The Human Body
For Winthrop, the human body is a convenient way to think about the unity and interdependence of humanity. Just as the body’s disparate organs and tissues are joined by “ligaments” into one organism, so…
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Knitting
The action of knitting is another one of Winthrop’s preferred symbols for the bonds of social life. Throughout his sermon, Winthrop uses the image of fabric—a strong material composed of disparate weak elements, or…
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Clocks
Just as the human body helps Winthrop convey a sense of social connectedness, the image of a clock helps him convey the invisible yet omnipotent power of love. Winthrop uses this symbol in his section…
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City on a Hill
Winthrop’s most famous quote—“for wee must consider that wee shall be as a citty upon a hill”—uses a topographical symbol, the city on a hill, to illustrate the enormous historical pressures his colonists face…
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