Question

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. —Thomas Paine, common sense, 1776 In the above quotation, what does Paine mean by the terms "summer soldier" and "sunshine patriot"?

Answer 1

He means a soldier who has not yet seen the horrors of fighting. Someone who only joins for the glory and supports the cause because it’s popular. “In the sunshine”

Answer 2

In this quotation, Paine talks about the "summer soldier" and the "sunshine patriot." When he talks in this way, he is referring to people who offer support but not at any personal cost to themselves.

These are the soldiers who would most likely shrink from the service of their country. This means that they would most likely not fight when necessary. By using such positive words, Paine implies that these soldiers are only willing to fight as long as conditions are good and they do not have to suffer much.