My Dear Son
Beginning with a nurturing tone, the letter “My Dear Son” was written by Abigail Adams.
Writing to her son John Quincy Adams while voyaging with his father John Adams, who later became the second president. John Quincy’s reluctant feelings have urged Abigail to elucidate the lesson behind the experience. Abigail implies logic, ethical, and emotional appeals to accentuate that knowledge is valued.
Logical examples are used in the letter to assure the importance of experience. For instance, Abigail says, “The habits are formed in contending with difficulties. All history will convince you of this, and that wisdom and penetration are the fruit of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure.” By saying if you are going to grow and broaden your knowledge, it will be from experience. Abigail is literal that John Quincy will have a better chance of expanding his mind by the experience than he would if he hadn’t gone. Abigail supports her argument by allowing her son verification of the results of expertise by mentioning, “All history will convince you of this.”
She used the advantage of being John Quincy’s mother as a way to convince her son into trusting her encouragement, knowledge, and judgment on experience. An example is “If I had thought your reluctance arose from proper deliberation, or that you were capable of judging what most for your own line benefit was, I should not have urged you to accompany your father and brother when you appeared so averse to the voyage.” Initially, Abigail feels guilty for urging her son to go; however, she did not feel he had seriously considered the options. Abigail uses the advantage she has as John Quincy’s mother. John Quincy knows his mother has had experience and trusts her perspective. While Abigail utilizes logical and ethical appeals, her emotional appeals are her most reliable and robust strategy.
Abigail uses the past and future, including accountability, to appeal to her son’s reluctant and hesitant emotions. For example, Abigail states, “Yet it is your lot, my son to be an eye witness of these calamities in your own native land, and at the same time, to owe your existence among a people who have made a glorious defense of their invaded liberties, and who, aided by a generous and powerful ally, with the blessing of Heaven, will transmit this inheritance to ages yet unborn.” To eliminate her son’s reluctant feelings, Abigail stated the existence of people who have experience around her son, insinuating her son’s patriotic duty to learn from these people and how this will help him influence future generations because he is capable of this. Also, Abigail states, “The strict and initial regard you have ever paid to truth, gives me pleading hopes that you will not swerve from her dictates, but add justice, fortitude, and every manly virtue which can adorn a good citizen, do honor to your country and render your parents supremely happy, your ever affectionate mother.” Additionally, Abigail states her son’s values, including her hopes for her son, acknowledging his capability again as a way to help her son feel less hesitant. By also mentioning John Quincy’s commitment to the truth and his accountability for his parent’s happiness, Abigail can persuade her son of his patriotic duty.
The letter is used to successfully eliminate Abigail Adams’s son, John Quincy Adams’s reluctant feelings. Using logical, ethical, and emotional appeals, Abigail emphasizes the value of experience.