Jonathan Edwards’s Stylistic Choices in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Anonymous 11th Grade

Jonathan Edwards was a brilliant speaker and writer who inspired contented churchgoers to re-devote themselves to their god. He was passionate in his belief that mankind was inherently loathsome and sinful, and that the only way they could escape a bitter fate was to devote themselves entirely to their god. He used his writing ability to craft riveting sermons, such as “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” to encourage churchgoers to realize their sinfulness and renounce their sins. In his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” Jonathan Edwards uses metaphors, personification, and sensory language to instill fear in his audience.

A number of metaphors appear in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” all of which serve the purpose of striking fear into the hearts of churchgoers. In the first line of the sermon, Edwards introduces a metaphor to communicate his idea that humans hold no special place in God’s heart: “We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth… thus easy is it for God when he pleases to cast his enemies down to Hell,” (para 1). In this metaphor, the worms represent mankind, and the general “we” represents God. This metaphor effectively demonstrates the loathing God...