ENGL 241 SevastiArapian
Professor English October 11, 2015 Benjamin Franklin, Olaudah Equiano, and the Rhetoric Self The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin and The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano are both apparent autobiographies written by men who, though differ considerably in socio-economic positions in their societies, utilize their industrius nature to lead them to a common goal: self improvement. Though these autobiographies are presented to the reader as private account of the Author’s life, the use of rhetoric by both Franklin and Equiano in their narratives reveals not only their awareness of a larger audience, but also the intention hidden in the sharing of their stories: to produce guidelines by …show more content…
As his narrative progresses however, it becomes clear that Franklin is, in fact, authoring a moral manual. Every incident recalled in Franklin’s narrative serves to convey one message- that in order to become virtuous, men must be frugal and (seemingly) industrious. “In order to secure my credit and character as a tradesman, I took care not only to be in reality industrious and frugal, but to avoid all appearances to the contrary. I drest plainly; I was seen at no places of idle diversion. I never went out a fishing or shooting; a book, indeed, sometimes debauch'd me from my work, but that was seldom, snug, and gave no scandal; and, to show that I was not above my business, I sometimes brought home the paper I purchas'd at the stores thro' the streets on a wheelbarrow (68). Franklin believed that the appearance of being frugal and industrious was just as important, if not more so, than actually being …show more content…
Population, the bowels and surface of Africa, abound in valuable and useful returns; the hidden treasures of centuries will be brought into light and into circulation. Industry, enterprize, and mining, will have their full scope, proportionably as they civilize. In a word, it lays open an endless field of commerce to the British manufacturers and merchant adventurers. The manufacturing interest and the general interests are synonymous. The abolition of slavery would be in reality an universal good (234).Here, Equiano shows himself to be an informed and intelligent individual who understands the workings and effects of
Professor English October 11, 2015 Benjamin Franklin, Olaudah Equiano, and the Rhetoric Self The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin and The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano are both apparent autobiographies written by men who, though differ considerably in socio-economic positions in their societies, utilize their industrius nature to lead them to a common goal: self improvement. Though these autobiographies are presented to the reader as private account of the Author’s life, the use of rhetoric by both Franklin and Equiano in their narratives reveals not only their awareness of a larger audience, but also the intention hidden in the sharing of their stories: to produce guidelines by …show more content…
As his narrative progresses however, it becomes clear that Franklin is, in fact, authoring a moral manual. Every incident recalled in Franklin’s narrative serves to convey one message- that in order to become virtuous, men must be frugal and (seemingly) industrious. “In order to secure my credit and character as a tradesman, I took care not only to be in reality industrious and frugal, but to avoid all appearances to the contrary. I drest plainly; I was seen at no places of idle diversion. I never went out a fishing or shooting; a book, indeed, sometimes debauch'd me from my work, but that was seldom, snug, and gave no scandal; and, to show that I was not above my business, I sometimes brought home the paper I purchas'd at the stores thro' the streets on a wheelbarrow (68). Franklin believed that the appearance of being frugal and industrious was just as important, if not more so, than actually being …show more content…
Population, the bowels and surface of Africa, abound in valuable and useful returns; the hidden treasures of centuries will be brought into light and into circulation. Industry, enterprize, and mining, will have their full scope, proportionably as they civilize. In a word, it lays open an endless field of commerce to the British manufacturers and merchant adventurers. The manufacturing interest and the general interests are synonymous. The abolition of slavery would be in reality an universal good (234).Here, Equiano shows himself to be an informed and intelligent individual who understands the workings and effects of