Johnathan Edwards

• Assess the literary contributions of Jonathan Edwards, Benjamin Franklin

• Define Enlightenment Ideals

Today's Objectives

• Prompts for Monday: Thomas Paine

• Model and discussion: Historical approach and close-reading/stylistic approach to Edwards use of time as a method of persuasion

• Discussion of Franklin, comparison to another prominent work of the time

Today's Agenda

Friday, February 17th

Prompts for Monday: Thomas Paine

"Most persuasive rhetorician of the cause for independence"

"It is my design to make those who can scarcely read understand, to put arguments in language 'as plain as the alphabet'..." *

"Common Sense"

-What makes the style 'plain'? What stylistic choices does he consistently make in order to present his ideas clearly?

-How does he frame the conflicts and challenges of the time as psychological and sociological from a non-elite perspective?

"Crisis No. 1"

• Protagonists and antagonists

• man vs. man, man vs. himself

• Logical, ethical, and emotional calls for unity

Would Edwards be successful in convincing a complacent believer, wary of their faith, to re-commit their life to God?

• Theme of "running out of time"

• Historical focus: How does the sermon align with fear of change and beliefs about death during the time?

• Close-reading/rhetorical focus: What literary elements most determine whether or not someone accepts another's claim/ideas? For example: tone.

  Is Edwards using a condescending or imploring (desparate appeal) toward his audience, especially when referring to time?

Historical focus: How does the sermon align with fear of change and beliefs about death during the time?

• Informational text p. 17: "Salem witch trials proved to be a watershed moment..."

• Edwards Bio Text p. 361: discusses public identification/shaming of those who didn't "publicly declare themselves to be saved"

• Uses the word "unconverted" throughout the sermon: how might that come across as offensive to a member of the congregation, especially one of high status, based on our knowledge of early colonization efforts, especially the texts we've read?

• Historical context from article: "Death in Early America"; this pairs with p. 405 of the sermon

  https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/topic_display.cfm?tcid=72#:~:text=At%20the%20same%20time%2C%20the,were%20taught%20to%20fear%20death.

Literary focus: Is Edwards using a condescending or imploring (desparate appeal) toward his audience, especially when referring to time?

• Re-read points 1 and 2 on p. 395. Notice the slight differences in word choice and phrasing and how it relates to time.

• Think about the impact of the use and repetition of the word "appointed" in point 4 on the same page.

• Read his statement on how no one, no matter who they are, can escape death on p. 398

• Revisit the quote on p. 404 that narrows time to days and hours

Pairing "To Those Who Would Remove to America" with "What is an American?"

Bio text: p. 552: "offers an idealistic portrait..." (de Crevecoeur)

Bio text: p. 429: "national sensibility (appreciative of the complex)..." (Franklin)

" He is an American, who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds. He becomes an American by being received in the broad lap of our great Alma Mater. Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world.”