Question

“Ye that oppose independence now, ye know not what ye do; ye are opening a door to eternal tyranny, by keeping vacant the seat of government.” —Thomas Paine, Common Sense Analyze the rhetorical technique in the sentence above. Write your answer in the box

Answer 1

"Common Sense" is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine and it was published in 1775-76. Its purpose, was to call on people to become more active, and to support, the cause for independence. The reason for this was that to Paine, and others, it was evident that Americans did not wish to seek independence from England. In fact, it was almost unheard of for people to support a break from the motherland. Aside from listing the reasons why people needed to support the upcoming American Revolution, Paine wanted mostly to use simple prose, syntax, metaphors and allusions to Protestan beliefs, converting his pamphelt almost into a sermon of sorts, to persuade Americans and sway them towards the American cause and relinquish their support England and its ownership over the 13 colonies. In this excerpt, for example, one of the strongest examples of imagery and metaphor used by Paine to persuade people, is the use of words like "opening a door to eternal tyranny.." because it makes readers connect with their religious beliefs and uses that power to convince Americans to back the Revolution.

Answer 2

The purpose was to persuade.The language contains an example of metaphor.Paine speaks directly to his audience.Paine’s rhetoric persuaded colonists to support independence to prevent future oppression.