ipl-logo

What Is Abigail Adams Letter To His Affectionate Mother

523 Words3 Pages

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 his mother and her reference to heroes of past and present. In this letter Adams appeals to “my son” as “his affectionate mother” so that he might value her advice and encouragement. Adams wants her son to value her advice so that her message of making the most of your trip will not fall upon deaf ears. Referring to heroes of past and present, Adams illustrates how greatness is achieved to encourage John Quincy Adams to follow their example. Adams included the quote “would cicero have shone so distinguished an orator if he had not been roused, kindled, and inflamed by the tyranny of Catiline, Verres, and Mark Anthony?” to …show more content…

Adams is encouraging John Quincy to discover challenges, grow, and set foot on the path to greatness. Besides referencing Greek heroes of an ancient past, Abigail Adams speaks of a hero closer to her son, his father. “You have a parent who has taken so large and active a share in this contest, and discharged the trust reposed in him with so much satisfaction as to be honored with the important embassy which at the present calls him abroad”. Adams is encouraging her son to look up to his father, who is immensely invested in his growth and wellbeing. His mom is advising him to take advantage of his father as a resource and encouraging him to make the most of the time spent with his father as well as his time in France. Adams promises Quincy that he will grow to greatness if he uses all the resources around him. “Some author that I have met with, compares a judicious traveler to a river, that increases its scream the further it flows from its source; or to certain springs… improve their qualities as they pass along”. Adams is promising her son in this quote that he

Show More
Related

  • How Is John Adams Portrayed In 1776

    1282 Words  | 6 Pages

    The play has many different scenes where John and Abigail appear to be together and having conversations. However, in all reality they were miles and miles apart as John was at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia and Abigail was back home in Massachusetts (New York City Center). While technically those conversations between them did not actually take place as they appear in the play, some of the dialogue is taken directly from the many letters that they sent back and forth at this time (New York City Center). The dialogue between Adams and Abigail is very important to this story because it helps give the understanding of some of John Adams motivation and insight at the time; therefore, it could not have been just left out of the play. The scene was most likely constructed with John and Abigail appearing to be in the same place to provide a visual effect and help the audience understand what was going on.

    Read More

  • John Q. Adams's Letter

    167 Words  | 1 Pages

    Mrs. Adams pushes her son to be hard-working young man by choosing to focus on his benevolent side and giving kudos for being a good son. In the first part of the letter, Mrs. Adams begins to guide her son about going on the voyage and not being afraid of the dangers out at sea. Moreover, she starts to express how he was nimble enough to take her advice and join his father on the trip to France; in order to improve his intelligence and finally be able to use his advanced language skills. When Mrs. Adams alludes to how dexterous John Q. Adams is, bolsters her purpose in trying to advance her son to a more advantageous life than the one he already boasts. She conjointly reminds him of she would like him to attain: “. . .

    Read More

  • John Quincy Adams Personification

    103 Words  | 1 Pages

    She uses personification to put more emphasis on the truth which is essential to be a successful leader. John Quincy Adams will feel like it is his duty to be a great leader because he has these positive qualities. She wants her son to obtain the good characteristics of a leader to make her proud, and does this by being suggestive. His mother tries to persuade him by saying that he will make his country honored and his family extremely happy, by becoming a victorious leader; she will be the most honored because he is her son, who she wants to be successful.

    Read More

  • What Is The Tone Of Abigail Adams Letter To Her Son

    564 Words  | 3 Pages

    Abigail expresses a more political concern for what is better for the country rather than a emotional concern for what is best for her son. Abigail states, “your knowledge of the language must give you

    Read More

  • Does Mother Know Best Mantra In My Dear Son By Abigail Adams

    639 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the letter she is convincing her son to go after all the opportunities he will be provided with. She was unaware that her own son was going to be the President at the time, so without her encouragement and advice to go after all opportunities he would have never become President. This shows us that annoying repetition of “mother knows best”, is true.

    Read More

  • Richard Rodriguez American Dream

    705 Words  | 3 Pages

    He begins the article stating that his mother ‘is not surprised that her children are well-off.” This may possibly be hinting at the fact that he and his siblings are doing well prosperity-wise likely due to hard work. He immediately sets the tone for the passage with this statement that draws back to the passage’s theme of the American dream of material success. He then describes an experience in which his mother “stands waving toward no one in particular.” It can be inferred that the particular event being described is the departure of his siblings - possibly back to work.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Abigail Adams Letter To My Son

    393 Words  | 2 Pages

    She uses this rhetorical strategy to connect with her son and show affection. Throughout her letter Adams says "My son". She states this multiple times to clarify that this letter is not to scold him but to guide and inform him. By Adams continually emphasizing support for her son,

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Abagail Adams Letter To Her Son

    452 Words  | 2 Pages

    Abagail Adams wrote a letter to her son, John Adams, who is traveling abroad with his father. Abigail Adams, who was a women back then during the Revolutionary War, didn’t have much political rights. Adams was huge in politics and so was her son, second president of the United States. Adam's uses rhetorical devices to advice her son that he is the only person that can control his future and he must know how to pull through difficulty when it's being tested. To advice her son about this, she uses many rhetorical strategies.

