Genre
Epistles, Letters
Setting and Context
18th century America and partly in Europe.
Narrator and Point of View
John Adams and Abigail Adams are the first-person narrators.
Tone and Mood
Heartfelt, persuasive, explanatory.
Protagonist and Antagonist
John Adams and Abigail Adams are the protagonists.
Major Conflict
The letters, which are a central mode of their correspondence, enable John and Abigail to stay in touch when they are physically separated.
Climax
“The Declaration of Independence” that cements America’s autonomy.
Foreshadowing
John Adams foreshadows the implication of his resignation in the letter he writes on 18 February 1788: “I have written to Congress a resignation, but I foresee there will not be a speedy decision upon it, and I shall be left in a state of suspense that will be intolerable.” The foreshadowing informs John Adams’ decision to go to his home before getting Congress’s response regarding his resignation.
Understatement
N/A
Allusions
Historical allusions such as smallpox.
Religious allusions such as God.
Imagery
John and Abigail Adams’ physical separation (which sometimes lasts up to three years) causes anxiety and melancholy. They love each other, and their letters foster emotional bonding that sustains them throughout their prolonged separations.
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
Both Abigail and John use the voice ‘I’ throughout their letters.
They address each other as ‘friend’ and ‘dearest friend’ in the letters.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
“Our common enemy” denotes Great Britain.
"Cup of Life" denotes life in its totality (the ups and the lows).
Personification
Virginia is personified when it is described as a person that can make a defense.
