Comparative Essay Sample: City on a Hill by John Winthrop and Upon the Burning of Our House by Anne Bradstreet

Believing in God allows one to live a successful life by demonstrating that salvation is achievable when one is able to dedicate their life to Him. Sometimes letting the little things go can be difficult. However, believing in God allows a person to see the bigger picture and what is truly important, making it easier to let little things go. City on a Hill and Upon the Burning of Our House, accurately demonstrate that a meaningful life can come to fruition when one accepts God into their life. “City on a Hill” by John Winthrop and “Upon the Burning of Our House” by Anne Bradstreet both exemplify how faith and acceptance allow for one’s salvation to become a realization.

John Winthrop’s  “City on a Hill” was meant to inform and convince people that if they believe in God and dedicate their lives to Him, they will be strong and successful. Winthrop gave this sermon to the colonists of Massachusetts Bay to help them understand that they were a crucial piece in modeling how society should show their faith in God. The idea that God can give the colonists the strength to “resist a thousand of [their] enemies,” is important because it sets a precedent for other societies to see the role of God’s guidance (Winthrop). Those who allow God to be part of “[their] life and [part of their] prosperity” can keep living life through the good and bad times without too much pain because they know they have more things to work for, rather than sit in grief (Winthrop). Winthrop’s idea that Massachusetts Bay has the “eyes of all people” looking up to it, calls attention to the colonists, convincing them they need to be role models and show how rewarding a life devoted to God can be (Winthrop). By providing examples of how God has made these people successful and strong, Winthrop is able to appeal to the colonists and show them the importance of spreading God’s guidance among others.

Anne Bradstreet’s  “Upon the Burning of Our House” explains how faith has helped her move through misfortunes and teach her that believing in God gives her strength to let invaluable things go. This poem exemplifies that even though she had a terrible experience, it did not ruin her life because she looked to God and followed him. This experience made her realize that all the materials she lost in the disaster have no true value and she would be okay without them. When Bradstreet wakes up and realizes there is a fire in her home, she cries to God, asking for help to  “straighten [her] in [her] distress and not to leave [her] succorless”(Bradstreet). By seeking help from Him, Bradstreet is able to calm down and recognize that the objects in her house did not actually belong to her but to God, in fact, “It was His own”(Bradstreet). This realization made her believe that materialistic things have no value in comparison to her “ hope and Treasure [which] lies above”, referencing God (Bradstreet). This proves that through faith and acceptance, Bradstreet is able to bounce back from her house being burned down and notice that everything she owned never truly belonged to her and they were all God’s possessions. In turn, she concluded that people don’t need to have materialistic items to live a happy life; all you need is a heart and soul devoted to God and his guidance.

Both of these passages exemplify the importance and impact that faith and acceptance can have on a person. John Winthrop and Anne Bradstreet both thematically shared how one is able to navigate through life and learn what is important. Through their teachings, both authors have influenced people around the world and spread the idea that accepting faith in one's life leads to salvation. Claiming if you commit yourself to God, you will be guided through life and blessed with strength, success, happiness, and insight on what truly matters.