From Mother, To Son
The letter written by Abigail Adams to her son, John Quincy Adams, is meant to promote his continued success as an important virtue for himself and his family, as he takes his voyage to France, in his newly acquired role as an interpreter for matters regarding the US and French governments. While attempting to replenish and ensure her son’s moral in written sentiment, she heavily relies on the usage of appeals, extended metaphors, and diction. Abigail Adams’ letter uses multiple doses of appeals to elicit emotions of pride, resilience, and trust in her son. By mentioning, “some author” she ushers in an intellectual premise, in order to appeal to his sense of reason and intelligence, to realize the value of the work he is …show more content…
Through her quote, “a judicious traveler to a river that increases its stream the further it flows from its source,” she is essentially speaking about the additional wonderful experiences and skills her son will be able to acquire along his path through life that will further better his standing and bring about the success she wishes he will have. While in the next line, the continued quote states, “...or to certain springs, which running through rich veins of minerals, improve their qualities as they pass along,” thus, describing her idea that the talents he (her son) possesses will be strengthened like continuously flowing streams that become larger as they gain momentum and more water (the talents John Quincy Adams has), through the talents he will be able to pick up. Through the comparisons of her son and his respective skill set, in the form of an extended metaphor, she employs the figurative language withheld within statements describing/regarding nature and its phenomenon’s, causing him to believe he is both destined for a successful life and that the work he is doing is equally as grand as nature. In fact, the perfectly harmonious examples of flowing bodies of water are what allow Abigail Adams to maintain John Quincy Adams’
The letter written by Abigail Adams to her son, John Quincy Adams, is meant to promote his continued success as an important virtue for himself and his family, as he takes his voyage to France, in his newly acquired role as an interpreter for matters regarding the US and French governments. While attempting to replenish and ensure her son’s moral in written sentiment, she heavily relies on the usage of appeals, extended metaphors, and diction. Abigail Adams’ letter uses multiple doses of appeals to elicit emotions of pride, resilience, and trust in her son. By mentioning, “some author” she ushers in an intellectual premise, in order to appeal to his sense of reason and intelligence, to realize the value of the work he is …show more content…
Through her quote, “a judicious traveler to a river that increases its stream the further it flows from its source,” she is essentially speaking about the additional wonderful experiences and skills her son will be able to acquire along his path through life that will further better his standing and bring about the success she wishes he will have. While in the next line, the continued quote states, “...or to certain springs, which running through rich veins of minerals, improve their qualities as they pass along,” thus, describing her idea that the talents he (her son) possesses will be strengthened like continuously flowing streams that become larger as they gain momentum and more water (the talents John Quincy Adams has), through the talents he will be able to pick up. Through the comparisons of her son and his respective skill set, in the form of an extended metaphor, she employs the figurative language withheld within statements describing/regarding nature and its phenomenon’s, causing him to believe he is both destined for a successful life and that the work he is doing is equally as grand as nature. In fact, the perfectly harmonious examples of flowing bodies of water are what allow Abigail Adams to maintain John Quincy Adams’