After Laz answered some individual questions about MLA citation format, we discussed the work of Thomas Paine. The following list is comprised of the points that we covered in class about his writing technique and how it was meant to be perceived:
-This is propaganda.
-Written recruit men to fight in the coming spring against the British because the colonist side really needed help.
-The work is full of purr and snarl words.
-Paine made it sound like the colonist side was the stronger and smarter side even though the entire paper was about their retreat.
-Paine wrote about the retreat as if it was glorious, describing the mass exodus as a success.
-Paine followed the troops to Valley Forge in the winter so that he could write about what it was like to be there and what he expected to happen in the future.
-"These are the times that try men's souls" is an important quote. This quote serves as an example of how Paine made fighting sound to be more of a spiritual act than anything else, a battle between good and evil. The fact that he was talking about casualties was disguised with this technique.
-Jen
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
We also discussed how this was written during a very uncertain time during the American Revolution. The purpose seems to be to boost the morale of the nationalists and shame the "summer soldier and sunshine patriot."
This piece also has religious references and also appears to be suggesting that the British are taking powers which belong to God. He also believes that God supports the American side. It also seems to suggest that he does not want a large war when he states:
"America did not, nor does want force; but a proper application of that force"
-Kelsey
Post a Comment