John Winthrops City Upon a Hill Essay Example for Free

John Winthrops City Upon a Hill Essay Q. What did John Winthrop mean by a city upon a hill? A. When John Winthrop states that â€Å"wee must Consider that wee shall be as a Citty upon a Hill† he indicates that the settlers who are to settle in the New World must hold their business and social and religious activities to a level above reproach, because they will be a test case to a world waiting for their settlement to fail. With â€Å"the eies of all people are uppon us†, the settlers must provide a shining example for others to follow behind. The Puritans believed that the conditions they were living in England had become extremely corrupted and so they left for the New World so that they could find ways to purify themselves and become better Christians. Because the corruption in England could not be fought from within England itself, it would have to be fought by beginning a new and model colony that could be looked upon as a representation of the way a truly Christian society should function in a manner that gives glory to God. Q. What does the author’s writing style tell you about the Puritans who settled in Boston? A. John Winthrop’s style of writing reveals several interesting facts about the Puritans who settled in Boston. First, God and Christian principles are mentioned in nearly ever sentence of this writing. The Puritans believed that their belief in God was the most important aspect of their lives, and so they incorporated that belief into every part of their daily lives. Next, the style of writing represents a simplistic form of expression, using all everyday terms and no obscure language. The Puritans were known to be very plain-spoken individuals. This is not to say, however, that they were uneducated, as this body of work shows clarity of thought as well as a well-constructed call to action to become a city upon a hill. Finally, John Winthrop’s style of writing indicates both a phonetic way of spelling as well as a formality in speech itself. Almost a form of middle English instead of modern-day English, the spellings of various words are much more flowery than the essay itself.