Upon the Burning of House by Anne Bradstreet is a piece of Puritan literature that was written in 1666. It is about her house burning down, but instead of letting the grief take hold of her Bradstreet turns to God for consolation The speech Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death by Patrick Henry was given on March 23, 1775, in Richmond, Virginia Both Bradstreet and Henry use personification and imagery in their works to show desperation and hard times, but how you can’tjust sit back and feel sorry for yourself In Upon the Burning of our House and Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death, Bradstreet and Henry show how you can’tjust pity yourself, but have to do something about the problems in your life or put your hope in something else.
After her house is burned down, Bradstreet begins to accept the fact that God can take what He has given to her: “The world no longer let me Love, / My hope and treasure lies Above” She used personification to show the world had taken away what she loved, but does not sound sad anymore and is accepting what happened to her, Bradstreet puts her faith in God that he will comfort her and realizes He can take back what He has given to her.
Fhetaj:”l have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience”. Henry uses personification to exemplify the fact that with experience you will know where to go and how to help yourself with a problem You do not gain experience by sitting back, hoping something will happen, but by standing up for yourself and trying to make a difference Gjrt”Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?” Nothing will ever change if you do not try to change it yourself. You cannot just hope that all your problems will go away without putting in any work. If anything is to get better there must be effort put into it.
Both Bradstreet and Henry highlight the importance of taking action to address one’s problems. Bradstreet’s acceptance of her loss and reliance on her faith showcases her resilience and willingness to move forward. Henry’s impassioned call for resistance underscores the idea that change and progress can only be achieved through active engagement and effort. Merely hoping for a better outcome or passively enduring one’s hardships will not lead to meaningful change.
In conclusion, “Upon the Burning of Our House” by Anne Bradstreet and “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” by Patrick Henry share the theme of facing adversity and the need for proactive measures. Bradstreet finds solace in her faith, accepting the loss of her house and placing her hope in God. Henry emphasizes the importance of experience and taking action to effect change, highlighting that passive hope is insufficient. Both works encourage readers to confront their challenges head-on, seeking solutions and actively working towards a better future.