Literary Techniques In The Autobiography Of Benjamin Franklin

622 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Benjamin Franklin's autobiography analysis

In The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Franklin reminisces for his son. Throughout this novel, Benjamin Franklin addresses many issues with anecdotes and wise sayings to his son, which have universal application. Franklin employs diction, sentence structure, and tone to produce a colloquial style. These literary techniques help construct a fascinating autobiography, which is quite unusual for his time. First, Benjamin Franklin constructs a tone that is, at times, extremely humorous. This humorous tone creates laughter and enjoyment. For example, Franklin creates a calendar of a “typical day.” This produces humor as Franklin addresses “foppery in morals:” And I believe this may have been the case with many who, having, for want …show more content…

In this quote, Franklin seeks to attain moral perfection but fails. Thus, Franklin produces an extremely interesting, and well developed autobiography through hilarious humor. Secondly, Benjamin Franklin fashions an intriguing, interesting autobiography through an extremely simple sentence structure. By utilizing a simple structure, Franklin entices and completely captures the reader. For example, this occurs a Franklin reflects on his childhood: I disliked the trade, and had a strong inclination for the sea, but my father declared against it; however, living near the water, I was much in and about it, learnt early to swim well, and to manage boats; and when in a boat or canoe with other boys, I was commonly allowed to govern, especially in any case of difficulty; and upon other occasions I was generally a leader among the boys, and sometimes led them into scrapes, of which I will mention one instance, as it shows an early projecting public spirit, tho' not then justly

Show More
Related

  • The Americanization Of Benjamin Franklin Book Summary

    701 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gordon S. Wood delves into Benjamin Franklin’s philosophical, political, and personal legacies in the biography, The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. The book travels through Franklin’s experiments, his travels in Europe, and his role in the American revolution. The book begins when Franklin retires from business and becomes a gentleman. It was when he became a gentleman, it allowed him to analyze the world around him. “Indeed, he could not drink a cup of tea without wondering why the tea leaves at the bottom gathered in way rather than another,” a quote from Edmund S. Morgan’s book, Benjamin Franklin. Franklin spent a great deal of time in Britain before returning to America. When he returned, he threw himself into the American revolution, which sent him to France. After he accomplished his duties in France, he returned back home to America where he ran for public office.

    Read More

  • William Franklin: Traitor? Patriot?

    2379 Words  | 5 Pages

    In marked contrast to his famous father, who worked diligently on his autobiography until declining health would no longer allow it, William Franklin spent the years following the Revolutionary War wandering without purpose, the quintessential man without a country. Like many prominent loyalists to the Crown of England, William had suffered the confiscation of his property and the loss of his good name. William Franklin spent the first years of his English exile arguing in front of British Parliament for recompense on behalf of his fellow loyalists, with varying success, and for himself with none whatsoever. This endeavor having proven unfulfilling, William attempted to reconcile with his father and his son, Benjamin Franklin and William Temple Franklin, who had replaced William as Benjamin’s heir. For his efforts, William was rebuffed and made to suffer the indignity of virtual disinheritance.

    Read More

  • The Struggle Of An Indentured Servant By James Revel

    1185 Words  | 3 Pages

    While writing a letter to his son, he begins to explain his reasoning for writing in a somewhat formal fashion, stating what he felt was the purpose of his life. His light hearted nature would show through when he lightly mocked previous statements he had written. He shows a lot of pride in all of the accomplishments he had made in his life. He refers to his past mistakes as ‘errata’ which is a term used for correcting printing mistakes. This suggests that he simply viewed his errors in life as easily replaced with the greater things he has gone on to do. He stressed the importance of hard work and that it would certainly lead to greatness and wealth. In part two, a seemingly older Franklin focuses his tone away from entertaining himself and his son. He goes on to explain a series of models and virtues that would lead to a happy and fulfilling life. Lastly in part three, a slightly older Franklin encourages people so stop thinking in self-interest and to join together to encourage social

