Analysis of “Common Sense” Published by Thomas Paine
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Almost everybody at some point in their education has heard the name, Thomas Paine. In between the years of 1775 and 1776, the brilliant writer Thomas Paine, wrote a pamphlet to the American people called “Common Sense”. It was a marvelous attempt by Paine to show the newly-found American people that Britain’s rule was no longer needed in the United States. It’s quite remarkable, because Paine’s piece of writing convinced the American people that it was common sense to declare independence from Britain, even though years of taxation and war failed to show the people.
Throughout this piece, we come across a very important passage that has been subjected to different opinion for centuries. In “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine, he goes on to state the following; “I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense”. Paine is trying to buffer his argument for American independence by declaring his reasons to be solid facts, and reasonable thinking. However, was Thomas Paine really being that straightforward with the citizens reading his work, was he trying to persuade them for his own good, or was the entire pamphlet intended for a deeper meaning?
Personally I think he is being that straightforward, but in regard to the future of America. Not Britain. I believe Paine is trying to persuade citizens to reject Britain “agenda” for the thirteen colonies, and develop their own. Hence, the American Revolution. Now whether or not America’s “agenda” is any better than that of Britain is a totally different discussion. However, I do believe Thomas Paine was trying to persuade American’s of the very simple concept of independence, something the people of that time period never had experienced.
