Respected Author, Thomas Paine, in his pamphlet Common Sense, argues on American independence from Great Britain. Paine's purpose is to show his audience, the American people that there is a difference between society and the government. He argues two main points, firstly, America’s independence from Britain and secondly, the creation of a democratic republic. Paine states that society is independent and constructive force of good that when people come and join together they can obtain a common goal. He also proclaims that the government is a necessary evil which it's only purpose is in order to protect life, liberty and property. He adopts a persuasive tone that uses many rhetorical strategies, such as, alliteration and consonance to show the American people that the government’s sole reason is to protect our rights as an independent nation.
Thomas Paine uses many rhetorical devices in his pamphlet, Common Sense. He plainly, yet eloquently presents his argument to America for the independence of U.S from Great Britain. One example of his use of rhetoric is within the first page, “ In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense: and have no other preliminaries to settle with the reader than that he will divest himself of prejudice and prepossession, and suffer his reason and his feelings to determine for themselves: that he will put on, or rather that he will not put off, the true character of a man, and generously enlarge his views beyond the present day” (Thoughts on Present State of American Affairs, 326). The phrase, "I offer nothing more than simple facts" implies that his logic is simple, humble, and straight to the point, “plain arguments” is used to formally explain his position on this issue of American independence. Also, "I offer nothing more" implies that Common Sense will be easy to follow and understand by all subjects. That is a rhetorical analysis of Thomas Paine’s choice of diction in his nation changing pamphlet, Common Sense.
Another example of how Paine uses several rhetoric devices to effectively prove his point that the government is a necessary evil at its best and that society is it common force for good, for an example he use alliteration as seen in this quote, “By referring the matter from argument to arms, a new area for politics is struck; a new method of thinking hath arisen. All plans, proposals, etc., prior to the nineteenth of April, i.e., to the commencement of hostilities, are like the almanacs of the last year which, though proper then, are superseded and useless now.” (327). The words “argument, arms, and area” exemplify alliteration because all three words start with the same two letters and have similar sounds. He also uses consonance to enhance his point, so that the audience may have a better understanding of what he is saying in Common Sense. An example of this becomes clear in the words “method, thinking, and hath” because it has repetitive sounds produced by consonants within the sentence. Paine used these devices to not only enhance the persuasiveness of the essay but to prove his point to his audience that the government is a necessary evil at its best and that society is simply a true symbol of positive union to reach a common goal.
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