ENG 396a ~ Franklin blog

Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography is a collection of calculated rhetoric where every detail is expressed in precisely the way he wanted it to be read. A man who takes the time to list his hourly activities does nothing at random. Even if random things occur, in this autobiography, there remains a specific plan for articulating them. Just as an orator would use inflection to stress the point, Franklin capitalizes words to call attention to their importance. The capitalization of words is used to emphasize Franklin’s intention with each passage.

The conversation Franklin has with Collins on the topic of educating women was a precursor to his underlying intentions for that page. The purpose was to stress the practice of argument as a means to enhance readiness and clarity of verbal and written articulation. Franklin supported female students in this debate, but it was a stance taken merely “for Dispute sake” (15). He revealed his position to be the contrary of his opinion making the topic insignificant. Franklin felt he did not argue his “Point” (15) well and chose to clarify his “Arguments in Writing” (15). The significance of the passage lies in the words capitalized on the page that suggest his intentions for the entire passage:
I fell far short in elegance of Expression, in Method and in Perspicuity,
of which he convinc’d me by several Instances. I saw Justice of his
Remarks, & thence grew more attentive to the Manner in Writing,
and determin’d to endeavor at Improvement. (15-16)
The words expression, argument, writing, point, improvement, all these capitalized words are directing attention toward Franklin’s intention here. He is stressing the importance of a practiced and skilled articulation. Franklin goes even further to use italics with the word, manner. Again this kind of attention to the word illustrates the importance of it.

Franklin’s recollection of listening to the speeches of Mr. Whitefield again shows the emphasis of the passage by using capitalized words. He was in awe of the “Influence of his Oratory on his Hearers” (116) and in Franklin’s adoration of Mr. Whitefield’s ability he chose to calculate how many people Mr. Whitefield was able to preach, reach, and teach. The capitalized word influence suggests Franklin’s intentions here. Just as an orator would use inflection to stress his point, Franklin again asserts the importance of a practiced and skilled articulation by directing attention to specific words:
His Delivery of the latter was so improv’d by frequent Repetitions,
that every Accent, every Emphasis, every Modulation of Voice, was
so perfectly well turn’d and well plac’d, that without being interested
in the Subject, one could not help being pleas’d with the Discourse, a
Pleasure of much the same kind with that reciev’d from an excellent
Piece of Music. (120)
The capitalizations of the words here undoubtedly argue that Franklin is acting much like an orator himself. He is using inflection on the written page in the hopes of influencing whoever reads it.

The autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a tightly focused narrative exposing only what he wants shown. Some unflattering things may be revealed along the way, but these incidences remain self serving for their evolutionary qualities. Some of these capitalized words may be more important than others, but the emphasis remains attached to them. A man listing order as a virtue would find it reasonable to admit that these accented words hold meaning and are in no way random.