Benjamin Franklin: Choose one of the following topics and write a 250-300 word reflection.

1) “[H]aving gone so far thro’ Life with a considerable Share of Felicity, the conducting
Means I made use of, which, with the Blessing of God, so well succeeded, my Posterity may
like to know, as they may find some of them suitable to their own Situations, and therefore
fit to be imitated. 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” (481). This passage comes from the letter Franklin places at
the beginning of part one of his Autobiography, but he also publishes it so that his audience
is far greater than just his son. What would the rest of his readers find useful to know about
Franklin’s life? To what extent has Franklin created himself for these strangers through the
writing of this memoir?
2) Early in his Autobiography, Franklin praises some of his father’s qualities: “He had a
mechanical Genius too, and on occasion was very handy in the Use of other Tradesmen’s
Tools. But his great Excellence lay in a sound Understanding, and solid Judgment in
prudential Matters, both in private and public Affairs…I remember well his being frequently
visited by leading People, who consulted him for his Opinion on Affairs of the Town or of
the Church he belong’d to and show’d a good deal of Respect for his Judgment and Advice”
(486). What did he value most about his father’s example? From what you remember of the
rest of the Autobiography, how did Franklin emulate his father?
3) Here is Franklin’s advice on being heard and on hearing others: “If you would inform, a
positive dogmatical Manner in advancing your Sentiments, may provoke Contradiction and
prevent a candid Attention. If you wish Information and Improvement from the Knowledge
of others and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fix’d in your present Opinions,
modest sensible Men, who do not love Disputation, will probably leave you undisturb’d in
the Possession of your Error; and by such a Manner, you can seldom hope to recommend
yourself in pleasing your Hearers, or to persuade those whose Concurrence you desire”
(491). According to Franklin, how best should one go about persuading one’s peers? How
does Franklin’s choice of a memoir (like the Autobiography) instead of an advice manual
(like Poor Richard’s Almanac) consistent with the attitude toward persuasion he sets forth
in this passage?