"Common Sense"

Charles So
English 48A
Journal for Thomas Paine

Author Quote:
"Interested men who are not to be trusted, weak men who cannot see, prejudiced men who will not see, and a certain set of moderate men who think better of the European world than it deserves"(635)
Internet Quote:
"Unquestionably Paine was influenced to some degree by his acquaintance with the religion of his fathers, for the Quakers were pioneers in many humanitarian enterprises, including anti slavery, women's right and prison reform"(quote found in Rights of Man by Thomas Paine Biographical Intro by Philip Sheldon Foner search googlescholar- Thomas Paine) 
Summary:
In Thomas Paine's "Common Sense," he gives many goods reasons to why America should become independent. Paine describes America as a wide diverse array of Europeans so in fact their not British, he believes that America has and will be in uneccessary conflicts due to Europe, that the distance in between each other is a sign and that Britain is solely looking out for itself and not America. Thomas Paine talks of America's own spot in the world which is destined to be a place of more moderate and equal rule and government.

 Personal Opinion:
Thomas Paine is a man of revolutionary time, he believes that people are to much involved in old traditions that doesnt make sense for the modern time and that this old way of thinking must cease. Paine speaks of the new way of society and how people are thinking, he talks of democracy and civil justice for the people done by the people, his plea for independence from Britain can be also a looked at as a call to society in general at that time. There is alot of displeasure in hereditary rule or monarchy and he feels its natural divine order that America should have its independence from Britain. In many ways he is asking the people to stand up and rebel against old customs that hold down there true aspirations.