Thoughts On The Works Of Providence Analysis

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Close Reading Analysis of "Thoughts on the Works of Providence" In Phillis Wheatley's poem "Thoughts on the Works of Providence", the African American woman of the 1700's utilizes her rare reading and writing skills in order to display the praise that she had developed for God when coming over to the Americas as a slave. Through the education that she was lucky enough to receive during her time as a slave for the Wheatley family, Phillis was able to write a number of poems throughout her lifetime, many of them focusing on her religious beliefs and her love for God. In 1773 she wrote "Thoughts on the Works of Providence" marveling at all of the things around her that are accredited to God, the creator, and in hopes of encouraging others to…show more content…
During her time working as a servant for the mother of this family, it was hard for Mrs. Wheatley not to notice the natural intelligence Phillis had, and decided to educate her along with her other two children. This is ultimately what placed Wheatley far ahead of many other African Americans of the time period, as she was one of the few given the ability to both read and write and is eventually what allowed her to be the first female to have work published in American history. Writing her first poem at the age of 13, Wheatley carried poetry throughout her life often incorporating her new found religious beliefs into her writing. As she grew up with the Wheatley family, she often was surrounded by the evangelical preaching's of George Whitefield, which heavily encouraged her religious beliefs and led her to become an evangelical herself. She then used her poetry to describe to the world how her religious transformation had an effect on her life, even through a life of slavery. This is especially seen in her "Thoughts on the Works of Providence" poem, as she uses it to explain the amazement she has with the world created by

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