holds [them] up” (Edwards 38-40). Edwards’ purpose is to assure people that everyone is condemned to an eternity in hell and only by confessing their sins and acknowledging Christ as the only savior with grant them salvation. The audience is terrified from Edwards’ statements and through their fear of damnation people are obliged to change their sinful ways. Although Henry and Edwards have slightly similar purposes in persuading a group of people, they deviate into their own separate purposes as well.Both Patrick Henry and Jonathan Edwards fulfill their purposes by using repetition to further put across their ideals. Henry, in his unique way, uses repetition to justify the means for war:We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne. (Henry 90)Henry’s rationale is that the colonists have done everything possible to prevent war, all of which have failed, and now it is time to fight. The audience feels easily swayed by Henry’s ideology, feeling a sense of honor and patriotism mounting inside them. Edwards, diverting from Henry’s views, uses repetition to warn sinners of “an angry God” and “God’s wrath” (Edwards 38). Edwards’ purpose in doing this is to create an impression of fear so that sinners will reform themselves to be pure. The reaction of the audience is one of fright and despair as the people fear for their souls and salvation. Although both Henry and Edwards use repetition to further communicate their point, Henry uses it to motivate people, whereas Edwards uses it to scare sinners...
