TOW #11

Thomas Paine

The American colonies were fed up with Britain's taxes and unfair treatment, and in an effort to convince the colonists to fight for independence, Thomas Paine wrote the Common Sense. Paine wanted to appeal to all Americans, and this is evident through his word choice. Paine writes in simple terms so that even the uneducated colonists could understand it. And it's called Common Sense, as if it must make sense to everyone, even the most common people.
Paine uses persuasive figurative language in order to convince the Americans that they should fight for independence from the British. He writes, “if being bound in that matter, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth” (Paine 108), comparing the colonists to slaves though a  metaphor. This puts into perspective how badly the Americans are being treated, and why they should revolt.
Payne also alters his diction so that it is simpler and less formal. He says, "It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil of the blessing will reach you all” (Paine 109) This appeals to everyone, and it does so in a way that even the most common man could understand it. This helps him gain a wider audience and maintain their understanding.
I think that Paine was able to achieve his goal. Mostly because looking back at history, his Common Sense was so influential and we are able to see what it did to the Americans. It helped give them the extra nudge they needed towards revolution.
Paine is a credible source; he was an English-American political activist, theorist, and philosopher. He was one of the few educated colonists around this time. This is part of why the Americans listen to him. This paired with the unfair treatment of the British shows why the Revolution happened.