The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Imagery

Franklin's arrival in Philadelphia

It is an iconic image: the young Franklin, arriving in a bustling and new city with nothing but the clothes on his back, ready to conquer the world. He is fresh-faced and ambitious, marveling at everything around him as he walks through the streets that he will soon come to dominate with his reputation.

Whitefield

Whitefield casts a compelling image orating on the stage while a stubborn Franklin sits in the audience, vowing not to donate money but nonetheless getting swept up in the man's words and dropping money into the dish.

Streets

Franklin spends a great deal of time fashioning an image of the dusty, crowded streets and how the rain turns the dust to mud. The encumbrances of this state of affairs necessitate one of his most important civic improvements: the roads. Readers truly see the benefit of Franklin's plan after he spends time discussing how terrible things were beforehand.

Franklin's disguising expression

Franklin climbs into Lord Granville's carriage and listens to the aristocrat expostulate on how misguided and naive the colonists are to think they have any legislative power. One can imagine Franklin's polite, tactful expression, knowing all the while that there must be less polite thoughts in his head.