Benjamin Franklin

“The First American” Puritan’s purity through God’s grace Franklin’s moral perfection through self discipline He failed at this, BUT… Obtained another self-transformation through hard work---epitome of the “American Dream”

His list of accomplishments goes on and on and on… See pg. 74 ArmonicaLightning bells

As a writer Writing should be “smooth, clear, and short” (like what???---Puritan plain style) Not without his critics, who viewed him as someone only concerned with getting ahead Read pg. 75

from The Autobiography Not written all at once & Never finished Tells of his rise from “poverty and obscurity…to a state of affluence and some degree of reputation in the world…” First-person point of view

from Poor Richard’s Almanack Aphorism (proverb)--- brief statement-usually one sentence-that expresses some truth about life in terse, easily remembered form –Brief, witty, common sense, personal concern –Can be original, but often taken from older sayings