Text Analysis: "The Crisis" by Thomas Paine, Dec. 23, 1776

1. What is the author arguing?
The author, Thomas Paine, is makes several arguments throughout this document, however there are three main arguments that I feel drive his essay. The first of these is the argument that the particular crisis which he is describing is that, despite claiming its independence, America is still in the position of being like a "slave" to Britain. "Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but "to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER" and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth." (Paine, paragraph 1). He feels that America's duty now is to conquer the tyranny of Britain, and though it is not an easy fight, the things that are worth fighting for the most are never easy to obtain. He follows this argument up by mentioning that he feels America would most likely be in a better position had it declared independence from Britain sooner. His second main argument in the essay is that the Middle colonies have a high presence of supporters of the Tory political faction, or "Tories," as he refers to them, and that this is why the middle colonies have been made the "seat of war" by Britain. Tories were the British loyalists who inhabited the British colonies of North America and supported the Crown during the Revolutionary War. He makes his feelings about Tories very clear when he states: "Every Tory is a coward; for servile, slavish, self-interested fear is the foundation of Toryism; and a man under such influence, though he may be cruel, never can be brave." (Paine, paragraph 7). The third main argument which I identified in "The Crisis" is that the war must be fought, and that Americas soldiers must be the victors, in order to solidify American independence. He states that American did not prepare for war early on because they did not feel the need to fight, and as a result did not assemble an army. Now that they are in a position where they must protect their independence, he calls out to all people in all states to ban together and help in the fight, because he states: "better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake." (Paine, paragraph 11). Overall it is clear, Paine feels America's only choice to uphold her freedom is to fight for it, and if she remains strong and endures, this will inevitably be achieved.

2. How does the author appeal to logos (logic), pathos (emotional quality), and ethos (the writer’s perceived character) with their argument?
Paine was a powerful writer, and in "The Crisis" he does a particularly effective job of using all three concepts of logos, pathos, and ethos to clearly explain his argument. He does this while at the same time reaching out to those he is speaking to in order to evoke the audience's emotions by expressing his own passionate opinions regarding America's current situation. His appeal to logos, or the logic of his arguments, can be found throughout the essay, as he does a good job of clearly organizing and explaining each point he brings up. One example of this is in the closing paragraph of his essay: "I thank God, that I fear not. I see no real cause for fear. I know our situation well, and can see the way out of it." Paine is so confident and assuring that the situation is clear and obvious, and the solution is even clearer. America must defend herself, because it is the logical thing to do.
Although the entire essay is full of emotional passages, there are a few specific sections which stood out to me in this way. One example of Paine appealing to pathos in his essay is the section in which he discusses the happy country which America is and has the potential to be, and that war is inevitable to achieve this happiness. "America will never be happy till she gets clear of foreign dominion. Wars, without ceasing, will break out till that period arrives, and the continent must in the end be conqueror; for though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire." Speaking of the happiness of the country appeals to the idea of emotional equality, and that every American has the right to, along with life and liberty, the ;pursuit of happiness. This idea of being happy, and living in a "happy America" obviously evokes the emotion of hope, and the vision for a bright future.
Because the entire essay is written by Paine from his first person perspective, it includes a great deal of hints towards ethos, or Paine's perceived character. He expresses himself as a man who wants what he assumes every American wants - the simple freedom to live in a country which is not bound to any tyrant nation. He also expresses perceived character by speaking directly to the audience. He writes as if he is speaking as a friend: "Quitting this class of men, I turn with the warm ardor of a friend to those who have nobly stood, and are yet determined to stand the matter out." This displays Paine's personal respect to those who are in the fight with him.

3. What is the historical significance/relevance of this document?
The historical significance of this document is that it was written on December 23, 1776 by Thomas Paine, and was the first pamphlet in a pro-revolutionary pamphlet series called "The American Crisis." It was read aloud to the soldiers who fought under George Washington in order to inspire them to fight for their country. It was relevant in that it was written during the American Revolution to encourage Americans to remain strong in the fight for freedom.

4. Do you find the author’s argument convincing? Why or why not?
I find Paine's arguments incredibly convincing because of how powerfully he writes them. He makes bold statements about the strength of America and the weakness and cowardly nature of the British, and speaks as an American man who simply wants what every American wants. He is convincing in his self-assuredness, as he discusses the nature of America's fight as if it is clear and obvious what the outcome will be, as long as America shows determination and doesn't back down. If a pamphlet of this nature were being read today, I think that it would be very effective in causing people to stop and think about what it actually means to be a united country that is banned together to fight for the simple right of being its own nation.