Ben Franklin: Autobiography and Poor Richard's Almanac

Ben Franklin: Autobiography and Poor Richard's Almanac

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Literary Analysis: Autobiography

An autobiography is a person’s written account of his or her own life. Though by its nature subjective, it nevertheless offers valuable insight into the author’s personality, thoughts, and feelings.

Open Ended

What does this line reveal about Franklin's personality?

“As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right or wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other.”

Open Ended

What does this line reveal about Franklin's personality?

“While my care was employed in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another.”

Open Ended

What does this line reveal about Franklin's personality?

“I determined to give a week’s strict attention to each of the virtues successively.”

Open Ended

What does this line reveal about Franklin's personality?

“I was surprised to find myself so much fuller of faults than I imagined.”

Open Ended

What does this line reveal about Franklin's personality?

“The man came every now and then from the wheel to see how the work went on, and at length would take his ax as it was, without further grinding. ‘No,’ said the smith, ‘turn on, turn on; we shall have it bright by and by; as yet, it is only speckled.’ ‘Yes,’ said the man, ‘but I think I like a speckled ax best.’”

Open Ended

What does this line reveal about Franklin's personality?

“. . . a perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.”

Literary Analysis: Aphorisms

The aphorisms—short sayings with a message—that Franklin wrote for Poor Richard’s Almanack also tell readers about the writer’s personality.

Open Ended

Have you something to do tomorrow, do it today.

Open Ended

Write injuries in dust, benefits in marble.

Open Ended

The doors of wisdom are never shut.

Open Ended

Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead.

Open Ended

Well done is better than well said.

Open Ended

No gains without pains.

Open Ended

A true friend is the best possession.

Open Ended

A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over.

Reading Strategy: Cause-and-Effect Relationships

A good way to understand a writer’s selection is to look for cause-and-effect relationships. What event causes another event to happen? What emotion by the writer leads to what behavior? Read the following examples from Franklin’s The Autobiography:

As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other.

The cause-and-effect relationship here can be summed up easily: CAUSE: Know what’s right; EFFECT: Do what’s right.

Open Ended

No gains without pains.

Open Ended

Haste makes waste.

Multiple Choice

Which part of this sentence from The Autobiography identifies it as an

autobiography?

I wished to live without committing any fault at any time.

• the word I

• the word wished

• the word live

• the word time

Multiple Choice

Why is the selection by Franklin identified as an autobiography?

• Franklin is now dead.

• Franklin is famous.

• Franklin wrote about his own life.

• Franklin was a scientist.

Multiple Choice

According to The Autobiography, what is Franklin’s first step in his plan to reach perfection?

• He makes a list of what he wants to achieve.

• He improves his handwriting.

• He makes a schedule of what he does each day.

• He lists the friends he can count on.

Multiple Choice

In The Autobiography, what does Franklin say keeps him from becoming a better person?

• his wish for money

• his need for power

• his own bad habits

• his choice of friends

Multiple Choice

What causes Franklin to make a list of the different virtues?

• He does not want to forget them.

• He decides to show them to his friends and family.

• He likes to keep a record of every idea he has.

• He wants to be sure he understands each one individually.

Multiple Choice

In The Autobiography, why does Franklin assign a week to each of the virtues he is trying to achieve?

• He has a limited amount of time to concentrate on his plan.

• He hopes the strength he gains each week will spill over into the next.

• He does not think that he can focus on more than one virtue at a time.

• He likes starting tasks on Monday and completing them on Sunday.

Multiple Choice

In The Autobiography, Franklin believes that he can become a better person.

What does this belief tell you about how he sees himself?

• He does not believe in himself.

• He has high hopes for himself.

• His knowledge of science can help him.

• His religion will help him.

Multiple Choice

What information does The Autobiography reveal to readers about Franklin?

• his inventions

• important dates in his life

• what type of person he was

• what kind of family he came from

Multiple Choice

What effect does Franklin hope to achieve by concentrating on improving one virtue at a time?

• success

• adventure

• fame

• patience

Multiple Choice

Which reminder from Poor Richard’s Almanack connects best to Franklin’s ideas about trying to become a better person?

• “Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead.”

• “‘Tis easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.”

• “If your head is wax, don’t walk in the sun.”

• “Keep thy shop, and they shop will keep thee.”

Multiple Choice

What is the best meaning of this aphorism from Poor Richard’s Almanack?

For want of a nail the shoe is lost; for want of a shoe the horse is lost; for want of a horse the rider is lost.

• Be sure to replace your lost tools and supplies.

• Small details can affect all of your work.

• Every rider should know how to shoe his horse.

• Horses run best when they do not have shoes.