Thomas Paine(1737-1809) Study Objectives: 1.To understand pamphlet as a political essay. 2.To appreciate the rhetorical and stylistic features of Thomas Paine's "The American Crisis”. 3.To practice writing an essay on a political topic. Understanding the Author: COMMON SENSE; INHABITANTS A M E R I C A, S U B JB C T S. 上90 a LV4K7 Portrait by Laurent Dabos(c.1792) Common Sense,published in 1776 Signature: Thomas Paine was an influential English-American political activist,philosopher, political theorist,and the greatest pamphlet-writer during the American Revolutionary Period (1760-1790).The eighteenth century is considered as the Age of Reason or Enlightenment in Europe.As one of the Founding Fathers of the United States who fell under the influence of the Enlightenment spirit,Thomas Paine authored the two most influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution,and he inspired the rebels in 1776 to declare independence from British rule.His ideas reflected the key Enlightenment doctrine of human rights. Thomas Paine was born in Thetford in the English county of Norfolk,in 1737, the son of a Quaker father and an Anglican mother.By the age of thirty-seven,he had failed in everything he tried and was declared a bankrupt.With the help of Benjamin Franklin whom he met in London,Paine was persuaded to migrate to the British
Thomas Paine (1737-1809) Study Objectives: 1. To understand pamphlet as a political essay. 2. To appreciate the rhetorical and stylistic features of Thomas Paine’s “The American Crisis”. 3. To practice writing an essay on a political topic. Understanding the Author: Portrait by Laurent Dabos (c. 1792) Common Sense, published in 1776 Signature: Thomas Paine was an influential English-American political activist, philosopher, political theorist, and the greatest pamphlet-writer during the American Revolutionary Period (1760-1790). The eighteenth century is considered as the Age of Reason or Enlightenment in Europe. As one of the Founding Fathers of the United States who fell under the influence of the Enlightenment spirit, Thomas Paine authored the two most influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution, and he inspired the rebels in 1776 to declare independence from British rule. His ideas reflected the key Enlightenment doctrine of human rights. Thomas Paine was born in Thetford in the English county of Norfolk, in 1737, the son of a Quaker father and an Anglican mother. By the age of thirty-seven, he had failed in everything he tried and was declared a bankrupt. With the help of Benjamin Franklin whom he met in London, Paine was persuaded to migrate to the British
American colonies in 1774 with a letter of introduction from Franklin recommending him as "an ingenious worthy young man."He arrived in Philadelphia just in time to participate in the American Revolution and wrote for the recently established Pennsylvania Magazine and made his way quickly in that city,first as a spokesman against slavery and then as an anonymous author of Common Sense(1776),the first pamphlet published in America and the most widely read pamphlet of the American title at that time,which crystallized the rebellious and immediate demand for independence from Britain.Filled with the rhetoric of revolution,this booklet was written in a forceful style that the average colonial people could quickly understand.It also helped to create the national mood that inspired the Declaration of Independence six month later.Written in a direct and lively style,it was a clarion call for unity against the corrupt British court.Common Sense was so influential that John Adams remarked:"Without the pen of the author of Common Sense,the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain." Between 1776 and 1783,he issued a series of sixteen pro-revolutionary pamphlets, called the Crisis papers.Paine wrote "The American Crisis",the first Crisis pamphlet, at one of the darkest moments of the Revolution,a time when George Washington's army was in retreat and morale was low.General George Washington had it read aloud to inspire his soldiers in their battles.With the Battle of Trenton,on December 26,1776,American forces began to rally.This work offered encouragement to American patriots during the early years of the American Revolution (1775-83). Paine called upon soldiers and civilians to stand firm in the face of British tyranny and helped to turn the tide of the war. Paine lived in France for most of the 1790s,becoming deeply involved in the French Revolution.He wrote The Rights of Man(1791),a famous defense of the French Revolution against its critics.He also defended the overthrow of kings,and for this he was ordered by the British government to trial.In December 1793,he was arrested and was taken to Luxembourg Prison in Paris.While in prison,he continued to work on The Age of Reason (1793-94)in spite of the accusation of him for promoting reason and free thought.He was charged with atheism and became notorious because of his pamphlets.In 1802,he returned to the U.S.where his reputation suffered enormously.When he died on June 8,1809,only six people attended his funeral as he had been socially ridiculed and despised for his attacks on Christianity.It was not until the end of the twentieth century that his place in American history and literature was restored. Thomas Paine was not a systematic philosopher but a man who felt and responded according to his own belief in justice,his strong opposition to tyranny and his impulses of clear conscience as well.As a most influential pamphleteer of his time, Paine's success comes from his convincing argument,from the force and passion of his pamphlets,and from the historical events that created a ready audience to listen to his words.And it is on his pamphlets,on especially Common Sense,that Thomas Paine's claim to the title "The Father of the American Revolution"rests
