How Does Edwards Use Pathos In Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Jonathan Edwards, sermon provides a substantial amount of imagery that depicts the beliefs at that time. This figure of speech is important because it created the emotion of fear, it makes a image of hell develope in your head, and with his imagery he scares his audience into following his ways. Jonathan Edwards use of imagery creates a horrific image which has a major effect on his audience. With the uses of imagery he creates an image of a place full of horror to scare his audience to following his ways. In the sermon Jonathan Edwards uses “Their foot shall slide in due time” to show that within time you will go to hell for sinning. This creates the image of your foot sliding down into a hole of darkness,

In Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Edwards uses pathos in most of his work. Pathos means emotion and emotion is the building block of this passage. He uses passion and anger to get the message across to his audience. In this case, the Puritans. Although, this does not mean that

Jonathon Edwards maintains his audience’s attention by creating intense and meaningful similes. Edwards uses these similes as a way for his audience to understand the points he is making and adds dramatic imagery and piercing words to get the audience to consider what he is saying. The first simile he uses says this, “…they were always exposed to destruction; as one that stands or walks in slippery places is always exposed to fall” (Edwards 1). Edwards includes this quote in his sermon to provoke the readers thought. The point he is trying to make is that God’s people are exposed to destruction which is a hard to imagine so he breaks it down for his audience by saying that just as they are exposed to destruction if you walk in a slippery place you will also fall. The next memorable simile Edwards uses says this, “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked. His wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else but to be cast into the fire…” (6). Here Edwards compares his congregation to a “loathsome insect”. Edwards does this to try and describe how God views them. He continues his claim by comparing God’s wrath on them burning like fire, which would probably spark fear in the hearts of the people that they may repent. This simile helped further Edward’s main point, that hell is inevitable. One last simile Edwards uses is this, “Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards

Through the use of imagery and classical appeal of pathos, Jonathan Edwards effectively injects fear into his congregation of their destined fate. "The devils watch them; they are ever by them at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back" (Paragraph 11). The use of

Both, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards and “Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, show approaches towards Puritan beliefs. While they both show approaches each contrast one another. The authors use symbolism, diction, and details to compare the effects of a sinning nature and the beliefs of loyalties. While I would characterize Jonathan Edwards as terrifying and enraged, the character of Parson Hooper changes the reader’s understanding of Puritan ideals of religion by setting an example of what true Puritan religion is.

In Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an An Angry God,” shows an extreme viewpoint of God. According to Edwards, humanity is naturally infected with sin despite our efforts to overcome it. Throughout his sermon, Edwards goes on about how God shows such mercy in not throwing all humanity in the deepest depths of hell. As said by Edwards in his sermon, “ You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about

Just as effective as language manipulation is Edwards's use of language transformation; indeed, his skillful employment of descriptive language adds a visual dimension to his message. Even if the foundation is misinterpreted, these transformations allow any listener to mentally "see" Edwards's overall direction. For instance, God's wrath is referred to as "great waters that are dammed", "a glittering sword", and a "drawn arrow". These terms indicate powerful and deadly forces. On the other hand, sinners are likened to "worms of the dust", "miserable creatures", and "loathsome insects"; consequently, these labels are receptors of God's wrath through the forces Edwards introduces. Although these conceptual images appear basic, Edwards's frequency and placement throughout his delivery produce a clear and precise overview to even

Edwards uses words like “wrath” and “omnipotent” to display the power that God posses, and chooses negative connotation words to describe the relationship between God and man (para. 15, 46). Making the comparison of the relationship between God and humans like a spider web or thread, the author wants the audience to know that it can be broken at any time, and that the “pit is prepared” down in hell for sinners (para. 17). Edward chooses diction that leaves humans hopeless, and at the mercy of God. He wants the audience to know that God is always in control, using words like “if God should permit” and “the mere pleasure of God” (para. 13, 7). Additionally, Edwards uses diction to portray God as merciless and immoral, saying that has God is “without pity” and “will have no compassion upon you” (para. 41). This leaves the audience despaired, and they feel as if they have no choice but to reestablish their relationship with God, or certainly face an “everlasting destruction” at any time God pleases to (para.

On July 8th 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” in Enfield, Connecticut. Edwards states to his listeners that God does not lack in power, and that people have yet not fallen to destruction because his mercy. God is so forgiving that he gives his people an opportunity to repent and change their ways before it was too late. Edwards urges that the possibility of damnation is immanent. Also that it urgently requires the considerations of the sinner before time runs out. He does not only preach about the ways that make God so omnipotent, but the ways that he is more superior to us. In his sermon, Edwards uses strong, powerful, and influential words to clearly point out his message that we must amend

Figurative language is another important factor for the story. In the story, he talked about wickedness in a person’s body. “Your wickedness makes you as it were as heavy as lead.” This will make you think that the amount of wickedness in one’s body is equivalent to the weight of lead. This might persuade people to go be “reborn” since they would want to get rid of most of that wickedness. Another example is the comparison of a person to a spider. “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider.” Edwards use this to say that we’re no different than spiders in God’s eyes. We could be squished or dropped to our doom in a mater of seconds. Edwards also compared God’s wrath to the great waters. “The wrath of God is like great waters that are damned for the present, they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given, and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and

Edwards uses figurative language to explain his point that his audience needs a change in heart. He personifies the burning fire in hell to make it seem as if it is waiting for everyone that has not yet fully accepted God into their hearts. He describes the fire swallowing people to threaten death upon his parishioners that have not yet changed. Edwards also said, “The God that holds you over the pit of Hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect

In using these metaphors, Edwards is enabling the reader(s) to understand the tone by putting it in a situation and context, which is more easily correlated. Subsequently, he uses imagery in the opening paragraph stating that when men are on Gods’ hands and they could descend to hell. Natural men are held in the hands of God, over the pit of hell knowing that you might descend into the abyss at any moment should scare you. God chose to save you until he wants to let you slope into an eternity of sweltering flames.

Pathos is referred to as the literature’s emotional appeal to the audience’s senses or imagination. Edwards uses imagery to paint a horrifying picture of eternal damnation for unsaved souls. His use of detailed words describing the horrors and nuisance awaiting sinners has a significant effect on his audience. Hell may or may not be a real place and all of the suffering and pain described is a lie, Edwards' way of delivering his message is so effective that it puts fear into his listeners so that they believe and follow his suggested method of recovery. Moreover, he uses imagery to give his audience a mental picture of God holding sinners above the fiery pits of Hell. After filling their minds with fear, he uses this image to show them that there is a light at the end of the

Colonial times in America expressed strong religious beliefs. Many were devoted to God and those who weren’t would feel a pressure to. In order to persuade the public into committing to God, speakers would use pathos to impose the fear of God in the individual. To appeal to the community’s fears, Edwards would often exemplify how one’s life hangs in the hands of God, “[God] holds you over the pit hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you and is dreadfully provoked.” (Edwards 50-51). The rhetorical impact of using such metaphor provides the individual a chance to envision his irrelevance, as an inferior creature, in God’s agenda. The life of a sinner is in severe danger, thus frightening the public

During the 1741, there were many opinions on God as during this time was know as the enlightenment period. In the sermon, ¨Sinners in hand of angry god¨ by Jonathan Edwards he delivers a sermon in a frighten tone. As many in this time did not see god with importance as science was over running the ideas of god. Jonathan Edward says, ¨ [one] day wherein many are flocking to him¨(Edward 125). Jonathan is trying to state that when science fails many will go to god even though they have shrugged him off before. His tone of words shows us that he takes this topic seriously and doesn't want to use to be playing around. For example, “why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning , but that's God's hand has held you”(Edward 123).