In Abigail Adams' "Letters to John Adams", while she mentions her opinion about the national affairs and let John know how she has been getting along in her correspondence, she also constantly begs him to answer her letters. She says that "I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors" (320). From her sentences of entreaty, we can see as if John is quite indifferent to her wish and her suffering. She sometimes avoids writing directly about her suffering and implies about her husband's character in the letter, which also shows us she has a humble attitude and tolerant character.
However, in terms of the universal understanding that correspondence is exchanged letters, should we consider that her letters comprehend the truth and every information, even John's opinion? In reading these letters, our point of view as a reader is so much third-person that we cannot get something that the author sends to the audience like Marji's sentences in Persepolis. Then we have no choice but interpret the situation believing her sentences in the letters.
When we read such documentaries like these letters, I think we should be careful in order that our view do not be moved by unilateral point of view. Even though we cannot see enough information to interpret the entire events, we should consider that her letters simply represent only one-sided point of view, not everything for understanding, because we may not be able to judge the logical opinion in the case of when we believe just her opinion.
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Ryosuke, I am glad that you brought up this point and I'd like to add to it. I agree that this perspective in which the letters are written can alter the audience understanding of the writings.
ReplyDeleteAbigail Adams writes her letters to John from based on her feelings and concerned of the issues currently taking place. The reader must keep in mind that she is writing to her husband and that her first concerns are the happenings of her family. She reports medical illnesses from back home and inquires about the condition of John. Because she begs for responses, it shows her love and worry for her husband.
Therefore, because she is primarily writing as a wife, these letters should not be used as completely as historical documents. While they do contain highly information regarding the events of the time, they provide biased information about only one side of the current happenings and receives very little in return. In one particular letter, she says, "I wish you would ever write me a Letter half as long as I write you" (317). This insinuates that she is receiving very little accurate information from John and therefore is not documenting the complete history of the time.