An Analysis of the Pragmatism in

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

By

Zhang Yingying

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

Department of English

School of Languages and Cultures

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

June, 2016

Acknowledgments

I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the people who have helped me during my thesis writing.

First, I would like to give thanks to my supervisor Professor Zhao Yamin. In the course of writing this thesis, she spared no effort in guiding me and helping me when I was frustrated in front of difficulties. At the beginning of thesis writing, she gave me great inspiration in choosing proper theme and direction. During the course of thesis writing, she encouraged me to read more relevant magazines and books to enrich the content of the paper as well as deepen my own understanding of this topic. At the end of my thesis writing, she read my paper thoroughly although she was busy with her teaching. She not only pointed out the improper diction in my thesis, but also told me how to rectify them and why I had made such mistakes. It is due to her careful instruction and continuing supervision that I finally completed this paper. I also want to express my gratitude to all the teachers and professors in the English Department. They devoted themselves to teaching and delivered numerous excellent lectures, which is of great use for me to lay a solid foundation for my future career. I also owe my friends and classmates a debt of gratitude. They have always been helpful and kind to me. They would always be willing to help me through difficulties and doubts.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my beloved parents. They have always been a support for me. Every time when I was uncertain about myself, they would encourage me to go forward and they would give me their unconditional love.

Contents

1. Introduction 2

2. The writing motivation and the main idea of The Autobiography 3

2.1 Writing motivation 4

2.2 Main idea 4

3. The pragmatism displayed in The Autobiography 5

3.1. As a writer 5

3.2. As a social activist and statesman 6

3.3. As a moral model 7

4. The reasons for Benjamin Franklin’ s practical values 8

4.1. Social background 8

4.2. Benjamin Franklin’ s family 9

4.3. Religious effect 10

5.The influences of The Autobiography on American literature and culture 11

5.1. The formation of American national characters 11

5.2 The theme of American dream in literature 12

6. Conclusion 13

References 14

An Analysis on the Pragmatism in

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Zhang Yingying

Department of English

School of Languages and Cultures

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

Abstract: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is one of the most important autobiographies in American literature, and has an influence probably unrivaled by any other book of an American writer. Throughout The Autobiography, Franklin brought into full play his pursuit of pragmatism. This kind of value has influenced American literature and culture from the founding years of the United States till now, and it is in predominance among all the other values in American society. This paper probes into The Autobiography first by analyzing its writing motivation and main idea, while at the same time finding out the pragmatism displayed in it, exploring the reasons of the formation of this pragmatism from the perspective of society, family, and Puritan religion as well as its far-reaching influence on American literature and society, which is of great significance for readers to understand the American nation and society.

Key words: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, pragmatism, Puritan religion, American society, American literature

摘 要：本杰明·富兰克林《自传》是美国文学史上最重要的自传作品之一，具有其他美国文学作品所无法企及的深远影响。在自传中，富兰克林充分表达了自己的实用主义思想。这种思想从美国建国之初一直到现在深深地影响着美国社会，并且在所有美国价值观中居于主导地位。本文首先分析了《自传》的写作动机和大意，阐释了其实用主义价值观的表现，从社会、家庭、清教主义等方面探讨了富兰克林实用主义价值观所形成的原因，以及这种价值观对于美国文学和美国社会文化的深远影响，对读者了解美国社会与美国人民具有极大的理论和现实意义。

关键词：本杰明·富兰克林《自传》；实用主义；清教；美国社会；美国文学

1. Introduction

Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, is a prominent author, politician, scientist and diplomat across the world. Franklin obtained the title of “The First American” for his campaigning for colonial unity at early time. He laid the foundation of the American ethos--the practical value which advocates thrift, hard work and community spirit. He was an outstanding representative personage in American founding period. He not only made great contribution in politics and science, but also established himself in the field of literature. He was one of the few persons in the United States who have won a world reputation. Some French critics once said that the United States is fortunate for having such a great person --Benjamin Franklin. The tremendous contributions that he had made to the United States have made him a symbol of the nation, and the best representative of the American capitalism. The historian Henry Steele Commager once said, “In a Franklin could be merged the virtues of Puritanism without its defects, the illumination of the enlightenment without its heat (Isaaccson, 2003: 419).”

Franklin became well-known and successful as a newspaper editor and printer in Philadelphia in 1728. He published the Pennsylvania Chronicle, a newspaper that had gained wide popularity within the colonies due to its undisguised and revolutionary criticisms of the British policy. He became rich after publishing Poor Richard’ s Almanac, which he authored under the pseudonym “Richard Saunders”. He played a leading role in establishing the University of Pennsylvania and held the position of the first president of the American Philosophical Society. As a brilliant and renowned diplomat, he was adored among the French people as American minister to Paris and was a dominating figure in the process of developing positive Franco-American relationship. He devoted himself to community affairs, colonial and state politics, as well as national and international affairs. From 1785 to 1788, he worked as governor of Pennsylvania. In 1787, he took part in the convention of modifying the United States Constitution and became the only one person who had signed on the three most important bills in American history at the same time, which are the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the Treaty of Paris in 1783, and the United States Constitution in 1787 (Zhao, 2007: 185).

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