Name: ______Date: ______Period: 4th

Close Reading Activity with Excerpts from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Passage 1:

Leaving Boston
At length, a fresh difference arising between my brother and me, I took upon me to assert my freedom, presuming that he would not venture to produce the new indentures. It was not fair in me to take this advantage, and this I therefore reckon one of the first errata of my life; but the unfairness of it weighed little with me, when under the impressions of resentment for the blows his passion too often urged him to bestow upon me, though he was otherwise not an ill natured man: Perhaps I was too saucy and provoking.
When he found I would leave him, he took care to prevent my getting employment in any other printing house of the town, by going round and speaking to every master, who accordingly refused to give me work. I then thought of going to New York, as the nearest place where there was a printer; and I was rather inclined to leave Boston when I reflected that I had already made myself a little obnoxious to the governing party, and, from the arbitrary proceedings of the Assembly in my brother’s case, it was likely I might, if I stayed, soon bring myself into scrapes; and farther, that my indiscreet disputations about religion began to make me pointed at with horror by good people as an infidel or atheist. I determined on the point, but my father now siding with my brother, I was sensible that, if I attempted to go openly, means would be used to prevent me. My friend Collins, therefore, undertook to manage a little for me. He agreed with the captain of a New York sloop for my passage, under the notion of my being a young acquaintance of his, that had got a naughty girl with child, whose friends would compel me to marry her, and therefore I could not appear or come away publicly. So I sold some of my books to raise a little money, was taken on board privately, and as we had a fair wind, in three days I found myself in New York, near 300 miles from home, a boy of but 17, without the least recommendation to, or knowledge of any person in the place, and with very little money in my pocket. / Leaving Boston
For a long time, a new disagreement of opinion cane between my brother and me. I took it upon myself to work somewhere else, presuming that he would not produce a new contract binding me to work for him. It was not fair of me to take another job, and I think this was one of the first errors I had made in my life; but I cared little for the unfairness of it because of the resentment I felt towards the blows of frustration he gave me, though he was otherwise not a bad man: Perhaps I was too sassy and rude and provoked his anger.
When he found out I was leaving his print shop, he tried to prevent my employment in any other printing house in town by going around town and talking to every business owner, who then refused to give me work. Then I thought of going to New York, the nearest place where there was a printer. I was ready to leave Boston when I really thought about it. I had already made myself seem obnoxious to the important leaders in Boston, and, because of my brother’s success in keeping work from me, it was highly likely that if I had stayed I would have become poor and homeless. Further, my outspoken opinion on religion and science made people hate me and call me an infidel and atheist. I was determined to leave, but my father was siding with my brother. I was aware of their alliance so I knew that if I attempted to leave openly, they would try to prevent me from going. My friend, Collins, tried to help me leave secretly. He arranged for my passage with the captain of a New York ship. He told the ship’s captain that I was an acquaintance of his and had got a girl pregnant, whose friends would compel me to marry her, as a result, I could not be seen or go away publicly. So I sold my books to get a little money, was taken on the ship secretly, and because of the great wind, found myself in New York three days later, almost 300 miles from home. I was a boy of 17 without any recommendation to or knowledge of any person in New York and had little money in my pocket.

Directions: Using the passage above choose the BEST answer for the following questions (1-10).

Name: ______Date: ______Period: 4th

  1. Which of the following is NOT a reason Franklin left Boston?
  1. He could not get another job in Boston
  2. The community thought he was an atheist and infidel.
  3. His father wanted him to open another branch of their printing business in Philadelphia.
  1. From the passage the reader can infer that Benjamin Franklin is ______.
  1. Weak
  2. Prideful
  3. Religious
  1. How is Franklin’s autobiography representative of Revolutionary Literature?
  1. Its ornate language.
  2. Its reliance on religion.
  3. Neither A nor B.
  1. The following quote is an example of what literary device?

“Perhaps I was too saucy and provoking” (Franklin 86).

  1. Direct Characterization
  2. Indirect Characterization
  3. Personification
  1. Using context clues, choose the best synonym for the word, indentures, in the sentence below.

“I took upon me to assert my freedom, presuming that he would not venture to produce the new indentures.”

  1. Servants
  2. Contracts/Agreements
  3. Going away party
  1. In the beginning of his autobiography Franklin is prideful and arrogant but by the end he tries to acquire moral perfection. Benjamin Franklin is a ______character.
  1. Static
  2. Flat
  3. Dynamic
  1. The reader can infer that Franklin is outspoken because he was “pointed at with horror…as an infidel or atheist” by the Boston community because of his “indiscreet disputations about religion” (Franklin 86). This is an example of what literary device?
  1. Direct Characterization
  2. Indirect Characterization
  3. Personification

Name: ______Date: ______Period: 4th

Short Answer: Answer the following questions in the space provided using the passage above.

  1. What disagreement did Franklin and his brother have?
  1. How did Franklin’s brother prevent Franklin from leaving his business?
  1. What lie did Franklin tell in order to leave Boston secretly?

