Continue analyzing this passage from Common Sense. Is the phrase “A pretty business indeed” meant to be straightforward or sarcastic?

sarcastic - by simple sense that we cannot use the word pretty to describe a business as a whole.

We need to see the passage

Explanation:

if there is no passage the answer is straight ford otherwise if we don't have the passage we can not tell if the author is joking.

the old way of life was represented by superstition, an angry god, and absolute submission to authority. the thinkers of the age of reason ushered in a new way of thinking. this new way championed the accomplishments of humankind. individuals did not have to accept despair. science and reason could bring happiness and progress. kings did not rule by divine right. they had an obligation to their subjects. europeans pondered the implications for nearly a century. americans put them into practice first.

they encountered severe weather for which they were poorly prepared.