Character analysis
The American Colonists
in Common Sense by Thomas Paine
The American Colonists serve as both the main audience and the collective protagonist of Common Sense. Paine speaks to them directly throughout the pamphlet, aiming to shift their self-perception from loyal British subjects to a people destined for self-governance. At the beginning, Paine recognizes that many colonists still feel a sentimental connection to Britain and are hesitant to break away from the Crown, presenting independence as a radical and daunting step. His rhetorical strategy is crafted to overcome that reluctance.
Paine depicts the colonists as a diverse and hardworking society formed from various parts of Europe—not just England—thereby undermining the notion that Britain deserves special loyalty as a "mother country." He argues that the colonies have already surpassed British control both economically and politically, citing the prosperous trade that could thrive without imperial restrictions. He also points out that the colonists have endured real grievances—such as taxation, military occupation, and the destruction of towns—that create a moral obligation for them to resist, rather than just a right to do so.
By the end of the pamphlet, Paine portrays the colonists as the chosen actors in history: their struggle is "the cause of all mankind," and the time has come for them to establish a republican government that serves as a model for the world. The colonists evolve from a divided, uncertain group that clings to monarchy out of habit and fear, to a people Paine argues are ready—and duty-bound—to create a completely new political order. This collective transformation is the persuasive aim that the entire text is designed to accomplish.
Connected characters
- Thomas Paine
Paine is the colonists' direct interlocutor and advocate. He addresses them as 'ye' and 'fellow subjects' before reframing them as sovereign citizens, positioning himself as the voice that awakens their latent political identity and courage.
- King George III
Paine presents King George III as the colonists' active oppressor—a 'hardened, sullen-tempered Pharaoh' who has ordered towns burned and troops deployed against them, making continued loyalty not just foolish but morally indefensible.
- The King of England (Monarchy as Institution)
The monarchy as an institution is portrayed as the structural source of the colonists' subjugation. Paine argues the colonists have been conditioned to revere kingship itself, and dismantling that reverence is prerequisite to their political liberation.
- The British Parliament
Parliament is depicted as an extension of tyranny over the colonists, legislating for a people it does not represent. Paine uses Parliament's overreach to demonstrate that no reform within the British system can adequately protect colonial rights.
- William the Conqueror
Paine invokes William the Conqueror to delegitimize the royal lineage the colonists have been taught to respect, arguing that the Crown's origins lie in conquest and banditry rather than divine right or merit—undercutting any inherited obligation the colonists might feel.