The Gettysburg Address: Letter To Sarah Ballou

Jovanny Martinez
English 11
Ms. Tucker
Period 4
February 3, 2014
Point-by-point Comparison-Contrast In this essay I will state the similarities and differences of The Gettysburg Address and the letter to Sarah Ballou. The Gettysburg Address talks more about the Civil War than the letter to Sarah Ballou. The Gettysburg Address improved my understanding on the Civil War because the author clarified about the war; moreover, he states the equality of all men. While Sullivan writes to his beloved wife Sarah, he shows his affection for his wife and the love for his country. It affected more people in The Gettysburg because it was a bigger audience and was more explicit. However, in the letter it did not affect others because the audience was only Sarah. The sources that surprised me the most was the letter toward Sarah because it was more of an personal conversation. On the contrary, The Gettysburg Address was just mostly general information that could be found anywhere.
In the Gettysburg Address Abraham Lincoln specifies in the equality of men’s right.
“Under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Sullivan shows his appreciation for his country by serving and dedication his life towards it, and his wife by writing his letter and showing affection towards her. “Sarah, my love for you is deathless; it seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on with all these chains to the battlefield.” These two increased my understanding to the Civil War by the information in the
text. The Gettysburg Address affected more people because it was the most precise and very explicit. “That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation.” The letter to Sarah did not reach to people as much because it was only for her to know about the information that Sullivan was giving. “Never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.” For these reasons this increased my understanding of the Civil War how it affected individuals. The sources that surprised me were the letter that Sullivan wrote for Sarah because it was more of a personal message. “Lest I should not be able to write again, I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more. . . .” However, The Gettysburg Address was not as personal and was just general information that was given from Abraham Lincoln. “The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.” Therefore the letter shocked me more than The Gettysburg Address. Accordingly, both texts showed me the differences and similarities of The Civil War. Like in The Gettysburg Address it helped me increase the understanding of the bloody Civil War. The Gettysburg Address also made me realize how it affected every individual. In the letter it showed me how bad it really was out in the war. The letter of Sarah Ballou showed me even though you’re passionate about the war it wont affect your marriage and love towards your partner. To conclude, all these aspects made me realize the difference and similarities towards The Civil War.