Question

In his Revolutionary-era pamphlet Common Sense, Thomas Paine uses the phrases "'Tis not the affair" and "'Tis not the concern" to help illustrate the importance of separating from Great Britain. This is an example of which rhetorical technique

Answer 1

In Common Sense by Thomas Paine, the use of the phrases "'Tis not the affair" and "Tis not the concern" is an example of anaphora.

Anaphora is a rhetorical technique that consists in repeating one or more words at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. It is used to achieve a specific artistic effect, which is to emphasize certain words. In the case of Paine's pamphlet, the words that have been repeated at the beginning of two sentences are "Tis not the". This rhetorical technique has been used to underline how important it is to rebel against Great Britain in order to reach America's freedom.