Tenets of Puritanism

Original Sin – Man is evil and must be controlled

Asceticism – Man must lead a life of self-denial and

self-evaluation

Theocracy – The state is ruled by God or his earthly

representatives (i.e. priests, ministers, or holy men)

Doctrine of the “elect” – All but the “chosen” are damned

Predestination – A person’s fate has been predetermined

Devine Providence – God acts directly in this world

Accessibility of Divine Truth – Man can know God’s will

Jonathan Edwards (1703 – 1758)

-Puritan Preacher

- Believed in science and reason, but extremely religious

- Became one of the leaders of “The Great Awakening”, a religious revival that swept colonies in the 1730s

- He had such concerns about his congregation that most of his sermons were filled with descriptions of the horrors that awaited those who did not change their ways

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

Sermon:

- speech given by a minister/priest in a house of worship

- an example of “oratory” (formal public speaking)

- persuasive, inspiring listeners to take action

- emotionally appealing; use of colorful and rhythmic language

Edwards preached this sermon in a quiet, restrained style

Listeners were said to have groaned and screamed in terror

Edwards had to stop several times to ask for silence

Literary Terms

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:

- Simile: the comparison of two dissimilar things using the words “like” or “as. (ex: My love is LIKE a red rose.)

- Metaphor: the comparison of two or more dissimilar things without using the words “like” or as”. (ex: My love IS a red rose.)

- Imagery: the use of DESCRIPTIVE language to create vivid word pictures that appeal to the senses (sight, smell, touch, sound, taste)

(ex: The sun glared of orange heat, giving the air an essence of summer musk, burning our backs like dark coals in a fire pit.)

Homework:

1.Write 2 examples of “Simile”

2.Write 2 examples of “Metaphor”

3.Write one example (a sentence) of Imagery (it could be about anything)