Critisizing the Autobiography on Benjamin Franklin Criticism

J. A. Leo Lemay's writing style was very interesting to me. I was kind of confused while reading it, just because he had such a hard writing style to read. I thought it was a very complex writing style, and even though it was hard to read at first, I got the hang of it and ended up kind of liking the criticism. J. A. Leo Lemay had a lot to say, and he really seemed like he knew what he was talking about.

The first point that I really liked about reading Lemay's criticism was where it said, "the Autobiography is the rise from impotence to importance, dependence to independence, from helplessness to power". (Lemay) I liked this sentence, because it shows how we change as humans, and take big steps that are really important and make us more mature people. I think this meaning meant something to me too. I think it shows you that we need to do things like we are important and do them to the fullest, we also need to be independent and as we get older not rely on people as much as we always do, and last i think it shows us that we need to not be helpless and work with as much power as possible. I think Franklin wanted us to be independent and confident people. I thought Lemay did good by bringing up this point to us, and it was definitely a big point that Franklin was trying to get across in my eyes.

Another point that Lemay brought up in his criticism that I loved was, "it holds that the world can be affected and changed by individuals". (Lemay) I really like this, and to me this means that everyone can make an impact on everybody. I think this is great, because you can make impact no matter what your gender, race, age, or beliefs. I think anyone can make and impact on anyone, and I know that Franklin always tried to get that point across.

The last, and one of the most important points that I really liked was, "God helps those who help themselves". (Lemay) Lemay had this in his criticism, but it does not necessarily go with Franklin's autobiography, because Franklin was a rationalist. He did not ever talk about God, like the Puritans. I think this is still a really good point, though. God does not always help you when you ask him. You can not just expect him to help you with everything if you are not able to help yourself. You can not always blame God when something goes wrong.

I really liked Lemay's criticism. I think he really had some good words. He really broke down the autobiography well, and helped us understand it more. At first, the criticism was just making it more confusing, but then when you understood his writing style it was really interesting. I really thought there was really affecting points, and one that you should bring into your own life. I was glad I got to read a criticism like that, and it really made it more on my level.

Lemay, J.A. Leo. "Franklin's Autobiography and the American Dream." In The Renaissance Man in the Eighteenth Century. Los Angeles: William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 1978. Quoted as "Franklin's Autobiography and the American Dream." in Bloom, Harold, ed. The American Dream, Bloom's Literary Themes. New York: Chelsea Publishing House, 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=1&iPin=BLTTAD005&SingleRecord=True (accessed October 14, 2010).

Journal #14- Declaration of Love

Mr. Langley gave us the journal blog topic of writing our own declarations. I chose the declaration of love. Love is and has always been something that I believe strongly in. I think that love is a really big thing in life, that everyone experiences at some point in their life. I do not just mean the love that we experience between our family and friends. We all know that we love our parents and siblings, and we could not live with out them, but I am talking about a different love. I am talking about the kind of love that everyone experiences once, and that love is between them and their mate for life. Everybody loves someone like that once in their life. This kind of love is hard to describe, because you only know that love when you have experienced it and gone through it. This kind of love is unconditional, and never ending, even through the good and the bad times. You love your mate all the time, and never want to be without them. You have unconditional love, which means you love them even in times when it is hard to love them. They might make you mad and they might get annoying, but you love them anyways. Also, I am a strong believer in a love, that never gets a divorce. I do not believe in divorces at all. The only time that they are acceptable is if you are being treated wrong, and something bad is going on. I just really hate when people get divorces because they give up on their mate. You should never give up on them, because when you married them you said you would never give up on them. I am a strong believer in love, and it is a great thing, and one of the best things of life that we go through. I think that everyone has a special someone out there waiting for them.

I love spirit! School spirit is so fun!! Homecoming week is one of the best things at school! We all come together and do the themes every day, and we get to dress up and have lots of fun. I like seeing all the different outfits and the themed day. Homecoming week is always so fun. We make memories, and it seems like everyone really comes together that week. I also think that school spirit makes everyone be in a better mood. Everyone is so happy on homecoming week it seems like. We all get so excited to see everyone's outfits, and take as many pictures as possible!! School spirit has always been one of my favorites. Homecoming is the one week of the year that we have the most school spirit. We are in homecoming week right now, and it has really been a great week, and so many people are involved in this week. Our first day, on Monday, was hat and jersey day. Everyone had their favorite team jerseys on, and if they did not have a jersey on they had a hat on! I think that it is neat to see all of the different jerseys. Tuesday was cowboy cowgirl day, and that was another fun day. Everyone dresses up like a cowboy or cowgirl. Wednesday was eightys day, and that was by far the best and most spirited day. Everyone had on their eightys outfits, and everyone was looking so good. Today was class color day, and everyone has on their class's color. I think it is neat to walk down the halls and see the four main colors. Tomorrow will be the best day because it is spirit day, and everyone will be wearing blue and red! what a fun day! I am also a cheerleader, so spirit has always been one of my favorite things! I always love when the whole school gets into things, and everyone dresses up, because the cheerleaders plan it.

