• Home Page
  • Rhetorical Techniques Used In Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

Rhetorical Techniques Used In Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

Improved Essays
Show More
There are many different platforms in history in which people created magnificent pieces of literature like, Walt Whitman’s O Captain! My Captain! or even the ever popular Rosie the Riveter “We Can Do It” poster, that have such a strong rhetorical impact. This impact also extends past the time they were popular but also into the current age because of the effective context that ethos, pathos and logos are used. Sinners In The Hands Of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards is one of the most pronounced works of literature for its strong rhetorical techniques. This sermon utilizes many rhetorical strategies in the sermon such as pathos and imagery. This sermon was delivered to Edward’s Puritan congregation during one of largest revivals in American history, The Great Awakening, not only to show to show his congregation that the wrath of God was imminent and true, but also the realness of his mercies. However, this sermon extends much further then just that Puritan community. This sermon continues to effect people today with its …show more content…
“Edwards used a variety of…vibrant images and simple metaphors to persuade sinners to repent” (marcoquiroz Feb 6). Edwards not only depicts what God will do but also what the devil will do. “The Devil stands ready to fall upon them and seize them as his own, at what Moment God shall permit him. They belong to him; he has their Souls in his Possession, and under his Dominion. “ (Edwards pg.7) Jonathan Edwards also says: “like greedy hungry Lions that see their Prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back; if God should with- draw his Hand, by which they are restrained, they would in one Moment fly upon their poor Souls.” (pg.7) Edwards not only pacts a powerful punch with his fearsome depiction of God but also the sketch of Satan. Edwards also paints pictures of not only people and things but also time, which adds a very powerful

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Comparing Bradstreet And Edwards Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God
    • 587 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Comparing Bradstreet And Edwards Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

    In paragraph three of the story“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Edwards says,…

    • 587 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Sinner In The Hands Of An Angry God
    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Sinner In The Hands Of An Angry God

    Often in sermans ministers pastors persuade their audience to behave in a spiritual or moral fashion. Such is the case in “sinner in the hands of an angry god” by Jonathon Edwards where he illustrated that the moral of the story is “if sinners repent, they won’t face the wrath of god” Edward using an convincing tone and wanted to have an impact on his audience by appealing to their fears, pity and Varity. Edward had an impact on his puritan’s audience because of convincing tone, clear imagery and clear figurative language. Foremost Edward is trying to show his audience to be cautionary of after life and that god can easily destroy his sinners who have done wrong and did not repent. For example in the text the author stated “so that thus it is that natural me held in …..…

    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God
    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

    SITHOAAG: Rhetorical Analysis Rough Draft Jonathan Edwards’ “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” captures the intensity of the Great Awakening. He implies during the sermon that if “natural men” don’t change their ways, they will undoubtedly endure the “wrath of God”. The ultimate goal of the sermon is to make us understand our situation and persuade the audience that all men are dependent on God for salvation through vivid imagery and by using accusatory diction and different rhetorical appeals. The quick pace of the address, tied together with the detailed imagery, plays a key role in persuading the audience.…

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God By Jonathan Edwards
    • 1423 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God By Jonathan Edwards

    “We find it easy to tread on and crush a Worm that we see crawling on the Earth; so ’tis easy for us to cut or singe a slender Thread that any Thing hangs by; thus easy is it for God when he pleases to cast his Enemies down to Hell,” (Edwards 5). In this context, Jonathan Edwards, a minister who wrote Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, is putting a fiery image into the minds of the Puritans who attended his sermon on the day of July 8th, 1741. At the time of the Great Awakening, there was a loss of faith directly related to the widespread use of science and theories. Edwards uses a fear-inducing tone to refuel a fire in the believers and turn them back into the arms of God. By using intense metaphors and other rhetorical devices, such as…

    • 1423 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Jonathan Edwards Rhetorical Analysis Essay
    • 581 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Jonathan Edwards Rhetorical Analysis Essay

    Alongside that he has this undertone that God’s love is effervescent and he’s almighty forgiving love. At times it feels as if the whole sermon is an oxymoron. Without a doubt, he’s well aware of the senses he’s trying to intimidate and bring out. He’s doing what their religion follows, purifying the soul of impurities. Edwards, knowing the fear of Puritans, used this to add meaning to his sermons and he gave great depth to what he meant.…

    • 581 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Rhetorical Analysis
    • 998 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Rhetorical Analysis

    The last theme he expresses is that the only thing keeping sinners out of hell is God's will. God is giving them an opportunity to show mercy. Theses themes are utilized by the use of vivid imagery along with other rhetorical devices to make his point. Edwards does not hold back when criticizing people for their sinful ways. Sin, as explained in his sermon, is controlled by the devil.…

