Exploring the Text

Access the text here.

  1. Considering what you know about the Founding Fathers—that is, their Enlightenment values and respect for learning—are you surprised by what Benjamin Franklin says about the scarcity of books in the colonies? Explain.

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - Considering what you know about the Founding Fathers—that is, their Enlightenment values and respect for learning—are you surprised by what Benjamin Franklin says about the scarcity of books in the colonies? Explain.
  2. As reported in paragraph 4, what is the lesson that Franklin has learned? Does it apply merely to his circumstances, or do you see it as timelessly universal, applying to our own lives now? Explain.

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - As reported in paragraph 4, what is the lesson that Franklin has learned? Does it apply merely to his circumstances, or do you see it as timelessly universal, applying to our own lives now? Explain.
  3. Knowing Franklin’s liberal views toward women (as you may have inferred from reading “The Speech of Miss Polly Baker” on p. 350), why do you suppose his mention of his wife is so brief (par. 6)?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - Knowing Franklin’s liberal views toward women (as you may have inferred from reading “The Speech of Miss Polly Baker” on p. 350), why do you suppose his mention of his wife is so brief (par. 6)?
  4. What is Franklin’s attitude toward religion? Make specific reference to the text as you characterize his view.

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - What is Franklin’s attitude toward religion? Make specific reference to the text as you characterize his view.
  5. In his essay “Circles,” Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, “There is no virtue which is final; all are initial. The virtues of society are the vices of the saint. The terror of reform is the discovery that we must cast away our virtues, or what we have always esteemed such, into the same pit that has contained our grosser vices.” In his autobiography, Franklin writes, “It was about this time that I conceiv’d the bold and arduous Project of arriving at moral Perfection” (par. 9). How would you compare the two views of virtue held by these writers? Is an enterprise such as achieving moral perfection even possible? Explain.

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - In his essay “Circles,” Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, “There is no virtue which is final; all are initial. The virtues of society are the vices of the saint. The terror of reform is the discovery that we must cast away our virtues, or what we have always esteemed such, into the same pit that has contained our grosser vices.” In his autobiography, Franklin writes, “It was about this time that I conceiv’d the bold and arduous Project of arriving at moral Perfection” (par. 9). How would you compare the two views of virtue held by these writers? Is an enterprise such as achieving moral perfection even possible? Explain.
  6. Read carefully Franklin’s list of thirteen virtues, with their precepts (par. 11). Which two or three do you think are the most important? Which two or three would be the most difficult to achieve? Why?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - Read carefully Franklin’s list of thirteen virtues, with their precepts (par. 11). Which two or three do you think are the most important? Which two or three would be the most difficult to achieve? Why?
  7. Consider the schedule that Franklin made in his “little Book” (par. 13). What inferences can you make about Franklin from a close reading of his list of virtues and his schedule?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - Consider the schedule that Franklin made in his “little Book” (par. 13). What inferences can you make about Franklin from a close reading of his list of virtues and his schedule?
  8. Franklin uses one analogy in paragraph 14 and two in paragraph 21. How do they help Franklin achieve his purpose? Which of the three is most successful? Why?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - Franklin uses one analogy in paragraph 14 and two in paragraph 21. How do they help Franklin achieve his purpose? Which of the three is most successful? Why?
  9. How would Franklin’s employment schedule (par. 20) compare with that of a young person today? With your own?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - How would Franklin’s employment schedule (par. 20) compare with that of a young person today? With your own?
  10. Are you surprised to read that a friend told Franklin that he was “generally thought proud” (par. 26)? Why or why not? Franklin concludes the final paragraph with a paradox. How effective is it? Do you find it revealing? Amusing? Appropriate? Ironic? Explain.

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - Are you surprised to read that a friend told Franklin that he was “generally thought proud” (par. 26)? Why or why not? Franklin concludes the final paragraph with a paradox. How effective is it? Do you find it revealing? Amusing? Appropriate? Ironic? Explain.