Abigail Adams’ Letter To John Quincy Adams: Rhetorical Analysis

Abigail Adams, a woman of great intelligence and influence, was Abigail Adams. Through the letters she wrote to her son and husband, she became an influential woman. She was clever enough not to name her husband, but instead she said “my friend”. Since his name wasn’t on the letter, it was impossible to say that she was giving him information. Abigail Adams’ letters were so influential and articulate that they made it into history. We can find them in the history books today. She was very vocal on issues such as slavery, female equality, taxes and taxation.

Abigail Adams’ letter addressed to John Quincy Adams, her son who would become President of the United States, is filled with encouragement and comfort for him. She also addresses his concerns about the dangers that he might face while traveling abroad to France as a diplomat from the United States. Her son is reassured and encouraged by her to take full advantage of this opportunity, which will be a great benefit. He will be able to expand his mind and gain wisdom by being a witness to the difficulties he will encounter and learn from. Appealing to the emotions and logic of her audience by using imagery, allusion and imagery. Adams communicates her perseverance on the importance experience to her child while on his journeys. She also uses imagery and allusion to appeal to her audience’s emotions. She quickly refutes the notion, reminding her son that he wouldn’t be willing to follow her advice and go if she wasn’t sure he would like the adventure. She uses allusion to show how her son will benefit from his independence and travel. He will be able to tell his story by recalling an author who is the “traveler on a river”. The river will “improve their abilities as they go along.” The mother suggested to her son, “travel is a journey that should be enjoyed in all aspects of life.” Adamas has the ability to inspire confidence in her child through the example of Cicero. This gave him the confidence that he was making the right decision and it was a good opportunity to help him grow.

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She is able convince her son of his right to go on the diplomatic journey. Being a “eyewitness to these calamities,” on his father’s journey, he is able accomplish this. He will experience “War and tyranny” and “desolation” in his country. Abigail acknowledges her son’s potential for success and makes it seem like he is learning something from this journey. These advantages are possible under the “instructive eye of an attentive parent”, and he will learn from his surroundings. This will enable him to learn and grow in the future.

She uses a maternal tone throughout the letter to give credence to her argument. The letter opens with “My dear child”, and she reassures him about his fears. He can be convinced to forget his hesitance by her encouraging him to believe she will not disappoint and that it is “expected of you”. Adams convinces her son that this would not only bring him great benefits but also honor his country. Assisting her son with his values and devotion, Adams then elaborates on her claim by claiming that it will “render your parents supremely unhappy”. Her son will feel joy and pride in being able to do the right thing and make his parents proud, including his mother. This is how he can learn so much from the experiences he has, even if it’s extremely risky or an opportunity to learn.

Abigail Adams wrote John Quincy Adams a letter in which she conveyed her determination to help him learn more through the new experiences that he will have along his journey. To ease his mind, she can use her mother’s advantage. It’s about being able for him to learn from the events he will experience and how this knowledge will help him become more wise.

Author

  • bensonsimpson

    Hi! I'm Benson Simpson, a 35-year-old educational blogger and teacher. I write about educational topics such as student motivation, creativity, and effective teaching techniques. I also run a blog about creativity and learning, which you can find at bensonsimpson.com.

bensonsimpson

bensonsimpson

Hi! I'm Benson Simpson, a 35-year-old educational blogger and teacher. I write about educational topics such as student motivation, creativity, and effective teaching techniques. I also run a blog about creativity and learning, which you can find at bensonsimpson.com.