    Read More

  • Abigail Adams Letter To Her Son Analysis

    664 Words  | 3 Pages

    Abigail Adams in the letter to her son, John Quincy Adams, suggests that he be brave and a great man. Adams supports her suggestion to John by explaining what he should do and that he should be strong, mentally, on the trip. The authors purpose is to encourage the son to be a strong man in order to last on the trip, do honor to their country, and become a great man in the future. The author writes in an inspirational tone for her son John Quincy Adams. She incorporates many different literary techniques in order to get the mood and tone across to her son.

    Read More

  • The Rhetorical Devices Used In Abigail Adams's Letter To Her Son

    495 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the letter, Adams compares her son to many different people and elements, from past and present, in order to illustrate who, she wants her son to be. First, she parallels “a judicious traveler to a river,” which is Adam’s way of advising her son to take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity he has been given. The farther that Adams travels from home the more he will expand his horizons in order to collect “rich veins of minerals,” meaning knowledge, companionship, and wealth. Later in the letter, Adams also uses a historical event in order to compel her son to do good. She proposes, “Would Cicero have

    Read More

  • Abigail Adams Letter To My Son Analysis

    604 Words  | 3 Pages

    Abigail states "Would Cicero have shone so distinguished an orator if her had not been roused, kindled, and enflamed in tyranny of catline, vernes and Mark Antony?". In this allusion she makes a reference to her son, indicating that if he is never aroused and pushed, then he will never know his full potential. This is also a rhetorical question asking John if he is willing to rise to the challenge of new experiences. Abigail Adams also alludes to the examples of her husband, who shares a large interest in politics. She references him saying " Nor it ought to be one at the least of your excitement toward exerting every power and faculty of your mind, that you have a parent who takes to large and active share in contest.".

    Read More

  • A Rhetorical Analysis Of Abigail Adams Letter To John Quincy Adams

    678 Words  | 3 Pages

    Abigail uses an Allusion about Cicero, and she knows her audience and she knows that her son will understand the meaning behind this allusion. The allusion was about Cicero, Catiline, Verres, and Mark Antony and the troubles that they faced. She uses this Allusion as an example of overcoming hardship, she then explains that even though that these great men had hardships they overcame them, and became who they are because of those hardships. She is trying to show how this voyage may look like a bad situation, but really it will help him in the future. She then also goes on to say “..wisdom and penetration are the fruit of experience…”(lines 35 and 36).

    Read More

  • Abigail Adams Letter To Her Son Rhetorical Analysis

    515 Words  | 3 Pages

    The newly established land of America was attempting to break away from the mother country, England, to become the independent land that we know as the United States. The letter by Abigail Adam was written to her beloved son whom was traveling abroad with his father. Throughout the letter, Adams uses inspiring diction, allusions to historical figures, and well timed metaphors to encourage her son to be resilient and not shy away from any challenges that may face him. In the letter, Adams compares her son to other great leaders using allusions and metaphors.

    Read More

  • Samuel Johnson Rhetorical Analysis

    906 Words  | 4 Pages

    At the beginning, he implicitly puts her request down. Near the end, however, he blames the helplessness created by the request as the reason for the denial. He first tells her that she does not fully comprehend the impact of her request. She “should have considered what she was asking.” By doing this, he establishes his position clearly, one that meant her son would not get patronage because of the impossibility of the task.

    Read More

  • Discover The Secret Of The Universe Parent And Child Quotes

    1242 Words  | 5 Pages

    This quote really illustrates the feeling of wanting to know and figure out a parent that is more emotionally distant. In my experience, my dad grew up in Soviet Russia and escaped to avoid being drafted into a war between Russia and Chechnya and for a better life in America. This always seemed like a completely different world to me, and since my dad shows little signs of his early life, I relate to this quote. Such a feeling is common in children of immigrant and emotionally distant parents, and the author portrays this in a way that allows the reader to understand and sympathize with both Aristotle and his father. Not many other pieces of media illustrate the

    Read More

More about What Is Abigail Adams Letter To His Affectionate Mother

Open Document