Analysis Of Abigail Adams Letter To John Quincy Adams

In 1780, eight years before the ratification of the constitution, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her son John Quincy Adams who was travelling abroad with his father, John Adams, a U.S. diplomat at the time and later the country’s second president. In an effort to advise her son of his travels, Adams employs a concerned, maternal tone, vivid illustrations, historical allusions, and lists the importance of knowledge through experience. Throughout her letter, Adams challenges the idea that wisdom comes from time and age to emphasize the importance of experience to her son while he is on his voyage. Referencing a conversation she had with an author, Adams informs her son of the importance of his travels. This is seen on lines 20-24 when Adams states how the author “…compares a judicious traveler to a river that increases its stream the further it flows from its source; or to certain springs, which, running through rich veins of minerals, improve their qualities as they pass along.” Adams employs this metaphor to illustrate and inform her son that the more experience he acquires, the greater his knowledge will be. Adams advises her son to take advantage of …show more content…
In lines 35-40, Adams invokes a sense of patriotism in her son by alluding to the great Roman orator, Cicero. Through this, Adams implies that all of the struggles and hardships in life will only make her son stronger and wiser. In addition, Adams flatters her son by highlighting his God given gifts and resources, most notably, his father. In lines 25-29, Adams notes that her son is “favored with advantages.” As a result of that statement, Adams hopes to instill a sense of guilt in her son for not making the most of his resources. By making use of his talents, Adams hopes that her son will become more diligent and