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Style
Definition of Tone
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. For instance... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical... read full definition
Introduction
Explanation and Analysis:
Paine's tone throughout Common Sense is nothing if not derisive as he works to discredit the monarchy and justify revolution. Despite his clear and present emotional response and derisive tone, however, Paine still attempts to establish credibility with his audience by utilizing a more neutral, logical tone throughout Common Sense.
Paine lived through the Enlightenment period, the philosophy of which was undoubtedly a strong influence on his politics and general worldview. Enlightenment philosophers privileged reason above all else, establishing logic in binary opposition to emotion. Although Paine utilizes a wide range of both emotional and logical reasoning in Common Sense, he also clearly wishes to establish that he is a being of logic and reason, in alignment with Enlightenment principles. In the postscript at the end of the introduction, he states:
Who the Author of this Production is, is wholly unnecessary to the Public, as the Object for Attention is the Doctrine itself, not the Man. Yet it may not be unnecessary to say, That he is unconnected with any Party, and under no sort of Influence public or private, but the influence of reason and principle.
In the above passage—almost as if to preface the later emotional and derisive bent of his tone—Paine maintains more neutral language and tries to separate his emotions and feelings as a person from his political ideology.
Related Themes:
