The Crisis Thomas Paine Analysis

1258 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Freedom in modern society

The role of the individual has been a subject of great controversy. Some people described the role of an individual as being fearless. Others described the role as taking risks. One example of an essay that describes the role of the individual is Thomas Paine’s “The Crisis.” In “The Crisis,” Paine argued that people must rebel against any oppressive ruler in order to regain their rights. Paine wrote the essay to convince his fellow colonists to fight for independence from Britain. Based on my reading and analysis of Paine’s essay, Paine understands the role of the individual as someone who should fight for freedom against any oppressors. Paine appealed to a higher power to portray his role of an individual as someone who fights for freedom. …show more content…

By describing a gloomy and depressing scene, Paine warns readers that they need to fight in order to avoid this scenario for themselves and for future generations. While writing his essay, Paine noticed that any people were not enthusiastic for the rebel cause. They believed that the British will not harm them if they did not fight. As a result, Paine argued that even though the British will not physically kill them, they would still lose their freedoms. Paine wrote, “By cowardice and submission, the sad choice of a variety of evils-a ravaged country-[…] slavery without hope-our homes turned into barracks and bawdy-houses for Hessians, and a future race to provide for whose fathers we shall doubt of” (29-20). Paine used pathos and an appeal to fear in order to stir up contempt and anger in people, enabling them to fight for freedom. He began his quote by using the phrase “a variety of evils” to describe the choice of cowardice as the worst choice someone could make. Out of all the choices, Paine noted that submission can bring drastic consequences for the person and his or her country. He described these consequences by using various examples, including “slavery” and “bawdy houses for Hessians.” Paine writes these descriptions in order to stir fear and anger in people. He wanted people to understand that living in this scenario will bring harm to them and their

Show More
Related

  • Compare And Contrast Jefferson And Paine

    528 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Thoma Thomas Paine's Common Sense

    1191 Words  | 3 Pages

    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!”

    Read More

  • Paine and Henry´s Influence on the American Revolution

    963 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Examining the Rhetorical Appeal in The Crisis, No. 1

    516 Words  | 2 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Thomas Paine: Diversity In The United States

    805 Words  | 2 Pages

    With America being as diverse as it is, people would think everyone is united, but is that completely true? Thomas Paine shows his view of America as being a harmonious country with no problems. Even though over the years America has become a lot more diverse, that does not signify, all of the sudden, we have become a problem-free nation, comparable to what Thomas Paine thinks. Every nation has difficulties, and that includes America. America is nowhere close to being a perfect nation, but some nations have a lot more conflicts than America; and we have been trying, over the years, to become closer as a stronger country. Even with diversity growing in America, supporting Paine's argument, the United States is not a complete, harmonious nation,

    Read More

  • Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson

    466 Words  | 1 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • 'An Analysis Of Thomas Paine's Common Sense'

    1075 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thomas Paine wrote a series of pamphlets anonymously in 1776, targeted at the average member of society, showing his belief in the American Revolution. He was an extremist and most of his ideas stemmed from The Enlightenment. Throughout the series, he discusses society and government in a comparative way. He chose to remain anonymous at the time of writing these, and its understandable why. In his writings, the first chapter alone, he challenges monarchy and the corruption within, and also challenges the idea of kings and monarchy.

    Read More

  • Common Sense: An Influence on American Independence

    1222 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Thomas Paine's Role In The Revolutionary War

    213 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Revolutionary war had many political writers; who tried to encourage change through their writing. One of the successful writers was Thomas Paine. Paine was a one of the most famous propagandist at the time. He wrote pamphlets to persuade soldiers and others to participate in the fight for freedom. His writing in “The Crisis 1” is very influential and plays a role in the history of the Revolution. The Crisis 1 was said to have been written during General Washington’s retreat across the Delaware, and was read to soldiers who were suffering and had low spirits. Thomas Paine’s writing is said to have inspired courage among the soldiers which led to victory.

    Read More

  • The American crisis by Thomas Paine

    1086 Words  | 3 Pages

    During 1776, the United States was at war to gain its own independence from the hands of the tyrant King George III and his kingdom. As the fightt continued, the spirits of the U.S. soldiers began to die out as the nightmares of winter crawled across the land. Thomas Paine, a journalist, hoped to encourage the soldiers back into the fight through one of his sixteen pamphlets, “The American Crisis (No.1)”. In order to rebuild the hopes of the downhearted soldiers, Thomas Paine establishes himself as a reliable figure, enrages them with the crimes of the British crown, and, most importantly evokes a sense of culpability.

    Read More

  • Common Sense Summary and Review

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...his uprising and rebel against the British rule. These motives consisted of: No other country will be willing to help the colonists if America is seen as a part of Britain; both thriving countries, France and Spain will not aid the colonies if they believe that their help will be used by America to repair relations with England; other countries will see the colonies as enemies if they are still part of Britain; and by declaring independence, the colonies could begin to profit from international alliances and trade, of which Britain would not allow. Paine ends with a metaphor of the colonies if they do not take action immediately; “the Continent will feel itself like a man who continues putting off some unpleasant business from day to day, yet knows it must be done, hates to set about it, wishes it over, and is continually haunted with the thoughts of its necessity.”

    Read More

  • Second Continental Congress Dbq Analysis

    1674 Words  | 4 Pages

    Thomas Paine, was, by far, one of the most influential players in the movement toward and independent America. Paine is most known for his pamphlet, Common Sense. This piece of writing was raw and unlike any pamphlet of its time, it said what everyone was thinking and didn’t beat around the bush in an attempt to be politically correct. He brought forth ideas that he felt were the root of the problem with Great Britain- monarchy and hereditary rule. He went on to say that the best way to fix a government such as Britain’s was to create a new one with a heavy focus on republican ideals. Perhaps the most important contribution Paine made, whether people acknowledged it or not, was that he discussed and contemplated the issue of independence rather than running from it. He weighed the pros and cons and hypothesized that “American’s were too afraid to embrace Independence. Not only because they thought better of the old regime than it deserved, but also because they had no plans for a new one”(Maier 32). Paine was of the opinion that people were too scared to take that first step because they had no idea what their futures would look like. He proposed multiple ways to make a stronger, fairer government, and centered his propositions on one idea: “the more simple any thing is, the less liable it is to be disordered, and the easier

    Read More

  • Thomas Paine Common Sense Essay

    867 Words  | 2 Pages

    Not only did he have an impact on colonist’s minds, but he also had an impact on the soldier’s minds. “These are the times that try men's souls’’ was a great phrase to encourage the Continental Army to keep fighting for their freedom. What Thomas Paine means by “try men's souls” is that their is a challenge they have to face. Thomas Paine stated that “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”. This means one shall rise and be thanked in all mankind, and one shall fall and become a coward. Also, Thomas Paine said that “Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consol...

    Read More

  • The Relationship Between Society And Government In Thomas Paine's Common Sense

    1398 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Thomas Paine and Mary Wollstonecraft

    403 Words  | 1 Pages

    Thomas Paine was an activist for many causes throughout his lifetime including the abolition of slavery, government rule by democracy rather than a monarchy, and in later years about what he believed were falsehoods in the Bible. He was an advocate for freedom of the people and his writings were often controversial. He believed in democracy and leaned toward rule by the common man. After becoming a friend of Benjamin Franklin, he traveled to the colonies. While in the colonies his writings on the American Revolution caused him to become an enemy of the British Government. When he returned to Great Britain his writings as a proponent for the French Revolution caused him to have to flee to France to avoid arrest. His political stance in France eventually caused him to be imprisoned and he eventually had to flee again to the United States to escape long-term imprisonment. He traveled quite a bit and was able to see firsthand the American Revolution and the French Revolution. Thomas Paine was a gifted writer, and he was very devoted to his causes. He is extremely famous for his pamphlet Common Sense which he wrote about what he felt was the necessity for American independence and later had an input into the Constitution of the United States of America. There were a number of gifted male writers during this timeframe who wrote about the same issues, including Edmund Burke, so even though he was a revolutionary writer, he was not unique.

    Read More

More about The Crisis Thomas Paine Analysis

Open Document