The Autobiography of Ben Franklin,(What traits, beliefs, or practices make Benjamin Franklin an archetypal American? ).
Paper assignment for The Autobiography of Ben Franklin, edited by Louis P. Masur On page 15 of the Introduction, Louis Masur writes that Franklin’s Autobiography “has been viewed as an archetypal American text,” and that Franklin himself remarked “I am too much of an American.” Using the Autobiography, you will write a 1200 word essay that examines the following question: What traits, beliefs, or practices make Benjamin Franklin an archetypal American? This is a formal essay assignment. I expect an introduction with a thesis statement that directly addresses the prompt and explains your paper’s argument. The body of this paper will consist of paragraphs with topic sentences and properly cited evidence from the book that backs up your argument. You must also have a conclusion which restates your argument. (See Pyron’s Guide, points 1-7, 44-45) You must use formal and correct English grammar in this paper. Any paper that is not written at a college level will receive an F. Any paper found guilty of any forms of plagiarism will receive an immediate zero. This paper must be 1200 words long. You may deviate from this word count in either direction by 100 words only. You must include a word count. Do not include a cover page or bibliography. Include your name at the end of the paper. This essay will be graded on the basis of content, organization, and grammar. If you do not have a thesis statement which directly addresses the given prompt and lays out an argument you will not receive above a C. Any paper with grammar or writing that is not ‘college-level’ will receive an F. To receive an A on this assignment your paper must be organized with a thesis statement and topic sentences, it must display a good use of sources and have correct citations, it must have a brilliant argument, and it must be exceptionally well-written. Most papers will likely be in the B-C range.