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Analysis of Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
The passages that I read from the Autobiography of: Benjamin Franklin, outlines his manifest from child, to becoming a distinguished and accomplished man. To this day, he is still acquiring recognition for being a key figure in American History.
Benjamin Franklin enlightens his readers in the opening paragraph, with a brief introduction of his family’s lineage and how they were Trade smith’s. He goes in detail about his grandfather on his dad side, Thomas Franklin and how his was an igneous man. He also mentions how his father and uncles were all bred properly and held decent occupations during the Reformation era. He mentions how he was named after his uncle Benjamin, who was ironically a Politician
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They openly rejoiced their religious freedom and beliefs as it being a vital factor for his family migrate to New England. As I was reading, this made me understand the complete difference of then and now, pertaining to religion and government. In this time frame, the notable clause, “separation between church and state”, was not yet executed.
Benjamin Franklin had 17 siblings by his father, Josiah Franklin. In this particular passage, he makes it very aware of how his grandfather, Peter Folger was part of the first puritan settlers. Many of the important men in his life are parallel in multiple dimensions to him in similar ways that molded him into the man that he was. I definitely get a complete understanding of where most of his influences came from and how motivational they were in throughout his life.
He was very well educated as an adolescent, and has always had a literacy agenda. He even states that there is not a knowledge time in his life of where he was illiterate to comprehending literature. This was the beginning stages of him becoming an intellect. Compared to his brothers that did not go down the academic path, he began to soar and excel in the classes he was enrolled to. Gradually, he became top of his class in a matter of a couple years at a phenomenal 8-10 years of
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He continues to mention he love for the sea, where he feels like he is destined to be. He admits that he is not too fond of his father’s craft and his dad grew weary to the fact that Benjamin did not have a trade of any sort other than academics, and search many places for he can train. Ironically, it would become an important era in his life. This is when he became interested in science. He describes his curiosity in craftsmanship and building little machines. He eventually became an apprentice to the cutler trade, but didn’t last long due the fact his cousin wanted to be compensated for the training.
He goes into detail about his favorite readings as a young man, and how he and his father eventually came to agreeance of allowing him to follow his passion, and apprentice in the printer’s trade. This was a pivotal event in his life because it gave his a plethora of access to more books that in due course intensified his self-improvement. He served as an apprentice for 9 years. This came about when his brother, James Franklin returned from England with a printing
Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia is a children’s nonfiction book about Ben Franklin and his life from a boy to a successful adult. This book was written by Margaret Cousins. The 141 pages in the book was published in 1952.
Franklin wrote his autobiography for his son. His journey was very important to him. His son would benefit from this. He says “I sit down to write them for you”. (Franklin (473) This signifies all of the effort he is putting into his writing. Franklin had a strong belief in God. He says, “And now I speak of thanking God, I deserve with all humanity to acknowledge, that I owe the mention’d happiness of my past life to his kind providence…” (474) This quote shows that he is thankful for all that God has done for
Franklin’s Autobiography is a motivational story. Even as a child, he loves reading books and wanted to continue on with his school. Unfortunately, his father did not have the
Benjamin Franklin has been without a doubt one of the most relevant individuals in US history. His autobiography gives us a brief but detailed summary of what his life was like and how society worked in the eighteen century. This autobiography gives us many details of how the colonies where and offers and an overall image of the development of British North America which later turned into the United States. Due to the fact that this book was originally written for Franklin's son, the book concentrates in personal information and has very little information about other topics. However, there are some topics that can be extracted from his writings; one of them is gender. Even though, Franklin never talks openly about gender, we can observe how in his writing these roles are clearly assigned. In this paper, we will analyze how Benjamin's Franklin autobiography showcases the importance of gender in the early eighteenth century. Gender can be analyzed in Franklins book by looking at different topics. This given to men and women by society can be seen in the workspace, in the education of each individual, and in the family and family structure.
This paper also seeks to compare the autobiographies of Benjamin Franklin and Fredrick Douglas. In an e...
In The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin we see the way Franklin carried his life from being just a boy to a great business man. He states how things were in his opinion. He was a man that started from nothing, worked his way up in the social hierarchy as an important figure and also a financial figure. In his autobiography we see differences in gender take place. Men were the highlight of social construction while females were underestimated as a role in society in education, family and work.
