THE CRISIS, NO. 1
Quotes
Paine’s writing in The Crisis, No. 1 is very eloquent; it is filled with powerful statements. Find a quote from the pamphlet that stands out to you and explain the impact of this quote.
- Apply the quote to the situation. In other words, explain the quote in context.
- Explain why this quote stands out to you. Do you have any personal connection to the meaning of this quote?
Tories vs. Whigs
This thread is limited in its participation to three original posts by three separate students. If these three questions are taken, please write your original response in either the quote thread or in the thread on persuasive appeals. You are welcome to respond to a classmate in this thread; however, only one student may write an original post on each prompt below.
The reason that I limit responses here is that these questions are objective. The student is more reporting what Paine has to say vs. the analysis required in the other two threads. FYI: I do hope students will take these questions; the information is important.
I would like to see one original response to each of these three prompts:
- Read the paragraph beginning, “I shall conclude this paper with some miscellaneous remarks . . . .” How does Paine define and describe a Tory? Consider what Paine says about the New England colonies vs. the “middle” colonies. Why might it be difficult to persuade the New England colonies to join the war effort? What do you make of Paine’s use of the word infested?
- Consider the story of the tavern keeper at Amboy. Summarize the story for your classmates and comment upon the argument Paine makes through this story.
Rhetorical Appeals
Aristotle identified three appeals for strong arguments: logos, ethos, and pathos. For clarification on these appeals, check out one or both of the following videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L_G82HH9Tg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf81d0YS58E
Choose ONE argument that Paine makes in this essay and identify the appeal he is using to persuade his audience.
- Logos is a logical appeal supported by facts and evidence. The focus is on the argument itself. What logical or factual appeals does Paine make in the essay? In other words, what arguments would make sense to his audience?
- Ethos is an ethical appeal based on the credibility of the writer. In what way does Paine establish his credibility (his knowledge and/or his trustworthiness) with his audience?
- Pathos is an emotional appeal. What emotions does Paine bring forth in his readers? How does he do so?
Again, please read the posts of your classmates before choosing to respond to this thread. Your post must give an original example from the essay; you may not repeat examples given by your classmates. Also, do not research the topic. Show me what you see in the essay. I have used this question for years and can often recognize Internet commentary (which can be unreliable at times).
