In this letter, it talks about John Quincy Adams in his journey to becoming president. His mother Abigail Adams personally writes this letter to him whiles he's on his trip with his father. Abigail Adams wrote this letter employing pathos, asking rhetorical questions and presenting personal comparisons to extend the idea of following his fathers footsteps in becoming president of the U.S.
Adams changes her sons attitude by speaking in to him and appealing to pathos, identifying with him on a personal level. "It will be expected of you my son that as you..." By using "my son" Adams presents a motherly tone of concern to grab his attention. She's using her place of authority against him, because just like every child, our mothers come off as the mama bear and give us a sense of protection. Adams in a way is bringing back that sense of emotion back by identifying with him as his mother and putting John in
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"Would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orator if he had not been roused, kindled and enflamed by the tyranny of Catiline, Verres and Mark Anthony?" This rhetorical question is not going to be answered Abigail, it's made to make her son think an inspire him to take up challenges and not run away from them. Modeling that hard times will help him build on his experiences and give him more wisdom. Adams also says "compares to a judicious traveler to a river that increases it's stream the farther it flows from the source." This metaphor helps her son make connections to things he can understand, so he can grasp what his mother his trying to say. Which in this case, is letting John Q Adam know that he can and will have big adventures away from the sheltering of his parents. That it's ok to go and live life, because by doing so he will obtain more wisdom which will cause him to