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Rhetorical Analysis Of The American Crisis

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‘“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”’. According to the pamphlet, “The American Crisis”, by Thomas Paine, the need for the American colonists to act against Great Britain is due to Britain’s overpowering rule and the need for a revolution to change the faith of the colonists living in dismay. Thomas Paine describes the overpowering rule of Great Britain as detrimental and destructive to the American colonies. “...declared she has a right… TAX but ‘to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER’ … is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery on earth.” The analogy of the American colonists as slaves demonstrates the harsh living situations they were subjected to which creates ethos in the work by …show more content…

“... America will never be happy till she gets clear of foreign dominion. Wars, without ceasing will break out till that period arrives… the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.” The personifications of “America will never be happy” and “the flame of liberty” represent the constant craving for independence. These statements create ethos to persuade the colonists to act and to escape the dismay. “I love the man that can smile in trouble… strength from distress… brave by reflection… whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” The antitheses of “smile in trouble”, “strength from distress” and “brave by reflection” create the contrasting images from the good and the bad in the colonists’ everyday lives, pretending in the place of discomfort and dismay. These values create the pathos of the struggles of living and pursuing their independence and “principles”. “The American Crisis” by Thomas Paine showcases the need for the American colonists to gain their independence against its father nation and that a revolution is necessary for the colonists to escape their dismay and discomfort in their everyday lives. Paine has definitely made his point for the American colonists to step up and believe in their power to gain what they deserve, which is

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