Letter the Rev. Samson Occom & Letter to John Adams (Page 282)

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Revolutionary Literature

Letter the Rev. Samson Occom & Letter to John Adams (page 282)

In the space below, summarize the Build Background: Letters from Colonial Women section from page 282.

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Literary Letters

A literary letter is a personal letter that has been published because a well-known figure wrote it and/or because it provides information about the period in which it was written. Literary letters may reveal both personal concerns and public issues. As you read the letters, fill in the diagram below for one letter of your choice. In the box labeled Public, write 2-3 public issues that the writer addresses. In the box labeled Private, write 2-3 private issues the writer addresses.

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Figurative Language

Figurative Language is language that communicates ideas beyond the literal meanings of the words. Two common forms of figurative language are similes and metaphors. A metaphor makes a direct comparison between two unlike things that have something in common: “Our country is a parent.” A simile states the comparison using like or as: “Our country is like a parent.” On the chart below, list examples of figurative language from these letters. Classify each example as a simile or metaphor and explain that ideas the comparison suggests.

Example / Simile or Metaphor / Ideas Suggested
“the divine light is chasing away the thick darkness” – Letter to Rev. Occom / Metaphor / The spread of Christianity helps to eliminate oppression and injustice

Comprehension/Critical Analysis

1. According to Phillis Wheatley, religious freedom by itself is not enough to make a person free. What other freedom does she say is necessary?

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2. What “strange absurdity” does Wheatley refer to?

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3. Explain why Abigail Adams is very concerned about the safety of Boston.

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4. What contrast does Adams point out between the goals of the Congress and the attitude of the delegates toward their wives?

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6. How similar are the purposes of Wheatley’s letter and Adams’s letter? Consider the private and public issues they address.

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7. Adams and Whitley did not intend their letters to be published, but many people have read and enjoyed them. Name a contemporary woman whose letters or diaries might be read 200 years from now. Justify your choice.

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