Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
The first specific interesting concept I encountered was in Michalko (2001, p. 11). The concept was "Connecting the Unconnected." The ability to see connections where there ordinarily are no such connections, according to the author, is one of the traits of "creative geniuses, where they have "a facility to connect the unconnected by forcing relationships that enable them to see things to which others are blind." This is one of the faculties of creative thinking, where individuals engage in what Michalko terms "productive" rather than "reproductive" thinking. When faced with a challenge or problem, such individuals see things in a myriad of possible ways, which then enables the individual to find unusual solutions. This happened to Benjamin Franklin when he invented the lightning rod. Against all conventional wisdom, Franklin used a kite when there was a thunderstorm and, with this dangerous experiment, was able to prove…...

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References

Gawande, A. (2012, Jun. 4). Failure and Rescue

Isaacson, W. (2003) Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. New York: Simon & Schuster

Michalko, M. (2001). Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Genius. New York: Ten Speed Press.

Seelig, T. A crash course in creativity. Retrieved from:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyM6rx69iqg

Franklin Autobiography
Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography is not only a story of his own relentless attempts at self-improvement, but also designed to be an early advice manual for others who intend to follow in his footsteps. He certainly was one of the most successful men on the 18th Century, rising from poverty and obscurity in Boston to owning a successful printing business, founding the University of Pennsylvania and the American Philosophical Society, and later going on to become leader of the colonial assembly. When the revolution began in 1776, he was the leader of the rebels in overthrowing the Penn family proprietors and writing the first democratic constitution in American history, with Thomas Paine. Later of course, he was one of the drafters of the Declaration of Independence and the first ambassador to France, as well as the founder of the first anti-slavery society in North America. All of that was in…...

Benjamin Franklin is considered one of the most important men in American history. Among his many contributions to the world were inventions such as the Franklin stove, the bifocal, and the harnessing of electricity. He is also renowned for his writings, including contributions to the United States' Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. One of his most enduring works has been his multi-volume autobiography wherein he highlights some of the points of his life and how he perceives them upon reflection. The text functions both as an interesting account of the life of one of history's most unique characters and also as an example of the individual style that would come to feature in works of literature written by American authors.
The 1st and 2nd parts of Benjamin Franklin's autobiography cover his life in the times before the 1740s, from childhood up until his early successes in business. At this time,…...

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Works Cited:

Cook, Christine. "Colonial Newspapers and Magazines, 1704-1775." The Cambridge History of English and American Literature. 1911. Print.

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Mineola, NY: Dover

Publications, 1996. Print.

Jensen, Richard. "Guide to Benjamin Franklin." 2007. Web. Dec. 2011.

Franklin, instead, was able to see the advantages in unfortunate situations, and to use them to his own benefit. He was able to admit that he was a marginal poet and go on to do other things rather than feel injured or insecure.
Again, I feel that having been educated and a talented reader/writer was responsible for much of Franklin's genius, but the ability to be grateful for hardship, to decide what it takes to be a moral person, to contemplate how to help society, to undertake major ideas and turn them into reality, and to possess an insatiable hunger for learning and industry were not an outcome of a challenging childhood.

Franklin was simply blessed with innate insight, humor and gratitude that would have caused him to accomplish great deeds, regardless of his childhood circumstances.

Benjamin Franklin's autobiography is an inspiration. I was able to ignore the outdated hints of racism…...

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Works Cited

Franklin, Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography, Random House, New York: 1944.

Twain, Mark "Article Title," publication, publisher, date.

Turner, Frederick Jackson "Article Title," the Dial, May, 1887.

Benjamin Franklin - the Ideal American
Benjamin Franklin is considered by many to be one of the greatest Americans to ever live, and is also held as an important pillar of America's national heritage. Some may also argue that he exemplifies the American dream and all that is truly American. As the son of a candlemaker and only receiving a minimal amount of formal education, Benjamin Franklin was unlimited by his modest background and used his dedication and determination to master many disciplines in his quest for success. Throughout his life Benjamin Franklin took on the roles of statesman, philanthropist, inventor, revolutionary, publisher, and philosopher. In regards to his and personal and political ideologies and achievements, Benjamin Franklin epitomized the Ideal American.

Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706. He was the fifteenth of seventeen children born to an English candlemaker and soap boiler who had emigrated to…...

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Reference

Benjamin Franklin, Catalyst." The Tri-Lateral Center: Benjamin Franklin and the New World Order. 2002-2003. http://www/belcherfoundation.org/trilateral_center.htm.

Promise Unfulfilled: Franklin in London. 2002. http://library.thinkquest.org/22254/biolondon.htm.

America's Original Entrpreneur - Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790. 2002.  http://www.usdreams.com/franklin4.html .

Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790. 2001-2002. http://vitalog.com/cgi-bin/profile/content.cgi?id=1575

"This gentleman, a stranger to me, stopped one day at my door, and asked me if I was the young man who had lately opened a new printing-house. Being answered in the affirmative, he said he was sorry for me, because it was an expensive undertaking, and the expense would be lost; for Philadelphia was a sinking place.... And at last I had the pleasure of seeing him give five times as much for one as he might have bought it for when he first began his croaking."
This clash of opinion also demonstrates the differences between the thinking and mindsets of two generation of Americans. While the older generation was skeptical and cautious, younger generation was full of optimism, courage and believed in possibilities. This indicates that business environment was changing in the United States and with industrialization gaining hold; new businesses had a better chance of succeeding than…...

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REFERENCE:

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin"   online September 20, 2005]http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=Fra2Aut.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=all [Accessed

Franklin Autobiography
On Self-Improvement

Benjamin Franklin was able to accomplish many things that ordinary men often are not given the opportunity to do. Franklin's father, Josiah, had initially planned for him to serve the Church, however, Franklin's ambition and intelligence proved to Josiah that his son was destined for greater things. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was written between 1771 and 1790 and was intended to serve as a guide an inspiration to Franklin's son, William, who at the time was the oyal Governor of New Jersey. The autobiography is divided into four parts and not only chronicles Franklin's life, but also outlines the steps he took to become the successful man that he is now remembered as being. By detailing the different opportunities and ventures that he took throughout his life, Franklin provides a guide of self-improvement.

One of the key reasons that Franklin wrote his autobiography was to pass down "any…...

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References

Franklin, B. (1790). The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. C.W. Eliot, ed. New York: P.F.

Collier & Son Company.

enjamin Franklin is one of the most widely known and respected American historical figures. He is most recognized for his presence at the signing of the Declaration of Independence and his role as an inventor, printer, and publisher. However, fewer people realize his significant contributions in creating and shaping American institutions such as libraries, hospitals, insurance companies and fire departments, just to name a few of Franklin's civic achievements.
In the 1730s, only the very wealthy and the clergy had access to a large number of books. Franklin along with a group of members from a philosophical association interested in economic, social and political issues named the Junto drew up Articles of Agreement to form out nation's first library in 1731. A group of fifty subscribers each invested forty shilling to start the Library Company and contributed an additional ten shillings every year to buy additional books. Franklin played a role…...

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Bibliography

Benjamin Franklin An Extraordinary Life. An Electric Mind." 21 Feb. 2003.  http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/ .

In the Beginning: The Story of the Creation of the Nation's First Hospital."

21 Feb. 2003.  http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/paharc/features/creation.html .

Franklin's Philadelphia." 21 Feb. 2003.  http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/philadelphia/library.htm .

He also pointed out, when speaking France, Spain and the Netherlands, that if the Colonies won their freedom, those country's colonies in the New World would be much safer from English intrusions (Isaacson, PAGE). However, he always acted like a statesman and never lost sight of the ideals of the rebel colonists, also encouraging other countries to aid the revolution because of its high ideals of liberty and democracy.
Franklin's ability to compromise and to show the various sides on an issue where the advantage lay for them in coming to a resolution served the Colonies well after the end of the Revolutionary War as the 13 budding states worked to find a way to form one federal republic (Isaacson, PAGE). It could be argued that Franklin sometimes went too far with his compromises. In a decision that history shows to be stunningly wrong, Franklin approved a Pennsylvania policy that…...

