Exploring Benjamin Franklin’s Aphorisms: An Insight into the Wise Words of a Renaissance Man

1. Frankly Speaking…Exploring Benjamin Franklin’s Aphorisms

2. Who was Benjamin Franklin, The Man? • He was a printer, journalist, author, scientist, diplomat, educator, and philosopher…all with no formal education • Born in Boston in 1706; one of seventeen children • Left Boston at seventeen years old to open his own print shop • After establishing himself as a printer, he began publishing a newspaper and an annual publication called Poor Richard’s Almanack

3. Who is Benjamin Franklin, The Scientist? • When he was forty-two, Franklin retired from printing and became a successful scientist • He was responsible for inventing: the lightening rod, bifocal glasses, new type of stove; confirming the laws of electricity; scientific understanding of earthquakes and ocean currents

4. Who is Benjamin Franklin, The Diplomat? • He played an important role in drafting the Declaration of Independence, enlisting French support during the Revolutionary War, negotiating a peace treaty with Britain, and drafting the United States Constitution • In later years, he was ambassador first to England and then to France

5. What is Poor Richard’s Almanack? • Franklin created a fictitious author called “Richard Saunders” • Contained practical information about the calendar, the sun and moon, and the weather • Also, featured homespun sayings and observations…many of which are still quoted today • These aphorisms* made the Almanack a bestseller! Franklin put an aphorism at the top or bottom of most pages.

6. What’s an aphorism? • A short, concise statement expressing a wise or clever observation or a general truth • A variety of devices make aphorisms easy to remember  ryhmes; repeated words or sounds; paralell structure to present contrasting ideas “No Pain, No Gain” uses rhyme, repetition and parallel structure

7. Aphorisms Today • “No pain, No gain” ~Unknown • “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.” ~Unknown • “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson • “Believe nothing what you hear and only half of what you see” ~Mark Twain • “Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it” ~ George Santayana

8. What aphorisms do you know? • You see sayings like the ones on the previous slide on bumper stickers, T-shirts, and billboards. • Can you think of an example of a contemporary aphorism? What does it say about our culture?

9. Aphorism Assignment • Choose any aphorism that speaks to you in some way. • On the worksheet, explain the aphorism’s literal meaning. • Explain the idea the aphorism expresses (what is the real-life message or advice?) • Come up with a real world example that connects to the aphorism’s meaning. • This can be from personal experience, politics, sports, society, etc. • Draw a picture that illustrates the meaning of the aphorism.