1. from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
from Poor Richard’s Almanack

2. Literary Analysis An autobiography is the story of a person’s life.
Autobiography was a new form of literature when Benjamin Franklin wrote The Autobiography.
His work helped set the rules for this new type of writing.

3. Autobiography
An Autobiography presents events in a person’s life according to how that person sees them.
An autobiography can give personal views of history. Information about the politics, habits, ideas, and values of a society can be found in autobiographies.

4. Reading Strategy Franklin tells his readers details about his life.
He explains his goals and interests.
You can draw conclusions about Franklin and his life.
A conclusion is an opinion you reach by pulling together facts and details.

5. Drawing Conclusions
Use this pattern for drawing conclusions about Franklin’s character while you read.
Details: Franklin changes his plan when he sees he is not meeting his goals.
Personal Experience: You also thought of a different way to meet a goal that was not being met.
Conclusion: Franklin makes adjustments to meet his goals.

6. Summary Franklin is working on a plan to reach moral perfection.
He will work on thirteen virtues or qualities.
Franklin writes the virtues in a notebook to see how well he is doing.
He makes a black mark beside a virtue every time he forgets to follow it.
He works on a different virtue each week.
Franklin thinks his plan is helpful but not completely successful.

7. from Poor Richard’s Almanack - Summary
Franklin gives advice about how people should behave.
He presents his thoughts in aphorisms, or short sayings with a message.
Many of his aphorisms come from traditional folk sayings.
Sayings such as “Well done is better than well said” tell something about Franklin and what he values.