Rhetorical Analysis Of Abigail Adams Letter To Her Son

On January 12, 1780, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her son John Quincy Adams, who was

In 1780, during the American Revolution, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her son. Her purpose was clear: she had to convince him to use his time in France productively. In a period of time when the entire country was in turmoil, she, like most mothers would have been, was worried for her son. She was a mother separated from her son, longing for him to choose what she believed was the right path. With these intentions in mind, she wrote a letter, one she was hoping would change his course.

Adams uses many appeals in the letter in order to get her son to get her point across. She uses pathos in the introduction by starting the letter with “my dear son…” to show that she is a caring mother towards John. She also established a maternal tone to remind him that she is his mother, so he needs to follow her advice.

Mrs. Abigail Adams incorporates pathos, logos and allusion in advising her son about his trip to France. While the revolutionary war is coming to a close in 1780, young John Adams accompanies his father and brother in his “second voyage to France.” John Quincy Adams, future president of the United States, doesn’t realize the importance of this voyage and observing his father being a diplomat in France. This is why Mrs. Adams finds the importance of writing a letter to give counsel to her son and his future.

One particular letter from Abigail Adams to her husband John that would later have great impact in Congress was the one she printed on March 31, 1776. This particular letter urged John to not forget about the women when they were fighting for independence against Great Britain. She included that unlimited power should not all be put into the hands of the husbands. She stated that if attention was not focused more on the women, there would be a rebellion and the ladies would not hold themselves bound by any laws where they have no say in anything. This particular letter was a first step in the fight for equal rights for women. Finally, nearly 150 years after Abigail penned that letter to John while he was away in Philadelphia and Abigail was

She is affectionate and logical for her son about what kind of life she wanted him to live. In her head, he should grow up to do something memorable for his country. “Do honor to your [his] country” are the words she uses. She wants him to make a brand of his name, and make his parents proud. She symbolizes her patriotism by explaining to her son that he needs to contribute to this country. Abigail wants him to be selfless enough to turn outward and help others who need it. However, John Quincy Adams didn’t want to take any part in the voyage. He sought to stay home with his mother. Her argument was that he is too young and not “capable of judging” what's best for him. If she believed that he could make “deliberate” decisions for himself, then she wouldn't be having to do it for him. He is too young and immature to be making drastic decisions that will influence his future. Her motherly instincts kick in while being compassionate/strict at the same time to do what's best for

Adams uses endearing diction throughout the letter. This shows how much she cares for her son and takes a lot of pride in him. Abigail Adams challenges her son by telling him that he can’t just live a life of leisure. He needs to be faced with difficulties if he wants to gain wisdom. She’s teaching her son to live life to its fullest.

Abigail Adams explains to her son in her letter that he is a man now-- so he needs to make the best of it and not be an average man of the time period. Mrs Adams uses rhetorical devices throughout this letter to let her son know that he needs to be willing to do whatever it takes to help his country just like his father the American diplomat.

Abigail Adams had been sending letters back and forth with her husband, John Adams, discussing the subject of women’s rights. Abigail writes to her husband using a logical and emotional appeal. She is using the logical appeal by telling him he has work to do at home, then switches to using an emotional appeal to say she needs him at home with her and their kids.

Abigail Adams begins her letter by putting forth her hopes that her son’s second trip to France is not a misstep, claiming that she has her sons best interest at heart. This is stated in hopes and in an attempt to convince her son early on that she knows and wants only the best for him, a theme she will continue to carry throughout the letter. Unwavering in her desire to ingrain this sense of ‘Mother knows best’, she claims that his experiences today will aid him immensely in the future, leading into her second analogy of his future.

A stern approach is taken as the opening of the letter commences. Mrs. Adams writes, ‘I have not felt in a humor to entertain you if I have not taken up my pen” (262). The diction used exemplifies the solemnity that Abigail Adams feels towards the topic at hand. The issues of the evacuation of Boston as well as the protection of the Harbor are brought to attention. Abigail Adams is using these problematic errors to support her point in that men are not always doing what is wise and right for the country. She then transitions to being a voice for the nation’s women creating an unyielding atmosphere in her writing. ‘I cannot say that I think you are very generous to the ladies; for, whilst you are proclaiming peace and good will to men, emancipating

Abigail Adams writes “Letters to John Adams” with regard to give him political advice and advocate for women’s rights and representation in the newly formed government.

Abigail Adams is a mother who clearly wants nothing but the best for her son and is willing to push him in order for him to become a good man. She forced him to go on a trip, which he otherwise would not have embarked on. Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her son to explain why she thought that the trip was the best thing for him. She uses an encouraging tone throughout the letter to advise her son on his future.

In the second text, Letters to John Adams, Abigail Adams writes a letter to her husband John Adams, the second president of the

“Being different simply means you have something unique to offer the world,” (unknown). Standing out in the sea of ordinary people like a miraculous Island in an overflow of water, Abigail Adams was very peculiar compared to other ladies and her time. But no one guessed how her distinct ideas and thoughts would be the miracle women's rights with waiting for. She was ahead of her time, even so, she was underestimated just because of her clashing nature to beliefs in her day. Abigail Adam’s various differences in her personality from other colonial women, affected her rule to play vastly during the Revolutionary War and her influence ended up changing America's virtue of equality and brought justice to many females.