Comparison of Jefferson to Winthrop
The essay following will look at the similarities and differences in the language, style and structure of Thomas Jefferson's American Declaration of Independence with that of John Winthrop's Model of Christian Charity. The essay will expose the type of language used and how the language and vocabulary contribute to the effectiveness of each document.Its solemn and dignified tone, its graceful and unhurried cadence, its symmetry, energy, and confidence, its combination of logical structure and dramatic appeal, its adroit use of nuance and implication all contribute to its rhetorical power. And all help to explain why the Declaration remains one of the handful of American political documents that, in addition to meeting the immediate needs of the moment, continues to enjoy a lustrous literary reputation. (Lucas 1989:7)As this quote suggests, the Declaration of Independence is a masterful document written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776. When the thirteen colonies of British North America decided to seek their independence from England, Thomas Jefferson was called on to draft a Declaration of Independence which was to be presented to the King George III. Although being known as the author of the Declaration of Independence, Jeffe
Winthrop used vast amounts of biblical language and references in his sermon. Winthrop was very aware of, and used typology in his writing and his 'City on a Hill' as prophesied in his sermon, can be viewed as an antitype to the new biblical city of Zion ( a new Jerusalem), where Christ would return and walk among the people. The opening phrase -"to prove this" - indicates the "facts" to follow will indeed prove that George III is a tyrant. Winthrop was an accomplished puritan writer and he used the puritan practice of interpreting biblical scriptures to decipher the future. Thomas Jefferson was born in Virginia in 1743 and grew up on his family plantation in Albermarle County. As an overall comparison of the two documents, the Declaration of Independence is a record of the life of a nation; it shows the history of the united colonies which has brought them to the point of seeking independence. Winthrop's Model of Christian Charity is a prediction or vision for the life of a future colony. As Lucas confirms:This sentence is so innocuous one can easily overlook its artistry and importance. It says:We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. (Winthrop NAAL 2003:216)As opposed to Jefferson, who allowed double meaning in his choice of words and phrases, Winthrop used deliberate biblical references to appeal to his Puritan audience. Winthrop told his followers that if they worked together and obeyed the commandments given to them, God would bless their new colony and they would prosper. Winthrop's purpose in writing his sermon was to inspire and ignite his fellow migrants upon their journey to the new world and his choice of emotive vocabulary shows this. Jefferson too had a very structured style to his Declaration of Independence. This was used to appeal to his Puritan audience (the puritans being a highly religious group). In this case the lines start with the word 'that' which is used to build up the gravity of what is being said and again, puts an emphasis on the final point.
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Acceptance Essays
