Thomas Paine Essay, Research Paper

Thomas Paine

The complex and remarkable life of Thomas Paine has greatly influenced his many writings. His style of writing also has caused him to become very popular and has helped him influence many people. Thomas Paine’s common sense and hard life had a strong influence in his writing of “Common Sense.” In his writing of the “Common Sense he demanded for a revolution. He wrote very simply and boldly so that all his readers would be able to read his writing. He fought for people’s freedom as he had in his own life and because of his commitment “Common Sense” became the most widely and influential writings of that time. This became an inspiration to many people including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, which inspired him to write the Declaration of Independence. Paine wrote the “Common Sense” because he believed that the English had outgrown any need for English domination and should be given Independence. He was fighting for his country, which was England. In his writings he said “We have it in our power to begin the world over again.” This meant that America was going through a new revolution and that it should start things off right from the start and that from the beginning freedom formed the essence of American nationalism. Thomas Paine’s main idea behind his writing was that people should be open-minded and stand up for what they believed just like he did when he was young. His writing helped shape America.

Thomas Paine’s uneducated and harsh lifestyle aided him in his writings of “The Crisis.” In his passionate writing of “The Crisis” he believed that a land free from British tyranny was developed. In this writing Paine wrote in a simple style and used everyday words so that the common and poor people, such as himself, could be able to read and understand his point in his writing. The writings included problems and struggles with Britain and his argument against them. He started of by saying, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” This meant that loyal people were being run under the unfairness leadership of the British monarchy. He wanted the readers to become outraged and ignited with the same emotions that he and other patriots felt. Paine also was a believer in God and he used God many times in his writing. He hoped that this would promote the idea that a war against Britain would be a war in support of God. One of the famous quotes he said was, “ God almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupportedly to perish, who had earnestly and so repeatedly sought to avoid the calamities of war, by every decent method which wisdom could invent.” This quote meant that God was on their side and that war was a last resort and that God should accept it because peace negotiations have failed. He wanted Americans to be free and independent and he forever changed the view of what independence meant.

Thomas Paine’s hard and interesting life paid off because it influenced many of his incredible writings, which helped many people such as the poor.