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The Figurative Language In Abigail Adam's Letter To Her Son

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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. She repeatedly praises him by comparing him to the likes of higher powers. Notably on line 30 when she puts him in the place of Cicero in the supposed same situation as him. She plans to inflate his ego using an allusion to make him believe because Cicero had the same values and support instilled into him, that his results will be of the same success. He is also emulated to be like a river mentioned by an author Abigail Adams had met. This metaphor explains his knowledge be ever growing as it “flows from the source;or to certain springs,w hich, running though rich veins of …show more content…

These terms appeal to John’s sense of superiority. She wants her son to feel as though he is better than others, for him to gain the confidence he needs to “do honor to [his] country”. Through nationalism and patriotism, also, she stimulates her son into benefiting their country. She both wants to see her country succeed and her son to become powerful, thus benefiting her. Her son gaining great power and success will transfer onto her. Her motives are not entirely selfish. She does truly want her son to succeed, based up on the again pathos closing to her letter by using the words “pleasing hopes” (line 58). Abigail Adam’s is merely a mother just wishing her son well and giving her support for him to reach his greatest

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