    • 998 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Comparing Edwards And Anne Bradstreet
    • 108 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Comparing Edwards And Anne Bradstreet

    Studying different authors from two different time periods helps readers understand their beliefs and way of life. Though, Jonathan Edwards and Anne Bradstreet are both puritans , their ways of writing and ways to persuade their audience are very different . In Jonathan Edwards’ sermon ,”Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” he used an irate tone. Also, he used fear to persuade his congregation from straying away from God with lines like “If God should let you go , you would immediately sink “ (109).…

    • 108 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    The Puritans Fear In Jonathan Edwards Poem
    • 1364 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Puritans Fear In Jonathan Edwards Poem

    Edwards also reveals his emotion through his sermon as he conveys an angry tone, “O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell.” (pg. 156) In this quotation, he utilizes an angry tone with the words “furnace”, “wrath” and “damned” and gave fear to the Puritans and made them to convert back to Puritanism.…

    • 1364 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    How Does Paine Use Fear In The Crucible
    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages

    How Does Paine Use Fear In The Crucible

    Thomas Paine has a series of pamphlets, called The Crisis, and one of the pamphlets is dedicated to helping the colonial men to get over their fear of destruction. In these pieces of literature, fear begins like any fire, easy to control in the beginning, but difficult to stop once out of hand. Jonathon Edwards’ wrote, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” a perfect example of using fear to manipulate others. Edwards, a Christian preacher, uses gory details about the graphic Hell waiting for his congregation. He addresses everyone, even those living…

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Analysis Of The Burning Of Our House By Anne Brastreet
    • 1234 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Analysis Of The Burning Of Our House By Anne Brastreet

    Bradstreet, however, was certainly not the only author to write on religious topics. Jonathan Edwards, the most famous preacher within the times of the First Great Awakening, gave the sermon “Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God.” This sermon was a clear example of the fire and brimstone techniques used by these preachers, and Edwards used the Christian Law to move thousands to his following. The main image Edwards puts in his audience’s mind is as follows, “So that thus it is, that natural men are held in the hand of God over the pit of hell... the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them.”…

    • 1234 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Ethos In Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God
    • 603 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ethos In Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

    Ethos, Logos, and Pathos in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Jonathan Edwards was a Puritan theologian who was a primary figure during the Great Awakening. Edwards delivered his fiery sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” to his puritan congregation in 1741 using powerful images of heaven and hell and a sense of urgency to convince sinners to come to Christ. To achieve his desired purpose of urging sinners to receive God’s grace before it is too late, Edwards employs ethos, logos, and pathos. Edwards uses ethos to appeal to his congregation to convince them to turn from their wicked ways.…

    • 603 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    The Role Of Fear In Religion
    • 1506 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The Role Of Fear In Religion

    By showcasing the “wrath of Almighty God” and creating a sense of fear in the audience and making them gullible, Edwards takes the chance to reach his goal: converting non believers (Edwards 156). He proceeds to state, “And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open…” (Edwards 156). Due to the fear present in the audience, they see the forgiveness that “God” offers them. Fear provoked many to become gullible without realizing it,…

    • 1506 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Theme Of Pathos In Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God
    • 1015 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Theme Of Pathos In Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

    In the 1700s, during the Great Awakening hundreds of people were accepting Jesus Christ and becoming born again. During this time, pastors were working to increase this number and convert more and more people. One of these pastors was Jonathan Edwards, who gave intensely persuasive sermons. In one of Edwards’s most famous sermons "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” he utilizes rhetorical appeals: pathos, to appeal to the congregation’s fear; logos, to appeal to congregation’s common sense and logic; and ethos to gain the congregation’s trust throughout his sermon to assist him in persuading the congregation to become born again. Through his fire and brimstone teachings, Edwards evokes an immense amount of fear in his listeners.…

    • 1015 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis: Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God
    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis: Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

    Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Christians were constantly reminded of the consequences of sinning during the Great Awakening. However one church in Enfield, Connecticut was largely unaffected. So they invited Johnathan Edwards, one of the most dynamic pastors of the time to speak. His mission was to convert, and convince the congregation of their sins. He accomplished this by delivering a compelling sermon that helped the congregation realize that they are going to be judged by God, and that this judgment will be more fearful and painful than they could imagine.…

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God
    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

    In the 1700s during the Great Awakening hundreds of people were accepting Jesus Christ and becoming “born again”. During this time pastors were working to increase this number and convert more and more people. One of these pastors was Jonathan Edwards, who gave outstandingly intense persuasive sermons. In one of Mr. Edwards’s most famous sermons "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” he utilizes rhetorical devices pathos, logos, and ethos numerous times throughout the sermon to persuade the congregation to be “born again”. Through his fire and brimstone teachings Edwards evokes an immense amount of fear in his listeners.…

    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  Cookie Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings