In the most prolific naval invasion up until D-Day, the greatest military power of the world descended upon a small collection of rebel colonies with a derisive vengeance. They were scattered and wounded, their already measly numbers dwindled down to pitiful hundreds. This crushing blow left the colonial army de-spirited and hopeless. As the remaining army retreated after Washington, one man was given leave in hopes he could create a masterpiece of persuasion and maybe give the downtrodden troops a refueled fighting spirit. And spirit they were given. The rhetorical devices used by Thomas Paine in his series of essays titled The American Crisis served to reignite the flame of revolution in the hearts of a discouraged people, and played an essential role in the outcome of the American Revolution. Paine was no fool. He had an innate sense for politics and people in general. His sophisticated writing and carefully planned rhetoric repeatedly swayed the masses in works such as Common Sense and The Rights of Man. The publication of The Crisis came at a time when the odds were heavily agai...
Paine’s use of language to appeal both to his reader’s reason and emotion has given him the advantage of creating an emotional connection between himself and the reader, attempting to raise their spirits and show them what could be, while also asking them to put their own minds to the problem at hand. Asking them to make sense of their current situation. He gives hope and then appeals to their ability to discern what is best for their new world. By doing this, he has presented reason after reason for them to declare independence before he practically turned to them and said “Don’t you think so?” the only ‘reasonable’ answer would at that point be, “Yes of course Mr. Paine you’re completely right!”
Gallagher, Edward J. "Thomas Paine's Crisis 1 and the Comfort of Time." Explicator 68, no. 2 (April 2010): 87-89. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed February 27, 2011).
The eighteenth century, a time of turmoil and chaos in the colonies, brought many opinionated writers to the forefront in support or refutation of the coming American Revolution. This highly controversial war that would ultimately separate the future United States of America from Great Britain became the center of debate. Two writers, both of whom supported the Revolution, now stand to fully illuminate one side of the debate. Thomas Paine, a radical propagandist, wrote many pieces during this time including “The Crisis Number 1” (1776). Through writing, he appealed to the “common man” in order to convince them to gather their arms and fight for their freedom. In this document, he utilizes many of the same rhetorical skills and propaganda techniques as Patrick Henry, a convincing orator, did in his famous speech delivered to the state’s delegates in 1775. Among these techniques are transfer, abstract language, and pathos. In both works, these were used to call the audiences to war. These influential pieces both contained a call to action which, through the use of strong and decisive language, aided the beginning of the American Revolution.
The language used in Common Sense is that of a leader hoping to inspire his followers to heed his warning and answer his call. Paine's audience was the people of the colonies, he wanted them to realize that the oppression of the crown has not limit and sure there were benefits of belonging to the crown, there were far more oppression beyond measure that comes with such benefits.
Thomas Paine, in the pamphlet Common Sense, succeeded in convincing the indifferent portion of colonial society that America should secede from Britain through moral and religious, economic, and governmental arguments. Using strong evidence, targeting each separate group of people, Thomas Paine served not only to sway the public 's opinion on American independence, but also to mobilize the effort to achieve this ultimatum.
Thomas Paine was one of the great supporters of the American Revolution. He was a journalist and used his pen and paper to urge the public to break free from Great Brittan. He wrote anonymously, yet addressed the public as he spoke out about his beliefs. The first pamphlet he published, influencing independence from Brittan, was called Common Sense
His exceptional writing and simple style reached many receptive ears across the Colonies. He also spoke plainly as was with de Crevecoeur yet tended away in his writing from the rural and the pleasant and more towards politics and the ugly truths that were part of colonial life. Consider his most famous work “Common Sense” it is an agitation against the crown of England, this would become a pattern with the man. In its most basic form “Common Sense” is a call to arms and revolution. It is also a great if very lengthy argument for what should happen after the war is won establishing a republic. “The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth. ’Tis not the affair of a city, a county, a province, or a kingdom; but of a continent—of at least one-eighth part of the habitable globe. ’Tis not the concern of a day, a year, or an age; posterity are virtually involved in the contest, and will be more or less affected even to the end of time by the proceedings now” (Paine 136). This is Paine’s original thoughts on the matter and his beginning argument. He continues with “We have boasted the protection of Great Britain without considering that her motive was interest, not attachment; and that she did not protect us from our enemies on our account, but from her enemies on her own account, from those who had no quarrel with us on any other account, and who will always be our enemies on the same account.” (Paine 137). It seems a pretty simple argument to the author that Americans are only entangled in foreign wars because of the association with Great Britain. He makes another assertion that “America would have flourished as much, and probably much more, had no European power taken any notice of her. The commerce by which she hath enriched herself are the necessaries of life, and will always have a market while eating is the custom of Europe.” (Paine 137). Paine’s call to a republic
Paine had not entertained the idea of independence from Britain when he arrived in America. He thought it was “a kind of treason” to break away from Britain. It was not until the Battle of Lexington in 1775 that he considered “the compact between Britain and America to be broken” (Claeys). This idea of a broken compact allowed Thomas Paine to write a political pamphlet.