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Bibliography

Davis, Kenneth C. Don't Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know about American History but Never Learned. New York: Avon Books, 1995.

Isaacson, Walter. 2003. "The Adventures of Benjamin Franklin. TIME Magazine, July 7.

Benjamin Franklin is most often regarded for his role as a founding father. Franklin drafted and then later signed the Declaration of Independence. hile this may have been Franklin's most important act, there are many others he should be remembered for. Franklin was an influential man and responsible for many changes in society, changes that formed the basis for the society we have today, such as starting the first public school. In all of his actions, it was Franklin as a writer that made his achievements possible. He used his writing skills to argue for social change, to express his opinions and to take education to the common people.
riting for Social Change

Franklin used his writing skills to great effect to create social change. He was an ideas man, with many opinions on society and its direction. The difference between Franklin and other ideas men, is that he knew how to…...

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Works Cited

Franklin, B. "Information to Those Who Would Remove to America." Writings 8, 1782, 603-614. Retrieved October 7, 2002. URL:  http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch15s27.html 

Franklin, B. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Archiving Early America, 2001. Retrieved October 7, 2002. URL:  http://earlyamerica.com/lives/franklin/index.html 

Franklin, B. Poor Richard's Almanac. Retrieved October 7, 2002. URL:  http://www.sage-advice.com/Benjamin_Franklin.htm 

Kline, M. Why the Professor Can't Teach: Mathematics and the Dilemma of University Education. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1977.

Benjamin Franklin's religious faith in "Autobiography"
Benjamin Franklin's narrative accounts in his "Autobiography" provide details surrounding his life as a young man, printer, philosopher, scientist, and eventual framer of the U.S. Constitution. In his memoir, Franklin provides his readers insightful thoughts about the principles in life he subsisted to, which made him successful and a contented individual throughout his life. Moreover, he had also included in his reflections thirteen (13) virtues, which he believes are essential for his own model of a successful life.

The message of "Autobiography" is simple: the author wants to convey the fact that humankind, specifically human beings, has the potential to become 'perfect.' That is, individuals can better their lives and live satisfactorily by subsisting to the virtues and success model that Franklin enumerates, discusses, and recommends in "Autobiography."

It is evident that the "Autobiography" is laden with Franklin's commentaries about life in general, as well as suggested…...

Emerson's religion is almost animistic and is certainly monistic: he postulates an "identical nature" at the heart of all living creatures and views all life as one. In "A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain," however, Franklin's views do coincide more with Emerson's regarding the oneness of all things when the author states: "every Creature must be equally esteem'd by the Creator."
Still, Franklin's life and writing reveals a more secular outlook on life than Emerson's, too. Emerson, who seemed inured to scientific developments, barely mentions the role of technology in advancing human progress. Franklin, especially given his inventiveness and affinity for scientific progress, valued the role of technology in the process of enlightenment. In Poor Richard's Almanac, Franklin claims that industry is virtuous; Emerson does not seem as enthralled with the role of labor in human affairs. For Emerson, meditation serves a more central purpose than technological…...

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Works Cited

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "The Over-soul." Retrieved June 22, 2008 at  http://www.channingchurch.org/Frontpage/oversoul.html 

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Self-Reliance." 1841. Retrieved June 22, 2008 at  http://www.emersoncentral.com/self-reliance.htm 

Franklin, Benjamin. "Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion." 1728. Retrieved June 22, 2008 at http://www.historycarper.com/resources/twobf2/articles.htm

Franklin, Benjamin. "A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain." Retrieved June 22, 2008 at http://www.historycarper.com/resources/twobf1/m7.htm

He also related how his small group of friends played tricks with their unwitting neighbors. His friends would set fire on alcohol, rekindled candles blown out, imitate lightning flashes or by touching or kissing and make an artificial spider move (ellis).
Using the Leyden jar, enjamin made an electrical batter, roasted a fowl on a spit fired with electricity, ignited alcohol by electricity through water, fired gunpowder and shocked wine drinkers' glasses (ellis 2006, Nussbaum 2006). More than these, he theorized on the identity of lightning and electricity. He believed that buildings could be protected by iron rods. Using an iron road, he conducted electricity into his house. Then he studies the effect upon bells. From these, he concluded that clouds were generally negatively charged or electrified. In June 1752, he performed his famous kite experiment with the help of his son. He drew electricity from the clouds and charged…...

