富兰克林自传赏析

The Autobiography was not only the first successful American biographic work, but also one of the American national literature early representatives. It had a long and valuable influence since it published in1868 . As for the work, we can appreciate and analyze it from different angles.
First , the view of biographic literature, author was born and grew up in a poor American family, no formal education, no romantic love story, let alone the help from powerful people. He depended on himself persistence and endeavor achieved success which was different from traditional European biographic works. In Franklin’s work, an ordinary American people depended on himself diligence and faith achieved his goals from youth to adult, from childish to mature under influence of social environment, it’s a typical example of American people. This person were not only qualified with the spirit of Puritanism such as diligence, practicability and aspirant, but also qualified with the character of confidence and optimistic for future which was just American people should have.
The Autobiography showed the social picture of American society in 18th century and the spirit of the age of enlightenment. It had an important influence for the formation of American national character, to a certain extent, started to reverse European’s bias for American people. Second, from the point of narrative language, the style of writing is personalized, pure, simple and fresh. It’s totally different from European writing style.
The excerpt of first chapter, Franklin played a role of father, his tone was kind and soft. He told his son there were some inducements that excite him to write this book. From the poverty and obscurity in which he was born and in which he passed his earliest years, he has raised himself to a state of affluence and some degree of celebrity in the world. As constant good fortune has accompanied him even to an advanced period of life, his descendents will perhaps be desirous of learning the means, which he employed, and which, thanks to God, so well succeeded with him. His descendents may also deem them fit to be imitated ,should any of them find themselves in similar circumstances. The excerpt of second chapter , Franklin as an author ,he kept distance with us and educated us very well through his individual experience. In this part he told us he was ambitious ,wasn’t satisfied with an apprenticed and wanted to be successful. On the other hand, because of religious persecution, their whole families immigrated to a reign of freedom –America. Since then,he began his mystery and legend life. Franklin's Autobiography had received widespread praise, both for its historical value as a record of an important early American and for its literary style. It was often considered the first American book to be taken seriously by Europeans as literature. William Dean Howells in 1905 asserted that "Franklin's is one of the greatest autobiographies in literature, and towers over other autobiographies as Franklin towered over other men."
It acknowledged as one of the great autobiographies of the world. In the Autobiography, we got a full picture of Franklin as the Renaissance scholar, fascinated by all types of learning and interested in doing whatever he could to make life a little bit better for mankind, based on the notion that the way to please God was by doing good to other men. This interest manifested itself in public service and scientific progress.
There were some virtues in the book, these names of virtues as follows:
1.Temperance.Eat not to dullness;drink not to elevation.
2.Slience.Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself;avoid trifling conversation.
3.Order.Let all your things have their places;let each part of your business have its time.
4.Resolution.Resolve to perform what you ought;perform without fall what you resolve.
5.Frugality.Make no expense but to do good go others or yourself;that is,waste nothing.
6.Industry.Lose no time;be always employed in something useful;cut off all unnecessary actions.
e no hurtful deceit;think innocently and justly;and if you speak,speak accordingly.
8.Justice.Wrong none by doing injuries,or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9.Moderation.Aviod extremes;forbear resenting injuries so much as your think they deserve.
10.Cleanliness.Tolerate no uncleanliness in body,clothes,or habithation.
11.Tranquillity.Be not disturbed at trifles,or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12.Chastity.Rarely use venery bat for health or offspring,never to dullness,weakness,or injury of your own or naother’s peace or reputation.
13.Humility.Imitation Jesus and Socrates.
1.节制。

食不过饱，饮不过量。

2.沉默。

非于人于己有利之言不谈；避免琐碎的谈话。

3.秩序。

一切该有它们的位置；每个工作都有它的处理时间。

4.决断。

决定做你该做的事；并成功地完成你决定的事。

5.俭朴。

非于人于己有利者不去消费，即为不浪费。

6.勤劳。

不要浪费时间，要常常用之于有用之事；抛弃一切不必要的行动。

7.诚恳。

勿为有害之欺诈；勿思邪，必公正；如有言，言必诚恳。

8.公平。

不做损害他人之事，不遗自身所得之利。

9.中庸。

勿趋极端，抑止因受害而怒愤，但以为应得。

10.清洁。

勿有不洁于身，衣服与习惯均是。

11.宁静。

勿为琐事或平常不可避免之事而自扰。

12.贞洁。

非为了健康和后嗣不纵欲，勿致使你的或其他人的安宁或名誉滞钝，衰弱或损害。

13.谦逊。

效法耶稣与苏格拉底。