The Age of Reason
or the Revolutionary Period in
American Literature…
(The late 1700s)
Puritans vs. the Revolutionary Period
• By the end of the 1700s, the Puritan influence on America
began to wane
• Spurred by the work of many seventeenth-century
thinkers—scientists such as Galileo and Newton,
philosophers like Voltaire and Rousseau, and political
theorist John Locke—the writers and thinkers of the
Enlightenment valued reason over faith.
• Unlike the Puritans, they had little interest in the hereafter,
believing instead in the power of reason and science to
further human progress.
• They believed that people are by nature good, not evil
• In contrast to the private soul-searching of the Puritans of
New England, much of what was produced during the
Revolutionary period was public writing.
Age of Reason vs. Age of Faith
Smallpox Outbreak
Reason
• Borrowed ideas from a
Turkish physician
• Illogical according to current
beliefs/values
• Cotton Mather moved to
promote inoculation
• Moved to make decisions
based on rational thought
Faith
• Interpretation based on
“gods providence”
• Devout religious beliefs
– “Let us look upon sin as the
cause of sickness.”
– Inoculation would violate,
“the all-wise Providence of
God Almighty.”
God and the Natural World
• Rationalists thought it unlikely for God to
choose to reveal himself at particular times to
particular people.
• They believed that God had made it possible
for all people at all times to discover natural
laws through their God-given faculty of
reason.
Deism
 Deists came from different religious backgrounds
 Examples: Franklin, Jefferson, Thomas Paine
 Looked to identify principles that united all religions
 Beliefs:
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
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The universe is orderly and good
Stressed humanities inherent goodness
Perfectibility of every individual through the use of reason
Gods objective = happiness of people
Provided the basis for the principles of the American
Revolution and system of government
How do events of a given time
influence what is written?
To answer this question, you should know that the
most important pieces of literature during the AGE
OF REASON, were political documents, speeches,
and pamphlets (short, concise works that usually
argue for or against a political cause.)
Non-fiction (such as the forms mentioned above)
was far more influential than fiction.
Can you name works of Lit. That fit this
description? List as many as you can.
List of political documents that we
think might be a part of the Age Of
Reason (Revolutionary Period)
 The Declaration of Independence (political
document)
Thomas Paine’s The Crisis (pamphlet)
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
The Age of Reason as a Literary Period
Age of Reason: a movement that was marked by an
emphasis on rationality rather than tradition,
scientific inquiry instead of unquestioning religious
dogma, and representative government in place of
monarchy.
Important writers: Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin
Franklin, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, and any
other of the so-called “Founding Fathers.”
Thomas Paine
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo
the fatigue of supporting it.”
 Thomas Paine was a renowned pro-America writer and author
of some of the most persuasive texts of the American
Revolution
 He used “plain -style” language in an attempt to engage people
of all classes in the struggle for American independence and
for a rejection of government based on hereditary monarchy
 His bold and simple argument rallied a scattered citizenry to
the cause of freedom and exerted considerable influence on the
new nation’s emerging political philosophy
 Paine wrote the first of the American Crisis letter pamphlets
after witnessing the loss of New York and joining the retreat
to Newark…a text that George Washington ordered read to all
the troops.
 Pamphlets helped to bolster the sagging spirits of the ill-fitted
troops and firm the resolve of an occasionally diffident
population
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
“A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two
things. There will be sleeping enough in the grave. “
Aphorism: A Penny Saved is a Penny earned
 Franklin wrote the first section of The
Autobiography in 1771 at the age of 65.
 At the urging of friends, he wrote three more
sections—the last shortly before his death.
 Though never completed, his Autobiography,
filled with his opinions and suggestions, provides
not only a record of his achievements but also an
understanding of his character.
 Considered to be the “father of his country”
Age of Reason Re-Cap
►Give three characteristics of the Age of
Reason.
►Name 2 authors that represent the Age of
Reason.
►Answer the following question:
• Why were political documents so important
during the Age of Reason?
Rhetorical Devices
• Figurative Language
• Hyperbole
• Rhetorical Questions
• Parallelism
• Connotative Language
Figurative Language
• Language that is used for descriptive effect
• Figurative language expresses meaning beyond the
literal level
• “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in
this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but
he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks
of the man and woman.”
• Thomas Paine uses imagery to point out the
difference between colonists who were unwilling to
endure hardship and those who were willing to carry
on despite bitter winters and military defeats.
Hyperbole
• A figure of speech that uses exaggeration to
express strong emotion, to make a point, or to
evoke humor.
• “The heart that feels not now is dead…”
Thomas Paine uses hyperbole to enhance an
emotional appeal when explaining a
momentous opportunity the Revolution
presented for freedom and human progress.
Rhetorical Questions
• A question to which no answer is expected
• A rhetorical question emphasizes the obvious answer
to what is asked
• “They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope
with so formidable as adversary. But when shall we
be stronger? Will it be next week, or the next year?
Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when
British guard shall be stationed in every house?”
• Patrick Henry’s speech technique builds to an
emotional climax and makes a strong impression on
listeners.”
Parallelism
• The use of series of words, phrases or
sentences that have similar grammatical form.
• “Our petitions have been slighted; our
remonstrances have produced additional
violence and insult, our supplications have
been disregarded, and we have been spurned,
with contempt, from the foot of the throne.”
• Patrick Henry’s speech reaches a powerful
climax with reference to the English king.
Connotative Language
• This refers to the suggested or implied meanings that
are associated with a word beyond its dictionary
definition.
• They make an emotional and ethical appeal.
• “He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts,
burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our
people.”
• Thomas Jefferson uses verbs with strong negative
connotations: plundered, ravaged, destroyed all
produce a strong emotional effect.