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Bibliography

Bellis, Mary. Benjamin Franklin About.com: About, Inc., 2007

Benjamin Franklin and Electricity, 2007

Electric Benjamin Franklin, the. Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. ushistory.org:

Independence Hall Association, 2007

But one does not dress for private company as for a publick ball. 'Tis perhaps only negligence" (Chapter One). Here, his humor allows the reader to look at his work in a more lighthearted fashion, in addition to poking fun at his old age.
Franklin's choice to use humor in what seems to be a serious piece of rhetoric may seem perplexing, but it's use is effective and called for. Franklin's audience is the early American population, mostly those who are educated, but also those who are not. These people are used to reading dry sermons and treatises. Franklin must have known that through the use of humor, he could capture their attention. Furthermore, his stylistic use of humor, and ability to poke fun at his own work, allows for its applicability to all. In other words, Franklin knows humor to be a sort of universal through which he can…...

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Works Cited

Franklin, Benjamin. "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin." Archiving Early

America. 1771. 19 January 2008.  http://www.earlyamerica.com/lives/franklin/chapt1/

The Revolution was made by those people who could first help themselves in order to help the rest of the world, like the founding fathers.
Another American hero, Henry D. Thoreau, can also be easily pinpointed as a self-made man, in the spirit of Benjamin Franklin. His personality was disputed among those who saw in him more of a passive militant for a cause, than an active player, like the Franklin. There is no doubt that he stepped away from the forms of passivity in the form described by Irving in his character, Rip Van Winkle. Like his predecessor, Thoreau read extensively and understood the value of knowledge as the only and best way to developing one's identity and contributing to the whole development of society.

One of the most famous characters in the American literature, Huckleberry Finn, the child hero in Mark Twain's book, follows in the steps of the…...

It is difficult to answer any question that asks about how the founders felt about anything.  While there were many more people involved in the American Revolution, resulting in some disagreement about who was a founder, there is a list of 10 people that consistently get mentioned as founders or founding fathers.  However, these 10 people were not ideologically identical.  In fact, there was a substantial amount of disagreement among them about a number of topics, including the rule of the average person in democracy.  To get a better feel for their competing ideas, you can reference....

Thesis Statement: The Founding Fathers of the United States were a remarkable group of individuals who, despite their diverse backgrounds and often conflicting views, came together to create a new nation based on the principles of liberty, equality, and self-government. Their vision and determination laid the foundation for a vibrant and enduring democracy that has served as a model for countless nations around the world.

Introduction:

The Founding Fathers of the United States were a diverse group of individuals who came from different backgrounds, had different experiences, and held different beliefs. However, they shared a common goal: to create a new nation....

Incorporating Humor into Autobiographies: Enhancing Storytelling and Audience Engagement

Autobiographies, by their very nature, invite readers into the personal journeys and experiences of the author. While most autobiographies aim to capture the complexities of life, including both triumphs and challenges, incorporating humorous anecdotes can significantly enhance the storytelling experience. Here's how humor can elevate an autobiography:

1. Breaks Down Barriers and Fosters Connection:

Humor has a disarming effect that can break down barriers between the author and the reader. It establishes a common ground, creating a sense of camaraderie. When readers laugh alongside the author, they feel a deeper connection, making them more....

Literary Analysis and Criticism

The Power of Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter: Explore the significance of the scarlet letter as a potent symbol of sin, shame, and redemption. Analyze how Hawthorne uses it to develop the characters' struggles and the novel's themes.
The Complexity of Hamlet's Character: Delve into the enigmatic character of Hamlet, examining his introspective nature, indecisiveness, and tragic flaw. Discuss his motivations and actions in light of Shakespeare's play.
The Feminist Critique of Jane Eyre: Examine the novel through a feminist lens, analyzing the portrayal of gender roles, female empowerment, and domesticity. Discuss the significance of Jane's....