Colonial American Nonfiction Prose Quiz and Flashcards

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What two Biblical readings are the basis of Jonathan Edwards' sermon 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God'?

The Book of Amos and Deuteronomy (correct)

The Book of Psalms and Proverbs

The Book of Isaiah and Jeremiah

The Book of Genesis and Exodus

What is the result of God's kindness to the Israelites according to Edwards' sermon?

Their gratitude and obedience

Their moral enlightenment and spiritual growth

Their betrayal and God's vengeance (correct)

Their material prosperity and wealth

What does Edwards compare God's wrath to in his sermon?

A powerful earthquake

A thunderstorm

A raging fire

A dammed river (correct)

What is the sole cause of a fall, according to Edwards' sermon?

Human sin Signup and view all the answers

What is the only barrier to salvation, according to Edwards' sermon?

Human sin Signup and view all the answers

What is the fate of those who have made moral reforms or followed strict religious practices, according to Edwards' sermon?

They will be punished in hell Signup and view all the answers

What was the reason for the Puritans to move away from their original church?

The Church of England's government Signup and view all the answers

In which year did a faction of Puritans flee from the Yorkshire Village of Scrooby?

1620 Signup and view all the answers

According to the Puritans, what determines an individual's salvation?

Predestination Signup and view all the answers

How did the Puritans believe one could experience their salvation?

Through a emotional experience of God's grace Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of being 'elected' in Puritan doctrine?

It means one is saved Signup and view all the answers

Where did the Puritans eventually settle besides Plymouth?

Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Maine Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary tone of Edwards' sermon?

Fiery and wrathful Signup and view all the answers

How often does the word 'you' appear in the sermon compared to 'God', 'Christ', and 'Jesus'?

About as often as 'God', 'Christ', and 'Jesus' Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of Edwards' rhetorical strategy of using the plural 'you'?

It emphasizes the collective guilt and responsibility of the listeners Signup and view all the answers

What is the main theme of the sermon regarding the unrepentant?

Time is short, and they face a fearful judgment Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the 'day of mercy' in the sermon?

It is a period of time when God's mercy is extended to sinners by his free choice Signup and view all the answers

What is the central message of the sermon regarding God's wrath?

It will come suddenly and unexpectedly Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between nonfictional prose and bald statements of fact?

Nonfictional prose is used to persuade, while bald statements of fact are used to inform. Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of the author's writing in nonfictional prose after the Renaissance?

Disguised self-revelation and introspective analysis Signup and view all the answers

What are some examples of nonfictional prose genres?

Political writings, biographical literature, and philosophical writings Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by nonfictional prose literature in a broad sense?

Writing intended to instruct, persuade, or convey experience Signup and view all the answers

Why are scientific and erudite writings excluded from nonfictional prose literature?

Because they do not include aesthetic concerns Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of nonfictional prose, excluding scientific and erudite writings?

To instruct or convey experience or reality Signup and view all the answers

What is the comparison Climax Edwards makes to describe God holding sinners over the pit of hell?

A person holding a spider, or some loathsome insect, over a fire Signup and view all the answers

According to Edwards, why did the sinners in the congregation not wake up in hell that morning?

Because of God's arbitrary will Signup and view all the answers

What is the central conclusion Edwards comes to from his close reading of the Deuteronomy quote?

There is nothing that keeps wicked men, at any one moment, out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God Signup and view all the answers

What is the tone of Edwards's sermon?

Accusatory and fearful Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of Edwards's sermon?

To convince the congregation to change their behavior through fear Signup and view all the answers

In what year was Jonathan Edwards's 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God' first delivered?

1741 Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Jonathan Edwards' sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is based on two Biblical readings: the Book of Amos and Deuteronomy.
Edwards argues that God's kindness to the Israelites led to their betrayal, resulting in vengeance.
He analyzes the implications of the quote from Deuteronomy, highlighting that sinners always risked "destruction" and that a fall on a slippery surface is always sudden and unexpected.
Edwards clarifies that sin is the sole cause of a fall, and that sinners' weight, or sin, is the only barrier to salvation.
He uses the metaphor of a person on a slippery slope to illustrate that God's hand alone keeps sinners from hell, and when God releases them, their sins will drag them into hell.
Edwards' sermon aims to bring the congregation to Christ by evoking God's wrath through metaphors.
Puritans uphold the teaching of the Bible as it was written, and their reformation movement was formed during the 16th century.
They believed in predestination, where an individual is either "elected" or "unregenerate" at birth, and the "elected" are already saved while the "unregenerate" are damned.
According to their doctrine, the "elected" should greatly influence the government.
Edwards' sermon is full of fire and brimstone, blood and wrath, death and damnation, emphasizing the importance of salvation through the "covenant of grace".
The sermon addresses the listeners collectively through the plural "you", making them feel directly responsible for their sins.
The themes of the sermon include corrupt sinners facing a fearful judgment, time being short for the unrepentant, and God's righteous wrath coming suddenly and unexpectedly.
Nonfictional prose, such as essays and biographies, differs from bald statements of fact and aims to instruct, persuade, or convey experience or reality.
Nonfictional prose genres have flourished in nearly all countries with advanced literatures, including political, biographical, religious, and philosophical writings.
Edwards compares God holding sinners over the pit of hell to a person holding a loathsome insect over a fire, emphasizing God's abhorrence of sinners.
The only way for the congregation to achieve salvation is through a genuine commitment to Christ, understanding their own powerlessness and the danger they are in because of God's wrath.
The central conclusion of Edwards' sermon is that "there is nothing that keeps wicked men, at any one moment, out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God".
The sermon is written in a second-person point of view, which is more accusatory in tone and relies on fear as a motivator for audience members to change their behavior.

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Test your knowledge of Colonial American nonfiction prose, including essays, biographies, and other literary works based on fact. Explore the characteristics and examples of this genre.

Colonial American Literature: Nonfiction Prose

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