    Read More

  • Comparing Frederick Douglass And Reading Books

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Thomas Jefferson And Ben Franklin's Vision Of America

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    Franklin was remembered for stating "the longer I live, the more convincing proof I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men." Franklin 's ideas that contributed to the Enlightenment is found in his Autobiography. His idea of a perfect person has 13 virtues and claims that a practical and scientific man is based on combining their values and economic values. Franklin preferred voluntarily societies over government control, all his thoughts can lead back to free opinion. In his, Almanac is reflected on his scientific interests and was popular within the

    Read More

  • Benjamin Franklin's "Arriving at Perfection"

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    The tone of the essay is pretty straightforward. Benjamin Franklin means what he writes and thinks. There is no pun or sarcasm in this piece. He does however seem to put an apostrophe where the "e" of the past participle goes. This is something that they did during his lifetime. It is something that the audience can recognize right away because it catches your eye right off the back. An example of this is "...that I conciev'd the bold and..." Benjamin Franklin lists his virtues in a numerical order of their importance. A person could also think by looking at Benjamin Franklin's essay that it could be more of a science lab report. The way it is written could look easily like that because it has a list and a table and steps on how to be perfect.

    Read More

  • The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

    1074 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Essay Comparing Benjamin Franklin and Jonathan Edwards

    917 Words  | 2 Pages

    Different literature writers have many different views about mankind. Many American writers discuss these views. More out spoken American writers spend a great amount of time talking about this topic. In this paper we will look at Benjamin Franklin’s and Jonathan Edwards’ views of mankind by looking at personal background, religious views, and evidence in their writings.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Benjamin Franklin Of Old Philadelphia

    509 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Moral Perfection Of Benjamin Franklin

    1301 Words  | 3 Pages

    Moral perfection. This was Benjamin Franklin’s way of living “..without committing any fault at any time” (Franklin, 63). Benjamin Franklin was very specific about the way he intended to live his life and the person he was aiming to become. Franklin seemed to believe that since he knew right and wrong, there was no reason not to always do right and avoid the other. This might have seemed like a crazy task, even impossible. However, Benjamin Franklin was determined to try to achieve this perfect lifestyle. In previous letters that Benjamin had received for encouragement to right and publish an autobiography, men had described him in many ways that made him worthy. Men used words such as your frugality, diligence, and temperance ( Benjamin

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Benjamin Franklin And Olaudah Equiano

    1316 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass and Benjamin Franklin

    1473 Words  | 3 Pages

    This paper also seeks to compare the autobiographies of Benjamin Franklin and Fredrick Douglas. In an e...

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Gender In Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography

    1211 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Benjamin Franklin: An Inspirational Self-Made Man

    1491 Words  | 3 Pages

    A general theme in Franklin's writings is the differences between the private and public self and how the two interact. Parts One and Two of his Autobiography were written at different times and intended for different audiences. In Part One Franklin is speaking to his Son, (who was then the Governor of New Jersey) a public figure. It was started in 1771. Part Two was begun...

    Read More

  • Abraham Lincoln and Calamity Jane

    914 Words  | 2 Pages

    In The Boys’ Life of Abraham Lincoln by Helen Nicolay and Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane, By Herself, tone is employed to more effectively display the purpose of the essays. In The Boys’ Life of Abraham Lincoln, Nicolay uses a tone that demonstrates triumph through tragedy, weaving specifics about Lincoln’s ancestors with the trials he faced. In Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane, By Herself, Mrs. Burk (Calamity Jane) uses a tone that is familiar to the world of documentaries, starting her story at her birth and ending with where she was when she wrote the autobiography. One must remember that The Boys’ Life of Abraham Lincoln is a biography, and Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane, By Herself is an autobiography. The contrasting of these two fine pieces of literature makes some specifics about tone and purpose stick out in one’s mind.

    Read More

More about Literary Techniques In The Autobiography Of Benjamin Franklin

Open Document