American colonies in 1774 with a letter of introduction from Franklin recommending him as “an ingenious worthy young man.” He arrived in Philadelphia just in time to participate in the American Revolution and wrote for the recently established Pennsylvania Magazine and made his way quickly in that city, first as a spokesman against slavery and then as an anonymous author of Common Sense (1776), the first pamphlet published in America and the most widely read pamphlet of the American title at that time, which crystallized the rebellious and immediate demand for independence from Britain. Filled with the rhetoric of revolution, this booklet was written in a forceful style that the average colonial people could quickly understand. It also helped to create the national mood that inspired the Declaration of Independence six month later. Written in a direct and lively style, it was a clarion call for unity against the corrupt British court. Common Sense was so influential that John Adams remarked: “Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain.” Between 1776 and 1783, he issued a series of sixteen pro-revolutionary pamphlets, called the Crisis papers. Paine wrote “The American Crisis”, the first Crisis pamphlet, at one of the darkest moments of the Revolution, a time when George Washington's army was in retreat and morale was low. General George Washington had it read aloud to inspire his soldiers in their battles. With the Battle of Trenton, on December 26, 1776, American forces began to rally. This work offered encouragement to American patriots during the early years of the American Revolution (1775–83). Paine called upon soldiers and civilians to stand firm in the face of British tyranny and helped to turn the tide of the war. Paine lived in France for most of the 1790s, becoming deeply involved in the French Revolution. He wrote The Rights of Man (1791), a famous defense of the French Revolution against its critics. He also defended the overthrow of kings, and for this he was ordered by the British government to trial. In December 1793, he was arrested and was taken to Luxembourg Prison in Paris. While in prison, he continued to work on The Age of Reason (1793–94) in spite of the accusation of him for promoting reason and free thought. He was charged with atheism and became notorious because of his pamphlets. In 1802, he returned to the U.S. where his reputation suffered enormously. When he died on June 8, 1809, only six people attended his funeral as he had been socially ridiculed and despised for his attacks on Christianity. It was not until the end of the twentieth century that his place in American history and literature was restored. Thomas Paine was not a systematic philosopher but a man who felt and responded according to his own belief in justice, his strong opposition to tyranny and his impulses of clear conscience as well. As a most influential pamphleteer of his time, Paine’s success comes from his convincing argument, from the force and passion of his pamphlets, and from the historical events that created a ready audience to listen to his words. And it is on his pamphlets, on especially Common Sense, that Thomas Paine’s claim to the title “The Father of the American Revolution” rests
Understanding Pamphlet: Pamphlet is a special kind of essay,a tract concerning a contemporary issue or a product of heated arguments.A booklet without a hard cover or binding,it may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half,in thirds,or in fourths,called a leaflet,or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and saddle stapled at the crease to make a simple book. Although they can be found in use in various situations (medical,religious or marketing),pamphlets have long been an important tool of political protest and political campaigning.Due to their low cost and ease of production,they have often been used to popularize political or religious ideas. A pamphleteer is a historical term for someone who produces or distributes pamphlets, especially for a political cause.A pamphlet may often showcase the rhetorical devices and distinctive stylistic qualities of its author. Lead-in Questions: 1.What is the core value of the Enlightenment spirit? 2.Can you name some eighteenth-century European Enlightenment philosophers or thinkers who exerted great influence upon the American Founding Fathers? 3.Can you explain why pamphlets,rather than novels,plays or poems,became an effective tool for the revolutionary cause of America? Text: Thomas Paine's "The American Crisis"(See docx) Questions for Discussion: 1.What is the central issue addressed in "The American Crisis"? 2.What is Paine's attitude and standpoint regarding this issue? 3."Paine's great gift as a stylist was 'plainness.""Justify this opinion by citing at least two examples. 4.What kind of audience do you think Paine addresses in this pamphlet?What tone of voice does he adopt? 5.Paine alludes constantly to God or God's justice in the essay.Do you think his religious allusions are appropriately used for such a political tract?Why? 6.What are the implications of the famous phrases "the summer soldier"and "the sunshine patriot"in the opening paragraph?
