Preview

Poor Richard's Almanac Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
539 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Poor Richard's Almanac Analysis
On December 28, 1732, Benjamin Franklin began publishing a humble endeavor, an almanac to be exact. He titled his creation “Poor Richard's Almanac” and assumed the identity of Richard Saunders, a somewhat dull, but otherwise lively country man who extolled the virtues of hard work and frugality. He wrote this pamphlet expecting to sell enough copies for a small profit, but nothing more. After all, almanacs were only good for the local population they covered, so they had a limited range of customers. Franklin's proved different, though, and was successful enough that he had to make three impressions of his first almanac. He sold 10,000 copies a year and it proved to be his most popular publishing venture after his famous newspaper, The Pennsylvania Gazette. This raises several …show more content…
Franklin, being an entrepreneur, took advantage of this and decided to make use of this fact and sprinkled his almanac with proverbs and other interesting tidbits to hook readers. His customers adored his witty language and personal touches despite the fact he openly admitted to borrowing wisdom from others and simply crafting it into terms more palatable to the common man. Unlike the original sayings, though, Franklin's versions were easy for his audience to remember and relate to. Another thing he did to attract viewers was insert short stories that continued into the next year so that he would have customers returning the next year to find out what happened next. Franklin's simple way of speaking as Richard and his advice on varying topics from finances to personal relationships. As the fame of his almanac grew, Franklin also adapted to better meet demand. This means that he crafted unique almanacs with predictions tailored for the different regions. It also meant that Poor Richard was the first almanac to serve more than the local area it was originally printed

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Franklin also writes books and that could change the way people think. Its putting them in a different setting…

    • 184 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Scientist, diplomat, writer, founding father of our country and much more Benjamin Franklin was an important man of his time. Franklin is a very skilled writer and numerous people like to read his writings because of the intelligent thoughts and opinions he puts into his passages. We can benefit from Franklin's ideas because they can help us in our mundane lives. In this essay, Franklin writes about the two types of people in this world: those who view the glass as half full and those who view the glass as half empty. Franklin uses three rhetorical strategies, including the modes of analogy, classification, and examples to contemplate the differences between optimists and…

    • 113 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Though his hard work and expanding thirst for knowledge helped him grow successful in his works, he had an extreme thirst for public approval. In 1732, he used his connection to the printing industry to publish the first version of his Almanack. Franklin’s Almanack consisted of annual public news but also of ideal household ways to live and hints to becoming a better being. These small hints over time would couple together to form what Franklin saw as a desirable and acceptable piece of society and result in personal gains and betterment. Franklin felt that “Human Felicity is produc’d not so much by great Pieces of good Fortune that seldom happen, as by little Advantages that occur every Day. Thus if you teach a poor young Man to shave himself and keep his Razor in order, you may contribute more to the Happiness of his Life than in giving him 1000 Guineas (Franklin, 133).” These “little advantages” that Franklin was giving to the common people of society served as his feeling of having dependents and gave him credibility to the public of British North…

    • 1186 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Benjamin Franklin used the experiences of his daily life to write astronomical and astrological information needed by European countries during his oversees stays. In his autobiography, he also expresses the fact that one must do whatever it takes to make his or her dream come true. His writings were influenced by the calamity of the Revolutionary War and also by many of his colleagues, especially David Hume. Mr. Franklin’s home and school are brought up numerous times in his writing amplifying the fact that he never forget about the events and education that he received…

    • 96 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Benjamin Franklin was one of America's the greatest scientist and inventor, and he changed his country forever. Born in Boston in the year 1706 in January 17th, Ben was born the fifteenth child out of seventeen in his family. He was taken out of Boston Latin School at age ten to work, since his father lacked in workers in his candle making. When Franklin was twelve, he was taken as an apprentice at a printing shop under his older brother, Josiah, since he disliked candle making. His education in printing advanced in Philadelphia at a lodging home, and also worked for the Governor William Kieth.…

    • 486 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Being fond of study and reading, Franklin stated that "all the little money that came into my hands was ever laid in books" (323). By mimicking styles, rewriting and comparing his work to authors such as Daniel Defoe, Sir Richard Burton, and Cotton Mather, Franklin worked his way up the preverbal success ladder. While still working for his older brother, Franklin started submitting anonymous works to the New England Courant in order to get acquainted with the business. Diligence and hard work eventually paid off for Franklin; thanks to his self-imposed education and trust in his natural abilities, Franklin founded The Pennsylvania Gazette in 1730. Franklin achieved the unthinkable in his lifetime because he did not stop, as so many would, when he was met with…

