ESSAY: Writing a Wee-Researched Argument About Early American Literature

Writing a Well-Researched Argument About political, cultural, and/or religious events of the time in which it was written): Earlier American Literature
Writing a Well-Researched Argument About Earlier American Literature
In the space of 1200-1500 words, argue why one of the works below is either typical of or exceptional for its era (e.g. how it employs a popular style or genre, address a contemporary theme or issue, reflects the
Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography
Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter
Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Henry David Thoreau, Walden, or Life in the Woods
Walt Whitman, Song of Myself
Hermann Melville, Billy Budd, Sailor
In making such an argument, you might do well to focus on any literary aspect of the work (e.g. theme, genre) and you must compare whichever of these works you have chosen to at least two other contemporary works of literature, including other works written by the same author or works of other authors writing in the same style or genre at about the same point in American history.

ANSWER

Benjamin Franklin; The Autobiography

The Benjamin autobiography was written during the period when many writers were abandoning the puritan literature that focused on religion and embracing the Enlightenment period that concentrated on politics. During the Enlightenment era, the focus of many artists and authors related to speeches, poetry, documenting political issues, essays, autobiographies and biographies, almanacs and broadside ballads among others. The era is estimated to have lasted between 1750 and 1800 . Throughout this analysis, it will be shown how the autobiography makes use of various stylistic devices, major themes, and perspectives related to the time of writing the work. Besides, comparisons and connections to the other writers will be made to further highlight the significance of the autobiography as a classical …

The main challenge in analysing an autobiography, such as the one under consideration is the fact that the genre is more informational as opposed to l XXXXXXXXXXXXX critical analysis of Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography evidently shows that literary devices such as irony, style, and personae are as applicable in the piece as they are in drama, fiction and XXXXXXXXXXXX brings out the need to create an American national identity throughout his work as the major theme (Wood, 2016). Indeed, through his work, the American consciousness shifted from the otherworldly to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX for Enlightenment was a reflection of the shift the American society was XXXXXXXXXXXX how different America is from England XXXXXXXXXXX lived in both countries, it is evident that the values and interest in America as a society are quite distinct from what England’s are as is shown by the growing movement leading to the Revolution XXXXXXXXXXX evidently shows the personal effort that the Young Franklin put in to achieve the successes that he did further reflecting the 18^th century belief that through social reform and personal effort, the social challenges in society could be faced and solved. It is through this growing confidence of the time that leads to his scientific XXXXXXXXXXXXXX believed that testing of theory ought to be done through experience rather than logic, a trait that reflects the belief in the time that pragmatism should be used to test reason. Through his achievements…