Benjamin Franklin - From Poor Richard improved (1758)
The first two paragraphs of the text is about the writer (Poor Richard) thinking about what makes an author a respectful author which he supposes to be quotation of the author. The others should quote the author. He sounds quite humbly when he talks about himself. However he considers himself a prominent author who from time to time quotes himself. In the next paragraph there appears a new character called Father Abraham who is questioned about the Times and heavy Taxes. The rest of the text contains the responses of Father Abraham. Most of the time he quotes Poor Richard´s words and refers to his Almanac. He admits that the taxes are heavy but advises people how to cope with it that it is up to them. Almost at the end he turns his focus on the government which he calls tyrannous and which takes people their freedom.
The text includes many proverbs, sayings and metaphor. Many of them I know and hear sometimes. It was really interesting reading and I enjoyed. I am not sure if I perfectly understood all in the text or the real purpose of it. It means that I do not know if the text was written to encourage people in that time or to rouse them to fight for their freedom. I underlined some sentences which I liked very much and made me thinking and that is why I think that this text is not only a period work. We can find there many wise sentences which can be apply to current times so let´s say timeless piece. For example the sentence: a life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things which is definitely a true idea. All the statements of Poor Richard are probably a reaction to unsatisfied people and they should comfort them in a way. I also noticed that there is not so much counting on God´s will as it was in the literature at the beginning of the colonialism which I do not know how to explain myself, maybe the influence of religion declined. Of course, that Father Abraham was probably a reference to the Bible but still the text is rather about people´s will than God´s will.