    • 1059 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “The Autobiography” establishes in literary form the first example of the fulfillment of the American Dream. He writes of the possibilities of life in America through his own rise from the lower middle class as a youth to one of the most admired men in the world as an adult. Furthermore, he states that he achieved his success through a solid work ethic. For instance he writes, “It was about this time that I conceived the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection” (Franklin 307). He wants have that American dream, so he comes up with the thirteen virtues to help him. He proved that even undistinguished people can, through industry, become great figures of importance in America in his writings. His “The Autobiography” also reflects idealism. He somewhat writes of intellectual flourishment and political thought and during part two, he is trying to live them out. According to Betsy Erkkila, “while the Revolution is not present as part of the manifest content of Franklin's narrative, it is present as the political or narrative unconscious of Franklin's "Life"--as a scene of social crisis, bloody contest, and challenge to traditional structures of authority in family, society, church, and state” (Erkkila). This meaning that even though it wasn’t spoke of directly, the revolution was desired by Franklin so others could have the American dream and achieve as he…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “A penny saved is a penny earned.” That well known quote is from none other than the famous Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. Josiah Franklin, Benjamin’s father, was a candle and soap maker. In Josiah’s first marriage with Anne Child, they had seven children together. Then in his second marriage with Abiah Folger, they had ten more children. Ben was his fifteenth child and his youngest son. Franklin had numerous accomplishments and he was also very involved in many careers, including: scientist, inventor, politician, author, printer, statesman, civic activist, political theorist, diplomat, postmaster, and freemason.…

    • 944 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Franklin gives advice without recognizing he is doing it. When the reader views his thoughts on his own work, they see that he strived to be better and was improving himself as much as he could. For example, he writes of how he “discover’d some of my Faults and corrected them” when comparing his works to the original. Throughout the first piece, he showed ambition, improvement, and self-motivation. Franklin also writes about not giving up when he couldn’t find work as a Printer. He went from Boston to New York to Philadelphia to find a job. During this time he underwent sickness and fever, hunger, poverty, etc. Not only that, but he had to start from the beginning in each place to get to know people and make connections in order to get him a job.…

    • 217 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Benjamin franklin was a wealthy man. He had cash, bonds, and shares in the bank of North America. Benjamin franklin had trouble breathing. Then he rallied. The pain was mostly gone. His breathing improved. He got up, so that his bed can be made, so that he could “die in a decent manner.” His daughter, sally, said she hoped he was better now and would live many years more. Benjamin franklin replied, “I hope not.” (Adler…

    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Benjamin Franklin had already made great contributions to American society before he became involved in the movement for Independence” (Benton). “Franklin was not only the most famous American in the 18th century but also one of the most famous figures in the Western world of the 18th century; indeed, he is one of the most celebrated and influential Americans who has ever lived” (Wood). For Benjamin franklin to contribute all of his greatest inventions from when he was a child until his death, shows the world how great of a man he was. Benjamin Franklin is the worlds all time writer, inventor, politician, and many more, but he is defined as the worlds most remarkable…

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Benjamin Franklin was known for being many things including a scientist, inventor, statesman, musician, philosopher, economist, and a printer. Saying he was one of the most influential figures in history is an understatement. Ben Franklin started his young life as a printer. Although, this was not one of his most memorable professions, he did spark some interest out of the townsfolk with his ideas very quickly in his life. He was already getting his name out which would ultimately start the legacy of Ben Franklin. His life with science and politics would start around 1748. This is when Franklin would start to get noticed as an important figure in this day and time. They were going to make him militia colonel despite his short life as a soldier but instead chooses be an everyday soldier. This shows that his knowledge is already being noticed. 1748 marked the final year of his printing career as he would retire from that to strictly devote his life to science and research. (Lemay) Benjamin Franklin was very renowned for his inventiveness. He invented many things including the armonica, his own version of the stove, the lightning rod, bifocals, daylight…

    • 1508 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    He told us to not travel, but Franklin travelled a lot to make connections and make investments. Readers may think that Franklin was saying that we cannot be him and we should not even try. However, it doesn’t make sense for Franklin to be condescending because readers have seen no evidence of that quality in other works he wrote in the same time period. Franklin always valued self-control and believed that it was bad to disparage others about their faults, especially if it served no purpose. Franklin only expressed his negative emotions when people abused their powers to hurt others, but this book is not targeted towards them. A more plausible explanation of his telling us not to travel is that he believed people may incur heavy losses. If they did, they may have to give up their liberty to whom they owe money. On the other hand, if people make too much money, they will be neither ordered nor temperate and may be addicted to the never ending cycle of money, “let[ting] their business run them”. Besides his advice of not taking risky ventures, Franklin followed his other tenets that he wrote in this book, showing the reader that he cared about his writing. Another way that people may think he is condescending is that in the end, Franklin said that people will not follow his advice, keep on purchasing extravagant goods, and fear taxes. People may think that Franklin is trying to say that people do not…

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    New Colony

    • 1171 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In 1727 man with many advancements, was born. Benjamin Franklin was the proud inventor of many useful products we use every day. He leads the inventions of civic institution's hospital, paper money, and a postal mail system. This is one of the many people that lead to Pennsylvania's prosperity. Ben Franklin used his political leadership to lead to the advancement of independent establishments of governments intended to operate in the best interests of the citizens (Quaker…

    • 1171 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Benjamin Franklin is credited for this saying. It was published in his book, Poor Richard's Almanack. Benjamin Franklin, the man who revolutionized electricity, was also one of the U.S.’s founding fathers. Franklin made huge contributions to the political foundation of the United States and Franklin also had a genius mind for invention. He cleaned and lit the roads of Philadelphia’s streets. The creation of the Library Company was a chief accomplishment by Franklin in his era. His aid to the Philadelphia’s Union Fire Company helped to save the city from burning to the ground. For the people who did lose property during fires, Franklin helped to found the Philadelphia Contribution for Insurance Against Loss by Fire. Benjamin Franklin was a blessing to the United States and he had an immense impact on the scientific community.…

    • 299 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays