Thomas Paine - Reflection Blog

Unlike the Puritan views, Thomas Paine distributes a more rational way of thinking. This particular view is called Rationalism. Rationalism is something that many writers use, Thomas Paine being one of them. Before the time of Enlightenment most people looked at things from a more religious standpoint. After awhile, Enlightenment came around. Enlightenment was a time in which people started to look at things more logically instead of religiously. It was a time for knowledge and ideas rather than using spiritual elements. Thomas Paine portrayed rationalism in The Crisis No. 1. Although Thomas Paine often refers to God in this speech, he does not blame God for anything. For example, when he states, "However, the fault if it were one, was all our own" (Paine 135). In some of the other previous reading that we have read in our book this year, they were often written from a more religious point of view. They would often use God as an excuse for everything and blame Him when things went wrong or did not go their way. Thomas Paine did not do this. Thomas Paine instead, comes to terms and realizes that ultimately it is their own fault for what had happened and it was in fact not God's fault. This is a good example or rationalism because it is using more knowledge rather than blaming others for your own mistakes. From reading Crisis No. 1 we have learned many things. From this passage we learn that Thomas Paine in fact a Patriot. He did want a war with Britain because he greatly wanted to be separate from them. With this knowledge, I am assuming that Thomas Paine is writing to both Patriots and Loyalists because he probably wanted to rally up support. Although Mr. Paine wanted to be separated from Britain, he makes it very clear that he does not support the war. For example, in Crisis No. 1 he states, "Not all the treasures in the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it is murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me and those who are in it, and to bind me in all cases whatsoever, to his absolute will, am I to suffer it?" (Paine 136) This is saying that regardless of whether you are killing one person or a whole bunch under a war, it is still murder regardless. Thomas Paine sounds like he is very passionate about this subject and he absolutely does not want to start a war with Britain because it involves unnecessary murder. This also shows more support that Thomas was saying these things to not only just Patriots or just Loyalists, but both. He would have directed this toward both groups so that he would be able to gather up more supporters for not starting a war. In this passage Thomas Paine shows great rationalism while stating his points about the war with Britain and the separation from them.

Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. "The Crisis No. 1. " Glencoe Literature. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Glencoe, 2010. 134-36. Print.