Puritan Literature
Katie Taylor
Castelberry
AP Literature
5Th Hour
October 3, 2011
Puritan literature, there are many ways to describe it, and many examples of it. “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, “Huswifery”, and “On Being Brought from Africa to America” are a selection of the most famous pieces of this type of literature in various ranges of time periods. They each combine different elements like diction, imagery, personal beliefs and didactic approaches and more; including character of the author and the role of religion. All Puritan literature is somewhat similar in many ways, but they each have different elements, opinions, beliefs and reasons for being written. With Puritan literature, the authors write these forms of literature, they tend to use their own personal beliefs. Authors like Jonathan Edwards, Edward Taylor, and Philis Wheatly all brought personal beliefs to the table. In the first few lines of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Edward uses his beliefs of predestination to make a reader feel as if they are powerless to choose if they go to heaven or hell. That God has already chosen. That God has a plan for all of us. Wheatly, on the other hand, thought that everybody has a chance to go to heaven. In her poem, “On Being Brought from Africa to America”, she states, “Once I redemption neither sought nor knew”. She is stating that through redemption even those with a “diabolic die” can go to heaven. Wheatly believes that every person can go to heaven if they live a rightful life and choose redemption when thy have done wrong. That heaven isn’t just for certain ones chosen by God previous to a person’s birth. Edwards sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, contained a lot of diction and imagery. He used, “Hells wide gaping mouth” and “the world will spew you out” to be little the reader and the congregation in which he was addressing. The use of this diction helps better aim the words out to the people to help get across his belief. . He
Castelberry
AP Literature
5Th Hour
October 3, 2011
Puritan literature, there are many ways to describe it, and many examples of it. “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, “Huswifery”, and “On Being Brought from Africa to America” are a selection of the most famous pieces of this type of literature in various ranges of time periods. They each combine different elements like diction, imagery, personal beliefs and didactic approaches and more; including character of the author and the role of religion. All Puritan literature is somewhat similar in many ways, but they each have different elements, opinions, beliefs and reasons for being written. With Puritan literature, the authors write these forms of literature, they tend to use their own personal beliefs. Authors like Jonathan Edwards, Edward Taylor, and Philis Wheatly all brought personal beliefs to the table. In the first few lines of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Edward uses his beliefs of predestination to make a reader feel as if they are powerless to choose if they go to heaven or hell. That God has already chosen. That God has a plan for all of us. Wheatly, on the other hand, thought that everybody has a chance to go to heaven. In her poem, “On Being Brought from Africa to America”, she states, “Once I redemption neither sought nor knew”. She is stating that through redemption even those with a “diabolic die” can go to heaven. Wheatly believes that every person can go to heaven if they live a rightful life and choose redemption when thy have done wrong. That heaven isn’t just for certain ones chosen by God previous to a person’s birth. Edwards sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, contained a lot of diction and imagery. He used, “Hells wide gaping mouth” and “the world will spew you out” to be little the reader and the congregation in which he was addressing. The use of this diction helps better aim the words out to the people to help get across his belief. . He