Within Adams letter, addressing her son John Quincy Adams, traveling abroad with his father,

she shifts from being apologetic to reassuring him and his potential in order to help her son
learn throughout his travels and create change in the world, proving that nature [is]... not
deficient (26).
Abigail Adams insightful use of metaphors throughout the letter help educate her son on the
experiences that others have gone through in order to assist him in gaining his own. One such
metaphor is the comparison of a judicious traveller to certain springs, which improve their
qualities as they pass along (16-20). Adams is clearly talking about experience, and how one
can improve their own qualities and strengths through their own personal journey. In regards to
her son, she hopes that he is able to live out his own experiences throughout his commute.
These will strengthen him as a person and cause his character to mold into one of
greatness and awe. Another comparison used by Adams is that of wisdom and the fruit of
experience (35-36). This teacher's her so that experience produces wisdom, rather than
retirement & leisure. This is used to further mold her sons ideas of experience and its crucial
role in his life, by giving him an incentive to continue growing in his experiences.
Adams also uses personification in order to praise her son and reassure his talents. Her
characterization of truth as a living, breathing being, helps her convey to John Q Adams the
importance of his strict and inviolable regard paid to truth (57-58). It gives importance to the
idea of truth by making her into a living idea, rather than making it a guideline or rule to abide to,
by making truth into a person with great honor and valor; someone who has to be
respected at all times. This helps her son in realizing his obedience to truth, which brings
about other great changes and honor.
Adams letter to her son helps him learn about himself and his potential. He even goes on to be
president of the U.S. In our society today, this idea of praise and congratulatory responses
is important because it encourages people to do great things. We can learn to do this with the
youth of our age today, and make more John Quincy Adams.