American literature

1. American literature Xue Ling

2. Chapter One Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790)

3. - He’s a writer. • - He’s a scientist. • - He’s a businessman. • - He’s a politician. • - He’s an inventor.

4. Born on Milk Street in Boston, Massachusetts from a very large family. • At the age of 12, apprenticed to be a newspaper printer in Boston. • In 1729, already owned his own printing shop and published the newspaper Pennsylvania Gazette 《宾夕法尼亚报》.

5. In 1732, offered his Poor Richard’s Almonac《格言历书》. • From 1771 to 1790, wrote his Autobiography《自传》. • Being one of those who drafted articles leading to the Declaration of Independence. • Served on the convention to draft the constitution, which was finally adopted in 1789.

6. Literary term • Autobiography: - A written account of one’s own life. - Autobiographical writing as a literary genre.

7. Style • His style is clear and even plain in his time, but for modern readers, it is a bit hard to read. • His style is rather formal, but the organization of his material is informal • It is a book on the art of self-improvement.

8. It is significant: (1) it is a classic of its kind in American literature; (2) it indicates the fact that Franklin was the spokesman of American enlightenment. • Franklin embodied the transition from Puritan piety, idealism and provincialism to the more secular, utilitarian, and cosmopolitan values of the American enlightenment.

9. Significance of Franklin’s Autobiography • Franklin’s autobiography remains one of the classics of its kind. It shows Franklin as a man of versatile energy and new ideas, a man who represented American. enlightenment and the fulfillment of American dream.

10. It is a humorous and fascinating record of an old man’s reflections on his rise from a poor boy to a rich and famous personage through self-examination, self-reliance, and self improvement.

11. Questions to ponder • Why is Benjamin Franklin considered a great man in American literature and history? • What are the major contributions he made to America? • In what ways are you impressed by Benjamin Franklin?