Understanding Pamphlet: Pamphlet is a special kind of essay, a tract concerning a contemporary issue or a product of heated arguments. A booklet without a hard cover or binding, it may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths, called a leaflet, or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and saddle stapled at the crease to make a simple book. Although they can be found in use in various situations (medical, religious or marketing), pamphlets have long been an important tool of political protest and political campaigning. Due to their low cost and ease of production, they have often been used to popularize political or religious ideas. A pamphleteer is a historical term for someone who produces or distributes pamphlets, especially for a political cause. A pamphlet may often showcase the rhetorical devices and distinctive stylistic qualities of its author. Lead-in Questions: 1. What is the core value of the Enlightenment spirit? 2. Can you name some eighteenth-century European Enlightenment philosophers or thinkers who exerted great influence upon the American Founding Fathers? 3. Can you explain why pamphlets, rather than novels, plays or poems, became an effective tool for the revolutionary cause of America? Text: Thomas Paine’s “The American Crisis” (See docx) Questions for Discussion: 1. What is the central issue addressed in “The American Crisis”? 2. What is Paine’s attitude and standpoint regarding this issue? 3. “Paine’s great gift as a stylist was ‘plainness.’” Justify this opinion by citing at least two examples. 4. What kind of audience do you think Paine addresses in this pamphlet? What tone of voice does he adopt? 5. Paine alludes constantly to God or God’s justice in the essay. Do you think his religious allusions are appropriately used for such a political tract? Why? 6. What are the implications of the famous phrases “the summer soldier” and “the sunshine patriot” in the opening paragraph?
7.Find some examples of the use of metaphor and simile in the essay and comment on their effectiveness. 8.Comment on the sentence structure in Paragraph Three.Can you feel its special force in driving home the key point? 9.This pamphlet is filled with Paine's effective use of imagery and comparison.Pick out two examples for each and explain their literary effects. 10.Paine addresses his readers in the first person voice.Do you think such first-person pronoun use is a merit for this political essay?Why? 11.Discuss Paine's use of familiar language in view of its central argument. 12.How can you justify the disjunction between the glorious subject matter and the tone of the author? 13.What is the difference in writing style between Paine's "The American Crisis" and Bacon's"Of Studies"? 14.The American Crisis has been widely studied by scholars of history and rhetoric. The essay is of particular interest,to some critics,because,in it,"Paine writes as a full-fledged American and addresses himself to particular problems and policies of his country and his countrymen."Reconsider all the rhetorical devices Paine uses to drive home his points. 15.Read the whole essay fluently and recite Paragraphs One and Three. Writing Task: 1.Thomas Paine once wrote:"The world is my country,all mankind are my brethren, and to do well is my religion."Try to understand the remark from one perspective and write an essay to explain what you appreciate most in this remark and why. 2.Suppose you were a colonial resident of Thomas Paine's time.Write a short essay of political nature to respond to Paine's call for sacrifice for the independent cause
7. Find some examples of the use of metaphor and simile in the essay and comment on their effectiveness. 8. Comment on the sentence structure in Paragraph Three. Can you feel its special force in driving home the key point? 9. This pamphlet is filled with Paine’s effective use of imagery and comparison. Pick out two examples for each and explain their literary effects. 10. Paine addresses his readers in the first person voice. Do you think such first-person pronoun use is a merit for this political essay? Why？ 11. Discuss Paine’s use of familiar language in view of its central argument. 12. How can you justify the disjunction between the glorious subject matter and the tone of the author? 13. What is the difference in writing style between Paine’s “The American Crisis” and Bacon’s “Of Studies”? 14. The American Crisis has been widely studied by scholars of history and rhetoric. The essay is of particular interest, to some critics, because, in it, “Paine writes as a full-fledged American and addresses himself to particular problems and policies of his country and his countrymen.” Reconsider all the rhetorical devices Paine uses to drive home his points. 15. Read the whole essay fluently and recite Paragraphs One and Three. Writing Task: 1. Thomas Paine once wrote: “The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do well is my religion.” Try to understand the remark from one perspective and write an essay to explain what you appreciate most in this remark and why. 2. Suppose you were a colonial resident of Thomas Paine’s time. Write a short essay of political nature to respond to Paine’s call for sacrifice for the independent cause
