The Crisis Summary and Analysis

The Crisis starts with one of Paine's most famous quotes: "These are the times that try men's souls . . ." The author claims that the "sunshine patriot" will not rise to the call of his country and that tyranny is much like hell in that it is not an opponent easily defeated. However, those things that require the most strength reap the highest rewards. Paine does lament that the Revolution had not begun eight months earlier when the soldiers may have had greater benefit by using the harshness of the winter to defeat the British.

Although Paine professes to be non-superstitious, the author believes that God would not give up the lives of the military to such a ruler as King George III when the Americans had fought so diligently to avoid war. Paine uses Joan of Arc as an example.

The trials and tribulations...