To me, the coolest part about Franklin is his modest, yet extremely dedicated, upbringing. Before this, I couldn't imagine a Founding Father being so down to earth and able to relate to the average person. Working in his father's shop was not good enough for him; he had bigger aspirations. The obstacles he overcame to reach this idea of self-betterment were astounding. His actions are a reminder to his son that you can always improve yourself and not to let anyone tell you that you can't.
As perfectly shaped as Franklin's life seems, he admits to some faults along the way: "That Felicity, when I reflected on it, has induc'd me sometimes to say, that were it offer'd to my Choice, I should have no Objection to a Repetition of the same Life from its Beginning, only asking the Advantage Authors have in a second Edition to correct some Faults of the first" (p.3). I think that the mention of his errors serves as a reminder to his son to not make the same mistakes he did (typical fatherly advice).
Is the formal diction and ridiculous capitalization a symbol of his style or of the time period he lived in?
Sorry that post wasn't too focused...just trying to throw a few thoughts out there.
1 comment:
I agree in the point Alex brings forth in the second paragraph of his post. Frankin's appreciation for those around him who have shaped the course of his teachings and upbringings shows the reader that he is vain only in the fact that heis great because of those who have helped him. I agree in the fact that the intimacy Franklin exhibits not only for his son but for the rest of his family is lost through the second and third parts of the work. The first couple of pages of the work are filled with excerpts from works that members of his family have produced; he shows the reader that he has not forgotten those teachings, but after the first part he loses interest in explaining his upbringings and focuses on his own ideologies. Franklin's modesty overrides the negative aspect of his ever-apparent vanity.
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