The Crisis, No. 1 Thomas Paine

Literary Analysis Persuasion Writing meant to convince readers to think or act in a certain way. It appeals to the emotions or reason, offers opinions, and urges action. To be effective, it must also be supported with evidence.

Literary Terms Charged words They are likely to produce a strong emotional response. To avoid being swayed by charged words, look for support to back up the words.

About the Selection Paine’s rhetoric, designed to build morale among the soldiers, promises that the severity of their situation makes triumph more glorious. He also vows that God would never desert those who fight for just causes. He criticizes Tories for being short-sighted because he believes revolution to be inevitable.

About the Selection Paine praises those who stand fast in their opposition to England and calls on all the states to put forth their best efforts to resist English rule. He labels those who step aside as evil, cold-hearted, cowardly, and unprincipled and concludes with an extended metaphor comparing the British to thieves who must be punished.

Latin root –fid- Comes from the Latin word fides, which means “faith.” “Neither have I so much of the infidel in me, as to suppose he has relinquished the government of the world…” Paine uses the word infidel to mean specifically “one who is unfaithful to his religion.”

Charged Words In what ways might the word “foreign” (p. 133) help Paine inspire the colonists to fight against Great Britain? With it, Paine casts the British as outsiders, when in fact most colonists were of British stock. Paine appeals to the colonists’ sense of themselves as an emerging nation.

Charged Words Casting Great Britain as a foreign power rather than as the colonists’ legal government helps colonists to avoid any sense of disloyalty.

Recalling Details Whom does Paine call to arms? He calls on every colonist in every state to help with this important cause.

Recalling Details In the third paragraph, what terms does Paine use to describe the British king? He says the king is a bad as a common murderer, a highwayman, or a burglar. Is this description realistic? It is exaggerated for effect.

Reliable Speaker Is Paine trustworthy as a reporter of historical events? Why? Paine does convey the emotional immediacy of events; however, Paine is too committed to one side to give a balanced account.

Recalling Details In the first paragraph, with what ideas does the author justify the struggle of revolution? He says that the harder a goal is to achieve, the more worthy it is and that Britain’s colonial policy amounts to slavery.

Analysis What does Paine mean when he refers to “the summer soldier” and “the sunshine patriot”? He refers to people who are only available when times are easy and who desert the cause in bleak, harsh, and difficult circumstances.

Emotional Appeal What two emotions does Paine appeal to in this selection? Resentment and anger Does Paine appeal more to emotion or reason in this essay? He appeals more to emotions. He uses charged words such as crisis, tyranny, hell, heaven, freedom, and slavery.

Main Idea/ Theme What is the main idea of this essay? The colonists are fighting a just cause; thus, they should endure the difficult times and not lose sight of their purpose.

Persuasive Techniques What persuasive techniques does Paine use to develop his main idea? He cites oppressive British policy. He suggests that separation from Great Britain is inevitable and should be resolved now.

Persuasive Techniques Paine’s vivid descriptions of the American predicament and his comparisons between British behavior and the actions of common criminals make his argument strong.

Anecdotal Evidence “… a noted one, who kept a tavern at Amboy, was standing at his door, with as pretty a child in his hand, about eight or nine years old, as I ever saw, and after speaking his mind as freely as he thought prudent, finished with this unfatherly expression, ‘Well! Give me peace in my day.’”