The initial paragraphs of Paine’s pamphlet establish to his audience that he is a reliable figure. While Paine talks about the journey they have gone so far, he tells his audience about their status in the war so far by saying, “we did not make a proper use of last winter, neither could we were in a dependent state” (108). By starting out with igniting the start of getting the audience angry, Paine then goes on to kill the flame a little by blaming the audience of their position so far, but is able to keep his audience on his path by blaming himself in his words by using the inclusive pronoun “we”. Continuing on by saying that, “the fault if it were one, was all our own… But no great deal is lost yet”, then goes on to have his audience still on his path, but then starts to build himself up as a reliable figure by saying that he believes that they are not finished yet and evoking the spirit that they can do it. Besides this initial effort to have his audience trust and believe his words, a common enemy begins to be established between Paine and the audience in which he goes on to say, “God Almighty will not give ...
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was a powerful and successful propaganda weapon used to promote his idea of independence from Britain. In order to prove that seeking independence was necessary at this time in history, Paine wrote about the relationship between society and government, his opinions about the British monarchy and the King, and the freedoms he believed had been stolen from the colonists. Common Sense was written in terms that were easily relatable to the colonist of this time period. After they finished reading his work, many colonists’ opinions about the British were swayed by his strong words. Even though Paine arrived in America quite late, he was able to make a significant difference by changing the colonists’ views, which ultimately
Thomas Paine states in The Crisis, No.1 “Not a place upon earth might be so happy as America” (Paine 109). This brings attention to his passion for America which leads to the excessive amount of pathos used in this speech. This time period, around the 1730’s-1800’s give or take, the revolution was happening. Paine said in The Crisis, No.1 to persuade the everyday men to fight in the war. Thomas Paine used persuasive writing in mostly the whole speech, one of the most used forms of persuasion used was pathos. He uses pathos to appeal to the colonies to fight for a better future, not a better tomorrow. He technically tells them that if they don’t fight for this, North America, than they will have to go back to what they initially left.
Author of The Crisis, I, Thomas Paine writes about General Washington’s troops when they retreat from the British, a few months before gaining independence. Paine adopts a religious tone and uses it as common ground to encourage the troops that they did well in defeating Great Britain. Paine offers a praiseworthy tone as a means of unifying the troops.
Gallagher wrote an article titled “Thomas Paine’s CRISIS 1 and the Comfort of Time.” Gallagher pointed out how Paine uses the element of time, discussing all the past, present, and future, to promote his cause. Paine noticed the panic and confusion of the American people, and used this time of vulnerability as a time to take action. Gallagher states that General Washington had Crisis 1 read to the troops right before their first ever patriot victory. This suggests that the essay had an extreme effect on motivating people to defeat Great Britain. Gallagher acknowledges several times that the essay was successful, so he focuses his article on examining how and why. Gallagher pointed out that the very first line of Paine’s essay was perhaps one of the most effective. “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot, will, in this crisis shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman,” (Paine 647). Gallagher refers to this opening as “verbal brilliance” and I agree. Paine is basically saying this: This fight is going to be beyond difficult. Some will not make it, some are not strong enough for this fight. However, those who are, will be greatly rewarded because a triumph is near. As Gallagher said, Paine wrote this “recognizing the emotional needs of his audience” (Gallagher 88). I agree that he knew exactly how to get the American people motivated to fight for their
Rhetoric is the art of effective speaking or writing, and persuasion. Most people use rhetoric numerous of times in their everyday life without their concern or knowing.
Thomas Paine wrote “The Crisis” because he wanted to support his argument for independence. “THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country;