美国文学Benjamin_Franklin.ppt

The Representatives of American Enlightenment: Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) If you would not be forgotten , as soon as you are dead rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth writing. --B. Franklin one of the Founding Fathers of America one of America’s greatest citizens. ★ He appears on the American 100 dollar bill. Life and works: p.18 printer, editor, inventor, scientist, opened his own print shop for 20 years lightning rod, Franklin stove, bifocal glasses made experiment with a kite, proving that lightning was electricity published the Pennsylvania Gazette (newspaper) He was the only American to sign the four documents that created the United States: The Declaration of Independence, The Treaty of Alliance with France, The Treaty of Peace with England, The Constitution founded the first public library, organized the first fire department and the first paid police force, founded a school and a hospital. the great man of letters Autobiography《自传》 Poor Richard’s Almanac 《穷理查德历书》 politician, public-spirited citizen, prose writer Poor Richard’s Almanac kept publishing for many years; includes many classical sayings: a book that is published every year giving information for that year Excerpts from Franklins Poor Richard’s Almanac “A penny saved is two pence dear.” = A penny saved is a penny earned. God helps those who help themselves. Speak little, do much. Eat to live, and not live to eat. Be slow in choosing a Friend, slower in changing. If you would be loved, love and be loveable. Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards. Silence is not always a Sign of Wisdom. but Babbling is ever a Mark of Folly. Autobiography A story that a person writes about his or her own life is called an autobiography. Autobiographies are written in first-person point of view, and biographies in third-person point of view. Autobiography (content) I