In the letter written by Abigail Adams to her son, John Quincy Adams, while he is traveling overseas, it is very evident that persuasion can be a very delicate but powerful tool. Throughout her letter, she outlines a standard that her son must live up to while also reminding him of the benefits that come with the trip as well. Abigail Adams skillfully uses her motherly influence to instill ideas in her son that ultimately convinced him of the valuable experiences that he will gain on his journey abroad.
Abigail Adams opens her letter by saying “I hope you have had no occasion, either from enemies or dangers of the sea” (1-2). By indicating this early on, she is showing her son that she cares about his well being, making him more inclined to listen to her advice throughout the letter. Furthermore she praises him for “readily submitt[ing] to her advice” and hopes he “will never have …show more content…
On several occasions throughout her letter, she reminds her son that he is luck to have a parent who has taken the time on his important time abroad to teach his son the enriching lessons that will lead to success. She uses his paternal “character of the hero and the statesman” (40-41) as well as the importance of “attention, diligence, and steady application,” (25) to illustrate the standards her son must learn and live up to as a man in his level of social hierarchy. This statement not only reinforces his feeling of superiority within his social class, but subtly outlines the hard work that his parents endured to reach this social prestige; making him more apt to listen to his mother's advice. Consequently, by illustrating that John Quincy Adams is “under the instructive eye of a tender parent” (22-23), she is portraying John Adams in a position of gravitas, making her son is more likely to appreciate and try to emulate these qualities while on the trip with
Abigail Adams opens her letter by saying “I hope you have had no occasion, either from enemies or dangers of the sea” (1-2). By indicating this early on, she is showing her son that she cares about his well being, making him more inclined to listen to her advice throughout the letter. Furthermore she praises him for “readily submitt[ing] to her advice” and hopes he “will never have …show more content…
On several occasions throughout her letter, she reminds her son that he is luck to have a parent who has taken the time on his important time abroad to teach his son the enriching lessons that will lead to success. She uses his paternal “character of the hero and the statesman” (40-41) as well as the importance of “attention, diligence, and steady application,” (25) to illustrate the standards her son must learn and live up to as a man in his level of social hierarchy. This statement not only reinforces his feeling of superiority within his social class, but subtly outlines the hard work that his parents endured to reach this social prestige; making him more apt to listen to his mother's advice. Consequently, by illustrating that John Quincy Adams is “under the instructive eye of a tender parent” (22-23), she is portraying John Adams in a position of gravitas, making her son is more likely to appreciate and try to emulate these qualities while on the trip with