Before saying goodbye to Colonial Literature Meet Benjamin Franklin.
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Transcript of Before saying goodbye to Colonial Literature Meet Benjamin Franklin.
Before saying goodbye to Colonial LiteratureMeet Benjamin Franklin
TAKE NOTESHow do you get credit for class
today?Take some notes!
Colonial PeriodFrom about 1607 – 1775 Captivity Narratives
(Mary Rowlandson and others)
Religious writingsJohn Winthrop’s “City upon a Hill”Cotton Mather’s Magnalia Christi Americana
But wait! There’s more!
Benjamin Franklin
1706 – 1790Scientist, inventor, socialitePrinterPublished The Pennsylvania
Gazette
Inventor
…Bi-focals
Odometer…and a version of the
He explored electricity, figured out how it worked and invented the lightning rod. Additionally, he made swim fins…
The Legend
In his later yearshe was a diplomat Represented Pennsylvania to
BritainTried to bring about resolution
during disputes between the colonies and England—to avoid the revolution.
Negotiated treaty that brought France into the American Revolution on our side.
Didactic writing
Means writing that is intended to teach a lesson.
TOPICS of his writing:Self-improvementImprovement of society
….and more
The master of aphorismaph· o· rism [af-uh-riz-uhm]
noun a terse (short) saying embodying a general truth, or astute (insightful) observation,: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” - Lord Acton
Aphorisms a la Ben
“Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation” (89)
“Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation” (91)
At age 22 he wrote his epitaph
The Body of B. Franklin,
Printer Like the Cover of an Old Book,
Its Contents torn Out And Stript of its Lettering and
Gilding Lies Here, Food for Worms.
But the Work shall not be Lost; For it will (as he Believ'd) Appear
once More In a New and More Elegant Edition
Corrected and amended By the Author.
Extended MetaphorBen Franklin compares his body to
_____?
Write down the qualities of an old book:1.2.3.4.
Who is the author he is talking about?
Option 1: Your EpitaphWrite your own epitaphMust be 5-10 lines long(here lies…)
Option II: Write your rules
Write 5-10 rules to live by.Refer to page 95 and 96 for
ideas!
Now Read
Page 92-95Starting at “Arriving at Moral
Perfection” completing “Sayings of Poor Richard”
Written Response1. What does Franklin’s project for moral
perfection reveal about his views of human nature and his attitudes toward education? Do you agree or disagree with his view?
2. Franklin ends his list of virtues with “humility.” Did you find evidence of pride in his history? Where?
3. Which virtue on Franklin’s list do you think is most important? Why?