Thomas Paine-Appeals

Thomas Paine used persuasive techniques in The Crisis to persuade Americans to join his cause. The types of appeals he used emotional appeals, ethical appeals, appeals to association, and appeals to authority.

Emotional Appeal      “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 that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of 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.” In this Thomas Paine is trying to encourage soldiers to reenlist and to try to raise moral among the troops. He appeals to their sense of pride and their fear of tyranny to encourage them to keep fighting.

Ethical Appeal                       When Paine speaks of the conversation he overheard between a father and child he feels that the father is not being fatherly at all. He says he wants to have peace in his day, meaning he does not want to fight, so that means he wishes his son to have to fight and potentially die instead. This goes against many people’s ethics because many people believe that the father should fight for the freedom for their child.

Appeals to Association           “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 that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of 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.” In this he, again, makes an appeal. He claims that if you continue to stand with him you will become famous and loved as a hero by the people.

Appeals to Authority             Paine’s appeal to authority is to God. He believes that God will come to their aid during the war and help the colonists win against the tyrannical British. This mention of God brings many of the religious people in the colonies to believe that the war is going to be won.