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Abigail Adams Speech Analysis

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On January 12th, 1780, Abigail Adams is writing to her son, John Quincy Adams, who is traveling abroad with his father, John Adams, who will eventually become president of the United States. John Adams and his father are traveling abroad together to France during the American Revolutionary War. Abigail Adams is writing to her son to give advice and a sense of patriotism during his voyage. She encourages her son with the hopes of how one day, he can become president. Abigail Adams employs her motherly voice with the use of pathos and historical allusion to help guide her son during his voyage in the hopes he will become a better man.

Abigail Adams employs her motherly voice while using pathos to show she cares for her son to develop into …show more content…

Adams writes, "Would Circero have shone so distinguished an orator if he had not been roused, kindled, and enflamed by the tyranny of Catiline, Verres, and Mark Antony" (line 35). Adams is explaining to her son that he has to face great challenges before he can be a heroic leader. She uses the great men in the past to help motivate and encourage her son. Adams also shows allusion in line 60 when she writes, "with the blessing of Heaven, will transmit this inheritance to ages yet unborn." Adams wants to show that her son has the help with Heaven and God and that they are with him every step of the way. With the help of his mother's allusions, John Adams will be encouraged to become great like the heroic men of the past.

Abigail Adams employs allusion and pathos with her motherly voice to illustrate the connection she has with her son. Adams wants her son to do great things, but he needs to overcome challenges first. Readers can see the connection with Adams and her son by employing a motherly diction. This motherly diction helps us to relate to the story and understand clearly of why Adams wants her son to be strong and courageous during his voyage. Overall, Adams wants to show her unwavering love and support to her son during his agonizing voyage hoping he will become a better man and eventually become

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Adams enters the conversation by presenting her maternal relationship with her son. By this letter being addressed to, “My Dear,” this suggests that Adams is trying to show her love and care for John. Adams is proposing advice for her son and encouraging him to gain confidence in himself and feel worthy to proceed on this voyage. She wants to make it known that she is not trying to pressure her son. An example of this was presented when she wrote,“It will be expected of

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Abigail employs strategies of emotionally charged words and phrases that only a mother can say to her son. In her letter she opens the letter with the phrase, “MY DEAR SON”. This phrase is notable because of the effects that it is intended to give to the audience, her son John Quincy Adams, she is setting a mood and tone of a loving and compassionate mother. She is using the position of her authority as his mother to push him her love for him is why she knows this trip is great thing for him.

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Abigail Adams uses rhetorical devices such as pathos and allusion to get her advice to her son John Adams. Adams uses pathos throughout her letter to show the support and tender love a mother can have for her son. Adams wants to let her son know that he has a support system from his family when adversity comes at him in

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John Quincy Adams might as well be sailing his ship in the ocean of Pathos his mother sends to him while he’s headed to France. Abigail Adam’s letter to her son is chock full of emotional persuasion to convince him of his greatest human potential possible. Her motherly love shines through within a concerned tone in the figurative language and syntax she has written. She essentially draws in her son by reiterating any confidence he has within himself by assuring his skills by her judgement.

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