Phillis Wheatley is a jewel of her time; the first African American woman to have her poetry published. Although purchased as a slave, her life was far from that of most African Americans during the 17th century. He received an education and became deeply rooted in his faith: Christianity. To an outsider, her life can be seen as that of an adopted daughter rather than a slave of the Wheatley family. However, she did not forget where she came from and those who were less fortunate than her. Wheatley used the education she was afforded and her newfound spirituality to fight slavery through the use of words (751). One of the greatest examples of this is his poem “At Cambridge University, New England” addressed perhaps to the group of well-educated individuals of early America. Wheatley does this on purpose to get his point across; regardless of your education or status, even the most educated in America must hold the teachings of the Bible with the utmost respect. Although Wheatley's education was much inferior to that of Harvard University students, she feels obligated to teach them the importance of the Bible and to live a life free from sin; particularly the act of slavery. Wheatley states that although the sin of slavery may be convenient on Earth, it will ultimately lead students and those who practice it to hell, according to the Bible (756). Through the use of first-person point of view, tone, and allusion, Wheatley is able to provide justification for his theme: slavery is a sin punishable by God. Wheatley allows readers into his thought processes. The poem's title itself: "At Cambridge University, New England," identifies Wheatley's target audience; Harvard University students. During the first…half of the paper…he talks about and provokes questions about the morality of slavery. He does this successfully by using deep references throughout the Bible and creating a sincere and very serious tone throughout the poem. His agenda was very clear; it aimed to inform and perhaps free students from the sin of slavery. However, he states that it will be the student's decision to continue or end this evil knowing the potential consequences in the afterlife. Most importantly, Wheatley informs them that regardless of their decision to fight or continue the practice of slavery, their lives will be judged as a “good or bad report of [them] to Heaven” (23). Works Cited Baym, Nina, Wayne Franklin, Philip F. Gura, and Arnold Krupat. "Phillis Wheatley." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 7th ed. vol. A. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2007. 751-56. Press.