical figures, and well timed metaphors to encourage her son to be resilient and not shy away from any challenges that may face him. In the letter, Adams compares her son to other great leaders using allusions and metaphors. She asks her son rhetorically if Cicero would have been such a great leader had he not been "roused, kindled and inflamed." Here, Adams is explaining that to become a great leader, one must go through great trials. Also, Adams compares her son to …show more content…

Adams uses a metaphor from another author that compares a "judicious traveler to a river." Here, Adams both establishes credibility for herself and advises her son to gain knowledge from his experiences much like a river gains as it flows. Credibility is established by demonstrating that others have the same values as she. The metaphor itself tells her son to be diligent along the way and pick up information. Adam says that "as you increase in years, you will find your understanding and daily improving." This predicts that as her son grows older, his knowledge will help him be open and a better man. Her wish is for him continue his education and never grow tired of learning new. Additionally, Adams also uses that encouraging diction when she says "wisdom and penetration are the fruits of experience, not the lessons of retirement." Adams is able to contrast that wisdom and ambition comes from experience, not laziness. Here, she can tell her son to be ambitious now so he can be wise in the

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First off Adams uses comparisons and contrast and contrasting to help illustrate a better understanding. In the first piece of evidence she compares a "a judicious traveler to a river". Adams wanted effect was to imply that the more knowledge you have, the more you will be able to be on your own in the future. In her second example, she contrast "a dormant man in retirement, and a hero in difficult times". She suggests

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She compares "a judicious traveler" to "a river that increases its stream" the further it runs from the start of the river, or to "certain springs, which running through rich veins of minerals improve their qualities as they pass along". These excerpts show how Adams explains why the more you travel the more experience you have and you'll become more successful. She also uses a metaphor to make a comparison about how "wisdom and penetration are the fruits of experience" and how those "fruits" don't come from laziness. This clarifies how experience leads to wisdom while laziness doesn't. Adams wants her son to work for wisdom and experience.

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She implies in the paragraph before that there is still always room for improving. Implying that the use of his advantages will result in more “understanding and daily improving.” In addition, she makes him feel guilty for not wanting to expand and

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She uses allusion to invoke a sense of purpose in her son completing his journey and gaining the knowledge he needs in order to grow. When Abigail Adams suggest that her son was fortunate enough to witness "who have made glorious defense of their invades liberties. " She uses Americas history into becoming an independent country to show hardship that will come but the outcome from it is even better. Next example she used is, "Would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orator if had not been roused, kindled, and inflamed by the tyranny of Catiline, Verres, and Mark Antony." Adams proposes that adversity will come in life, but it will make him a great leader.

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