On January 17th of 1780, Abigail Adam sends a letter to her son, John Quincy Adam, later president of America, who is traveling with his father, a United States diplomat. Abigail writes this letter as a concerned, yet prideful mother to her son. With affection, patriotism, historical allusions, and hero figures, Adam offers advices on how to learn through experiences, which can improve one's quality of life. To create the same ground/connection between her and her son, Adam reflects back on the forceful decision of urging John to go with his father and brother on the voyage. To make up for it, Adam tenders her tone by acknowledging his “knowledge of the language must give you greater advantages. ” By Complementing John, their mother-son …show more content…
From talking about nature, Adam abruptly writes into the start of a genius’ reality, which is not formed “in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station.” Adam reasons this idea with a rhetorical question asking if Cicero “would have shone so distinguished” without getting “roused, kindled and inflamed by the tyranny of catiline, verres, and Mark Anthony?” Looking at smart men like Cicero, encourages young men like John to think and become like him. The rhetorical question reminds John that “habits of a vigorous mind are formed” by facing difficulties. There needs to be an effort to improve one's quality of life. Allusions to the idea of forming a “character of the hero and statesman” , as well as to the French people “who have made a glorious defense of their invaded liberties and who, aided by a generous and powerful ally,” exemplifies, with urgency, the heroic figures for John to learn from in order to shape his quality of life. The urgent tone of a mother creates a sense of obligation that John has to reach in order to become a hero; A hero of his Country, the United States of …show more content…
As a son of a United States diplomat John is expected to owe his “existence” and to “add justice, fortitude, and every manly virtue which can adorn a good citizen.” The importance of being an American is greatly enforced through these eloquent sentences which indicates that Adam is not only speaking from a mother's perspective, but from an American perspective. Her patriotism leads a concept that one must honor their native country in order to improve their quality of life. Subsequently, Adam closes the letter as his “affectionate mother” similar to how she started it. The love and care a mother has for a child never dies. In the end, Adam creates a mother-son appeal through compassion and influential advice on how to learn from experiences, which can further the growth of John's