Journal #13

After just finishing the Franklin Virtues project with the Farmington High School kids, I've found that just using technology to communicate with the other people in my group is hard. You never know when other people are going to check their email, when they will actually complete the assignment we are give, or are they actually even post the assignment. With having people in our group not go to our school it is very difficult to try and see what they are working on or if they are even doing the right thing for each assignment. I thought that the project had good points to it, like I enjoyed having to really analyze one of Franklin's 13 virtues, but I also did not like parts of it. Most of the time I am not a big fan of group projects, because I do not like being dependent on other people for my grades. This project was especially hard because being the only Honor's English student meant that I had no classes with the other people in my group, so there was no way for me to see what anyone is doing until the actually post their finished project on the website. One thing that could be done to improve on the project is clearer deadlines.  Me and also several of my classmates were always confused about what we had to get done and when. After this project, I feel like I really only gained a few skills about how to use video and editing software because I was picked to be our group editor. If we had to pick if we wanted to do this project again, I would not really want to do it. I like what we had to do during the project. I felt I understood Franklin's virtues, but technological issues and the fact that it was really hard to communicate with my group, makes me not want to do another project like this.

Analyzing Franklin's Virtues

Benjamin Franklin was an ingenious man. Credited with the invention of the stove, the library, and many more influential inventions of the time. He also was an important political figure that affected the Constitution and was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence. Ben Franklin also was a great writer. Poor Richard's Almanac and articles in newspapers appeared every where in colonial America. With all of those praises, you would think the man would have some major short comings or some sort of character flaw. Franklin had none.  He actually tried to better his character into something that he could be more proud of. Franklin knew that he could improve himself and become a better person and have better qualities. Those characteristics or virtues became the basis idea behind his System of Thirteen Virtues (Franklin 149-150).

The thirteen virtues that Franklin selected not only are things that he personally needed to work on, but things that he believed every man should exhibit. The thirteen virtues were temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility. Humility was the virtue that Franklin added in later as his "Quaker friend" pointed out to him that he was a very proud man and that Franklin's pride "showed itself frequently in conversation" (Franklin 162). By realizing the problem and understanding that to fix it, he had to put in hard work, Franklin slowly chipped away at his pride until he could have a conversation with someone without it showing or demeaning someone (Tuckerman 1). The other twelve virtues consisted of things that Franklin knew were the success to a happy, successful, likeable life.

Franklin was successful in making himself a better person for two reasons. The first is that he went through his Virtue System religiously and for several years, and the other is that they actually improved his life. To actually follow through with that large and complex plan is a testament to Ben Franklin's character. Not everyone finishes what they start out to do, let alone continue it for  years. The thirteen virtues aided out Franklin with than just character; the quality of his lifestyle was increased. The virtue of order gave Franklin the most trouble, but also brought the best reward (Franklin 157). Franklin's definition of order was "Let all your things have their place; let each part of your business have its time" which means that his goal was to separate out his day so business and pleasure did not mix (Franklin 149). To aid in that quest, Franklin created an hour by hour schedule of his day to ensure that not only every minute was productive, his activities were ordered so that his priorities were straight. Keeping to that schedule proved difficult as Franklin realized that it was hard to end all work at a certain time as sometimes events happen at different parts of the day and someone might bring in something to get published or have something for Franklin to do after the allotted work hours were over (Franklin 150). He did improve on all of the virtues as the cycles were completed.


 Tuckerman, Henry T. "The Character of Franklin." Benjamin Franklin, Classic Critical Views. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web 31. Oct. 2011.


Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Henry Altemus, 1895. Print.

Journal #12

In today's America, the American dream simply means to follow your dreams. Almost everyone grows up and wants to be a successful and happy employed person with a family. This dream is the same as it used to be when immigrants first came to America. They had religious, financial, or agricultural troubles as well as many other reasons to want to come over to America  America was known as to be the "Melting Pot", a mix of all cultures. People came from all over the world knowing that they could come to America and be accepted and make a better life for themselves and their families. People would get a low-paying job that they probably did not want in order to make the money or earn the experiences to make their actual dreams come true. Someone who dreamed of opening up their own deli might start out with a job at a meat factory or something similar. Now, people in the work force have the opportunity to do whatever they want. They do not have to work lowly jobs in order to make ends meet while trying to get into the profession they would love. We are now able to strive in our schools to get that dream job, and then after college, (or before, we have that option) we are awarded by receiving that job.

 In the present, little kids have big dreams of becoming the president or an astronaut. And that is now possible in America! Anyone can dream and become anything they wanted to become in America. That is the wonderful thing about our country. We are a free people, not ruled under anyone who tells us what to do, we are free to make our own decisions about anything and everything we want. We can decide to become a teacher, or an engineer if we wanted. Anything we put our minds to can be done here: That is the American Dream.

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin is a prime example of the transition from Puritan influenced writing to the more logical Rationalism writing style. In his autobiography, his writing style does not involve God or the Bible (which is the complete opposite of the Puritan style), and he also did not reference religion in his describing of the people's day to day activities, instead contributing it to the "spirit of Independence"  As Franklin did not share beliefs with the Puritans, it is very easy to compare differences between the two of them. Franklin was a Deist. Deism includes philosophies about reason and natural laws dominating the world. "As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other" (Franklin). William Bradford and Mary Rowlandson on the other hand were Puritans and believed in similar things as Catholics, but without the wrongdoings people did in the clergy. Mary Rowlandson knew that the "elect", or God's saved people, would aid her in her time of need. Benjamin Franklin took pride in believing that other people will help him out through the goodness of their hearts and the united feeling of freedom and independence that the colonists shared with him. William Bradford was a leader like Franklin, but Bradford led through God. He saw signs of God everywhere in his day to day life, and applied this to his actions. Franklin led the colonists through Rationalism, or logical thinking and reasoning abilities. He made decisions based on facts and research and was a great philosopher. Franklin was a scientist who invented many things, a writer whose works are still read today, and a politician who is read about in history class. Franklin made a big impact on lots of the decisions made in the Revolutionary War period. Franklin led with his mind, while Bradford led with his heart and soul. Mary Rowlandson draws strength from her faith, while Franklin draws strength from the fact that his fellow man will go the extra mile to better himself and seek out freedom and independence.

The Rationalism writing period differs from the Puritan writing period as the times in the country have changed very drastically. No longer is there a struggle to stay alive and prosper during the harsh winters and fight off the "savage" Indians outside the colonies in America. In Franklin's time, the colonies' cities were flourishing and Indian attacks were not a big threat to the people. America had just become an independent country from the British, and the people were dealing with the changes. The environment in which Mary Rowlandson grew up and endured as an adult greatly varied in comparison with Ben Franklin. Rowlandson was captured by Indians and treated very poorly throughout her adult life. Franklin came from a poor family of seventeen children, but made himself a better person and took advantage of every opportunity that came his way. Franklin lived his life with a strong sense of logic and reason in everything he did. Franklin greatly embodies all parts of the Rationalism style in this way.

Benjamin Franklin. Excerpt from Ben Franklin's Autobiography.