Journal #12- Working With A Partner

Partners is always a subject that is brought up in school. People always love to work with partners. It is brought up for all ages, we still work with partners all of the time in high school, and we all love it. I really enjoy working with partners. I always have loved working with partners. I like being able to count on someone else too. I like it especially when one of you do not know the answer and the other does. I think it helps people become smarter, because you have two brains working at once. You can get two people's opinions at once, and it helps you see from someone else's point of view. I always get excited when the teacher says that we are going to be able to have partners. I like working with other people, and I also like partners because you do not have to do all of the work by yourself. There is times when partners are not the greatest thing in the world. I get all excited when the teacher says that we can work in partners, but then they drop it on us that they are going to pick the partners. I really hate when the teachers pick the partners. I just do not like it because sometimes you do not always get the best people, and you end up doing all of the work. Sometimes it is good for the teacher to pick the partners, because then you get to talk to a person that you do not always get to talk to, and you get to know them. I think this is good, because we need to get out of our comfort zones sometimes and talk to people that we do not always get to talk to, because if something was to happen to them you would not have to feel guilty because you talked to them. Either way, i all in all like working with partners.

Journal #11- Ethics & Values

Ethics and values are a thing in life that everyone has. They may not realize that they have them, but they do. I think it is important to set morals and values for yourself. I think it is important, because you need to set your boundaries. You need to be able to set them so you can tell yourself what is right and wrong. For instance, a moral of mine is I do not like cheating. I do not like it when people cheat on tests, because you did not earn that grade. Also, not only did you not earn the grade, but the person that you cheated off to get a better grade really worked hard to study and to pass that test. I will admit, that I do get help on homework a lot, not in a cheating way, but I like to make sure I am doing the things right. I like to ask people for help if I do not understand something, but I think that is ok. Another moral that a lot of people set is no sex before marriage. I think that this is a really good moral to set. It is really hard to keep this one sometimes, but you just have to remember the promise you made yourself. Also, sometimes morals like that might affect the person you are with, or dating, so you have to be sure sometimes that the other person knows your values. You also tell them, because if they do not necessarily share the same values of you then maybe you should not be with them. Morals and values are a really big thing in life, and you have to be sure that you set ones, so that if you are in a situation you can remember those and lean back on them. Sometimes you get in situations, and you have to tell someone why you do not believe in it or why you do not want to do that, and if you have morals you can just explain those.

Journal #10- Science vs. Religion

Science verse religion has always been a topic to people. The topic is usually always a fight too, because most people do not agree on the things between science and religion. Every person really has a different opinion when it comes to those two subjects. The big arguments, or discussions, that go on between science and religion are usually evolution and the beginning of the world. These two examples have always been an issue, and they are issues that some people think will never be solved. I think that they are already solved, because I am on the religion side. I know that God started this world, and there is no other reason to think that he did not if you read the Bible. Other people that are on the scientist side though, think other things and would like to tell you that there is no way that my idea is right. They just think that everything just somehow popped out one day. They think that some particle of dust that was in the space just turned into the earth one day. We know that as the "Big Bang Theory." I do not believe in this theory, and I really think that it sounds pretty silly, but some people really believe in it. I just have a lot of faith in God, and in the Bible, and so that is my proof that he started the Earth. He was the creator. I know that everyone has their different opinions, but I am a Christian, so there for I know the creator. I have a lot of faith, which makes me reject the other thoughts that people believe in from science, and I am okay with that. I think that scientists should not be so certain on their answers, because God is who invented science and he is the one that put these scientists on the Earth. I probably she be a little more listening to the other sides, but once you believe in something, it is hard to believe something else. I am sure scientist say the same things about us though.

Puritan Exam

The Puritan writing period, was one that has affected us forever. Even though their writings were pretty plain and simple, they still got their point across. We still learn about all they did today, and it is really inspiring to most of us to see how they were then.