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Analysis Of Abigail Adams Letter To Her Son

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In a letter to her son, Abigail Adams shares her advice for him while traveling abroad. The letter encourages John Quincy Adams to make the most of this experience as evidenced by her appealing to her son as a mother, her reference to heroes of the past and present, as well as her source of credibility.

In this letter Adams appeals to her son as his mother so that he will value her advice and encouragement. She uses the phrase "If I had thought your reluctance arose from proper deliberation, or that you were capable of judging what was most for your own benefit, I should not have urged you to accompany your father and brother when you appeared so averse to the voyage" (Line 3-8). With this statement, Adams is implying that she would not have had her son go on this trip if she didn’t believe he was prepared for it. Adams intends for her son to learn valuable information while voyaging to France, and if he were to not go he would be missing out on these life experiences such as the voyage …show more content…

She uses the work of "Some author" she has met (Line 16). When introducing this author's perspective Adams shows that she's not the only person that thinks people can't learn if they don’t go anywhere. Staying in one place your whole life will not teach you lessons, make great memories, or help you improve. Adams wants her son to know that no matter how old you are, you never stop learning. The author compares a traveler to a river "Increases its stream the further it flows from its source" (Line 17-18). Following this Adams also adds that it is "Expected" for her son to expand, that he is under the influence of a "Tender parent" that wants him to succeed. He should take this opportunity as a gift and run with it, to acknowledge every step he takes on this journey. The authors statement along with Adams advice helps further John on his

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The third rhetorical device, Abigail Adams uses is logical repetition. Mrs. Adams was a logical woman and used this to drive the point that her son has great things that lie ahead of him. She mentions the word “great” a series of times to lift her son up. For example, she says that he has been endowed with “greater advantages” that he hasn't come to realize yet. Such as his parents, education, and that he has been taught that everything isn't about him becoming who he wants to be.

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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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In pre-Revolutionary America, many changes were taking place. Abigail Adams recognizes this in her letter of encouragement to her son, who is with his brother and father on a French voyage. She is intimidating in the most motherly, affectionate way, and surely lets her son know that a lot is expected of him. Adams encourages her son through the use of comparison and by acknowledging his personal qualities to recognize the value of experience and overcoming personal challenges.

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Every mother wants what the best for her child, even if that child may not believe so. In her letter to her son, John Quincy Adams, Abigail Adams addresses him during his travels in France and defends the rationale of her previous advice while providing her new advice, and partly demands, on the subjects of honor and duty. Abigail Adams uses emotional appeals in the form of personal repetition, flattering metaphors, and prideful personification in order to advise and persuade her son in his personal growth and appeal to his personal qualities, such as pride of honesty and knowledge, to spur his ambitions and actions. To start off the letter, after greeting him and explaining the occasion of her writing, Abigail uses personal repetition with the word “your,” before qualities and events with a positive connotation to appeal to John’s pride and leave him open to listen to more of her her advice, as she already successfully advised him in his trip to France. In only the second sentence of the letter, Abigail already throws in that her advice is, to John, “for your own benefit,” (5) later she speaks of, once again to John, “your knowledge,” (11) and finally, “your understanding,” (14).

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In one example she tells him, “You are favored with superior advantages.” She says this to imply that John was raised in wealth and opportunities, and he should think twice before he lets that go to waste. She would continue on and then so end with, “Do honor to your country, and render your parents supremely happy.” I can imagine a smile appearing on John’s face as he reads this heartfelt message from his mother. She shows her support for her son and lets him know that she believes even if nobody else does.

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Throughout the letter Adams uses phrases like “my son” or “the son of your father.” Her purpose through this is to display to her son that he has nothing but support from both of his parents as he grows into the man he chooses to be. She explains that he is very fortunate to have “superior advantages,” meaning the wealth of their family, yet he should never stray from the morals that were taught to him from “a tender parent.” Adams concludes her letter with “…do honor to your country, and render your parents supremely happy, particularly your ever affectionate mother, A.A.” In this final sentence she includes everything that she expects from her son as he travels, learns, and becomes a

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