Ballou's Last Letter: Proud Patriotism to Un-Denying Love

Ballou’s Last Letter
Throughout the letter, Ballou conveys the of proud patriotism to un-denying love, when he talks about the war he is in, and how he may never come back home to see his family again. Ballou is proud of his decision to serve his country, and is ready to pay the consequences of freedom. However, the thought of him leaving behind his wife and children is unbearable. Sullivan Ballou uses courageous diction while describing his feelings toward the war he is fighting in. Ballou talks about how “Americans owe a debt,” that “Death is creeping behind him” and that he is ready “to fall on the battle-field for his country.” Ballou is not afraid to die for his country. He is proud to call himself an American, and fall on the field for all the people who have fought before him. Freedom comes with a deadly price, but he is willing to pay, and it shows how deep of a passion he has for his country’s heritage and sacrifices. In addition, Ballou also uses passionate diction to describe how close of a relationship he has with his wife and children back home. His love for Sarah is “deathless,” how his last breath will “whisper her name” and that his spirit will forever be the “soft breeze on her cheek.” Him and his wife have an intimate, everlasting relationship that wont end simply because he never returns home. The soft breeze represents how close they are to each other, physically feeling his late self besides her, and that his last thought on the patriotic battlefield, is his wife. Sullivan Ballou uses courageous and passionate dictions to represent his feelings toward the war he is in, and the deep connection he has with his wife. Ballou also uses bold details to emphasize his personal opinions, and to make sure that his true feelings don’t get lost with his death. In the patriotic portion of his letter he mentions “offering the bitter fruit of orphanage to his children” and “the banner of his purpose floating in the breeze.” Sullivan Ballou knows what it feels like to have no home, to have no family to come home, and by facing death in this war, there is a possibility that he will die, pass on the ‘orphanage’ to his children, who no longer will have a father. The “bitter taste” of having to cope with living without a father will be tough on his little boys, as well as his wife Sarah. In addition, the symbolic meaning of his flag floating in the breeze shows how much he loves his country, that he would be risking his life to serve it. Secondly, Ballou mentions his passion for his family when he states his children by name saying, “they will never know a father’s love and care,” and how he can’t wait “till they meet to again to part no more.” Ballou talks about how his two sons, Edgar and Willie, will never grow up remembering their father’s presence. He seemed to be absent in the most important parts of their childhood, and that they’re too young to accurately recall memories from him after he has passed. Lastly, when he talks about how they will eventually meet again and having to part no longer, he is talking about death. They will all eventually reunite after life has passed, and he will finally be reunited with his family, and be able to be with his wife and children. Ballou uses bold details to emphasize his personal opinions, and the meaningful events he has gone through, or will go through. Lastly, the organization in this passage moves from Patriotic to Family, and finally to Intimate Love. In the beginning of his letter, Ballou mentions dying for the pure love of his country,” but quickly shifts to “flitting around the ones they love” and how he “wants to shield his family from harm.” Ballou makes the choice of these themes to represent himself as a family man, yet loyal to his country. He is willing to serve the ‘price’ of freedom, but will never forget how much his family means to him, and that he will always protect them from harm and sorrow. Ballou’s tone switches from proud patriotism to un-denying love, when he talks about his feelings toward the war he is in, and how he may never come back home to see his loving family again.