Benjamin Franklin was a remarkably talented man. He started his life as a printers apprentice, but went much farther then there. He developed things that were far more advanced than the time. Benjamin Franklin's stove for example, for cold winter nights, and bifocal lenses for reading. Franklin tracked storms to help understand the horrible weather endured by the colonies. But gis study of electricity made him mist famous and he was known world wide as the founder of the lightning rod. Not only was Benjamin Franklin helpful in developing ideas for better living, he was also a strong force in developing the new nation of America. Benjamin Franklins political views showed him to be a man who loved freedom and independence. His views towards England gradually changed from like to dislike until he finally
Benjamin Franklin is one of the most profound individuals in American history. He is a Diplomat, Writer, Inventor, a founding father, and holds the title as the “First American.” In 1706 Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is the fifteenth of seventeen children that his father, Josiah Franklin, had. At the age of 8 years old Franklin attended school, here he learned literacy. In spite of his successes in school, he had to drop out at the young age of 10 to assist his father with his business. Franklin did not enjoy working for his father’s business, however he had to work at his father’s shop for about 2 years. Josiah then had Benjamin apprenticed to his little brother, James, who was a printer. James is the founder
Benjamin Franklin is one of the most well-known men on earth! Everyone knows who he is, but not a lot of people have read about him. Mr. Franklin has an Autobiography that was published to us. In pages 411 through 417 of Benjamin Franklin Autobiography there is three topics Benjamin Franklin touches on when writing these five pages of his Autobiography. To begin with the first topic was about a library he opened up, the second topic he spoke about was about how he respects religion but doesn’t like religion controversy, and last but not least he wrote about thirteen virtues.
Born in the Massachusetts Bay Colony on January 17,1706; Benjamin was the youngest son of seventeen children. From an early age Benjamin was a natural earner but discontinued his studies to work in his father’s soap and candle shop at age 10. Two years later, Franklin joined his brother as an apprentice at his printer shop. Working at the shop, Franklin indulged himself with writing and poetry. In the Autobiography, Benjamin claimed that “Prose Writing… of great Use to me in the Course of my Life, and was a principal Means of my Advancement” (“Benjamin Franklin”). With no work success in New York Franklin
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a representation of the new prospect of upward mobility in colonial America during the 18th century and the development of the Age of Reason, which assisted in the conception of the idea of the “American Dream”; a dream that includes fundamentally social ideals such as democracy, equality, and material prosperity. Furthermore, Franklin’s autobiography exemplifies a significant shift in focus from religion to enlightenment and reason. Additionally, there were forces specific to Benjamin Franklin's Philadelphia, that played an important role in his perspectives and the changes that occurred within colonial America during the 18th century.
In The Autobiography, Benjamin Franklin recounts the many paramount experiences throughout his life that shaped him into great American figure he was known to be. On the opening page, Franklin reveals the book’s epistolary format by writing, “Dear Son,” going on to admit that he’s made some mistakes in the past and to recollect that past is a way to relive it. By divulging his desire to “change some sinister Accidents & Events” (Franklin 3) the author indicates how important it is for his son to observe as he amends his mistakes. Pride, virtue and vanity play a pivotal role in Benjamin Franklin’s life and the way he portrays himself to others. Instances occur where the author is shown gloating about his great accomplishments and he puts emphasis on his need to live a virtuous and morally perfect life. Throughout his story, Benjamin Franklin tells his son of his many virtuous acts and momentous achievements, motivating the question as to whether he seeks his own approval more so than the approval of his peers.
Benjamin Franklin is considered to be one of the most well-known Founding Fathers, as he helped in writing the Declaration of Independence and the very first Constitution of the United States. Who was he other than a man who fought for colonist’s rights however? Franklin was a brilliant inventor who created many innovating and life changing mechanisms, such as the world’s very first almanac, bifocals, and the lightning rod. He was also a major figure in the American Enlightenment, which restored art, science and music, spreading moral philosophy all across the colonies. Although he was never elected to the role of President of the United States, Franklin served in several other parts, such as the first postmaster general for the colonies in
Benjamin Franklin was a very prominent figure in shaping our nation. Many people look at him as a role model or just as an amazing individual. He had his faults just like every human being had, and he shouldn’t be discredited because of a few minor glitches to his character. As being the only person that had signed The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and the Treaty of Paris, this immediately separates him from all others. One of the things that he wrote about in Benjamin Franklin: The Autobiography and Other Writings, was trying to be the ideal person, and even made a list of virtues to live by. His virtues were very important to his lifestyle, and he followed them to a great extent.
Benjamin Franklin is one of the most influential and famous figures of all time. Ben Franklin if often referred to as the "self-made man," and his philosophies and principles in the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, edited by Louis P. Masur, has served as a self-help book for millions around the world. Franklin's Autobiography is a prime example of the American dream, a rag to riches story that has inspired many people to think of themselves and the community in a different light. Franklin's moral and social philosophies are packed deeply into his Autobiography. Franklin believed that improving ones self was the key to success. Self-improvement, self-education, and self-discipline are the main factors of a self-made man. Improving yourself will ultimately improve the society as a whole. Franklin speaks of principality and inclination. His idea was to produce the principle man with the awareness of man's natural inclination. Throughout the text Franklin provides examples from his own life that contradicts his moral and social philosophies. These contradictions are mostly caused by natural inclinations. Franklin uses these contradictions to educate people to be aware of their natural inclinations and to try and overcome them. Franklin's realizes that improving oneself is a road with many imperfections. Not even the "self-made man" was completely perfect.