Henry Paine Rhetorical Analysis Ap Lang

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Ellie Stein Henry Paine Rhetorical Analysis November 20, 2011 Thomas Paine’s “Crisis No. 1” and Patrick Henry’s speech to the delegates of Virginia were both appealing works in order to encourage and prepare the colonial Americans for the Revolutionary War. These two pieces are similar in this way, but different in that they are directed to different people. Henry’s speech is directed to delegates, highly educated Americans, and Pain’s “Crisis No. 1” is directed to the common people and soldiers of the colonies. Also each work uses a number of literary devices to successfully convince the audience. Paine uses devices such as biblical allusions, metaphors, and pathos. In his speech, Henry uses devices such as rhetorical questions, anaphora, and parallel structure. These two works contrast in that they use a number of different literary devices to convinced different audiences yet similar in that they set a nearly analogous, proud and empowering tone. Paine’s “Crisis No. 1” is effectively convincing to his audience of colonial common people and soldiers through the use of biblical allusions. Paine says, “Say not that thousands are gone, turn out your tens of thousands” (716). This alludes to 1 Samuel 18:7. This allusion is significant because it is both encouraging and relatable to the American soldiers. In this time period, the colonies were very dependent and passionate about their faith in God and the Bible. This allusion from the Bible is stimulating for the soldiers because they could relate to their religion and American faith. Another biblical allusion that Paine successfully uses is “ ‘Show your faith by your works’ that God may bless you” (716). This allusion is also relatable for the soldiers but it also suggests that God is on the American side. This allusion is used to vitalize the soldier’s spirits and fight with God on their side. Paine

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