Passage 2:

Arrival in Philadelphia
I have been the more particular in this description of my journey, and shall be so of my first entry into that city, that you may in your mind compare such unlikely beginnings with the figure I have since made there. I was in my working dress, my best clothes being to come round by sea. I was dirty from my journey; my pockets were stuffed out with shirts and stockings, and I knew no soul nor where to look for lodging. I was fatigued with traveling, rowing, and want of rest, I was very hungry; and my whole stock of cash consisted of a Dutch dollar, and about a shilling in copper. The latter I gave the people of the boat for my passage, who at first refused it, on account of my rowing; but I insisted on their taking it. A man being sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when he has plenty, perhaps through fear of being thought to have but little.
Then I walked up the street, gazing about till near the market house I met a boy with bread. I had made many a meal on bread, and, inquiring where he got it, I went immediately to the baker’s he directed me to, in Second Street, and asked for biscuit, intending such as we had in Boston; but they, it seems, were not made in Philadelphia. Then I asked for a three-penny loaf, and was told they had none such. So not considering or knowing the difference of money, and the greater cheapness nor the names of his bread, I bade him give me three-penny worth of any sort. He gave me, accordingly, three great puffy rolls, I was surprised at the quantity, but took it, and, having no room in my pockets, walked off with a roll under each arm, and eating the other. Thus I went up Market Street as far as Fourth Street, passing by the door of Mr. Read, my future wife’s father; when she, standing at the door, saw me, and thought I made, as I certainly did, a most awkward, ridiculous appearance. Then I turned and went down Chestnut Street and part of Walnut Street, eating my roll all the way, and coming round, found myself again at Market Street wharf, near the boat I came in, to which I went for a draft of the river water; and, being filled with one of my rolls, gave the other two to a woman and her child that came down the river in the boat with us, and were waiting to go farther. / Arrival in Philadelphia
I have been more descriptive in the description of my journey and my arrival in Philadelphia, so that you may compare my beginnings with who I have since become. I was in my casual/everyday clothing because my best cloths were still in route to Philadelphia on another ship. I was dirty from my journey; my pockets were stuffed out with shirts and socks, and I didn’t know anyone or where to look for a place to live. I was tired from traveling, rowing, lack of rest and hunger; the only money I had consisted of a Dutch dollar and about a shilling in copper. I gave the shilling to the people of the boat who brought me to Philadelphia, who first refused it, because I helped them row the boat. But, I insisted on them taking the money. Many times a man tries to look generous by giving money to others when they don’t have any because he doesn’t want people to know that he is actually poor.
Then, I walked up the street, gazing at the city when I met a boy with bread. I had made many a meal on bread before, so I asked him where he got it. Then, I went immediately to the baker the boy directed me to on Second Street. I asked the baker for a biscuit, like what we had in Boston; but they were not made in Philadelphia. Then I asked for a three-penny loaf, and was told that there was none. So not knowing the difference of money, cheapness of goods, or the names of his bread, I asked that he give me three-penny worth of any kind of bread. He gave me three great puffy rolls. I was surprised at the quantity and took. Having no room in my pockets I put a roll underneath each arm and ate the other. Then, I walked up Market Street as far as Fourth Street, passing by Mr. Read’s house, my future wife’s father. She saw me while standing at the door and thought that I looked awkward and ridiculous. Then, I turned and went down Chestnut Street and part of Walnut Street, eating my roll all the way. While coming around the corner, I found myself at Market Street wharf again, near the boat where I came in, to which I went for a drink of river water. I filled one of my roles with water and gave the other two to a woman and her child that came down the river in the boat with me, and were waiting to go farther.

Directions: Using the passage above choose the BEST answer for the following questions (11-16).

Name: ______Date: ______Period: 4th

  1. What is the author’s purpose in writing his autobiography?
  1. Inform the reader about how his decisions as a young man molded his future.
  2. Suggest to the reader that he is the greatest man on earth.
  3. Persuade readers to never leave home.
  1. What is the meaning of the following aphorism?

“A man being sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when he has plenty, perhaps through fear of being thought to have but little. “

  1. A man is more generous when they are wealthy for fear of offending someone.
  2. A man is more generous when they don’t have much for fear of being thought to be poor.
  3. A man is generous when they are wealthy and poor because it is the right thing to do.
  1. Franklin gives a woman and her child the loaves of bread he is unable to eat. This example of indirect characterization tells the reader what about Franklin’s character?
  1. He is generous
  2. He is wasteful
  3. He is practical
  1. Using context clues, choose the BEST synonym for the word, shinning, in the sentence below.

“My whole stock of cash consisted of a Dutch dollar, and about a shilling in copper” (Franklin 90).

  1. Stock
  2. A form of currency
  3. A brand of food
  1. Using context clues, choose the BEST synonym for the word, ridiculous, in the sentence below.

“…and thought I made, as I certainly did, a most awkward, ridiculous appearance” (Franklin 91).

  1. Funny
  2. Handsome
  3. Lovely
  1. Who does Franklin see while walking down Market Street eating the rolls he got from the baker?
  1. His mother.
  2. His brother.
  3. His future father-in-law and wife