The Rhetorical Of Ideas In Thomas Paine's American Crisis

Thomas Paine in the book American Crisis claims that america needs to continue the difficult fight against britain for independence. Paine supports his claim by utilizing personification, rhetorical questions, appeals to ethos through the bible and the audience's fears. The audiences purpose is to convince the american people to continue the fight in order to gain independence from great britain. The author writes in a serious tone for the american citizens hesitant to if the war is worth the long fight. Paine efficiently conveys personification in order to advance his claim that the americans need to continue the fight against great britain. Paine calls britain “she” throughout his pamphlet and this brilliantly captures the angers …show more content…
Paine Starts by calling out tories and questioning them by asking “Why is it that the enemy have left the New England provinces, and made these middle ones the seat of war?” he then answers that question by saying “New england is not infested with tories, we are” This provokes and angers the colonists by telling them that the biggest obstacle they are facing are there own people who are in the british army. This question is answered with such passion by paine that the tories that were reading this would fear what paine is saying as he tells everyone that they are cowards and severely criticizes them, in order to persuade them that what they are doing is wrong and they should support the fight for freedom. He is able to create an example for the colonists to act toward tories and any tories that heard of this could be frightened out of loyalty to britain because they would be abused if they were to obey the rules of great britain. He also asks “If a thief breaks into my house... and to ‘bind me to all cases whatsoever to his absolute will, am I to suffer it?” The audience can feel the extreme anger of Paine's voice, he questions the fairness of what great britain is doing in order to provoke the audience into thinking about they have to suffer through the tyranny no matter if it be one man or a whole country. Paine leads the colonists to the conclusion …show more content…
Paine uses the bible references throughout the pamphlet to encourage the colonists act. He says “show your faith by your works.” telling to audience to show their worth to God by going out and fighting for their independence. Because religion was much more important to the people during the time of the revolutionary war, calling out people on their faith was a good way to get them to go out prove to God that they do have worth as they are supporting their country. He References “God” throughout the pamphlet and explains that “I thank God, that I fear not” instead of simply telling the people that he has no fear he adds God into the claim in order convince the colonists that God is on their side giving them the strength to have courage during a time that many felt hopeless. Giving the colonists courage through the lord and telling them that the camps have no fear and it’s because of God can give the hopeless hope and the fearful courage, during a period where the cause was seemingly lost and “no longer worth the fight” The overall use of religious references helps paine to better connect to colonists and inspire them to fight for the independence that will be more than worth it. Finally Paine intelligently incorporates the colonists biggest fears to the end of his argument to force the nightmare that will go down if america gives up on this