Reflection: The Crisis No. 1

After the Revolutionary War had started, Thomas Paine wrote the "Crisis No. 1" (Paine 132). This document made a strong impression upon the people of the time. Thomas Paine had a strong idea and thought that America be independent from Great Britain. He uses a sense of persuasion through out his writing for if he did not try and persuade we might not be in the same position the America is at today. Thomas Paine backed up his ideas in such a way that made himself believable and made the people stop and listen, when all in all, it just boring propaganda and opinions. This use of persuasion and backing his ideas up is definitely a core example that his Crisis No. One was written in the rationalism style. This is so full of Thomas Paine's opinion, that it allows the reader to easily be sucked into it for only the mere fact that they cannot make their own opinions.

He also does this as well as having a positive impact on the reader. Paine says in the very beginning of "Crisis No. 1", "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of a man and woman, Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.(134)" He is showing and telling the people that this pain and suffering of this war, essentially is not needed. That there is no reason to fight in this war.

"Whether the independence of the continent was declared too soon, or delayed too long, I will not now enter into as an argument; my own simple opinion is, that had it been eight months earlier, it would have been much better. We did not make a proper use of last winter, neither could we, while we were in a dependent state. However, the fault, if it were one, was all our own; we have none to blame but ourselves.(Paine 135)"  Here, Paine is explaining that it was the people's fault that nothing got done.  It was America's fault for the dwindling, painful winter days.  Here, there is back up and it was rational.  This was real; reality.  This logical point that Paine made shows, one his opinion, and two, his that this is a rationalist style of writing because of his logical reasoning, where it is not based on emotion.  

I think with so much opinion written on such a little piece of paper can really alter the way a reader thinks.  I think that was Thomas Paine's reasoning in writing the "Crisis No. 1".  He used opinion but backed it up with ideas and examples and real reasoning which is rationalist thinking and rationalist writing. He used support in hopes that maybe he could change the way America thought and maybe change what America did. 

Paine, Thomas. "from The Crisis, No.1." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 134-136. Print.

"Before you Read: From The Crisis, No. 1." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 132. Print.