3. Benjamin Franklin
• Benjamin Franklin is best known as one of the
Founding Fathers who never served as president
but was a respected inventor, publisher, scientist
and diplomat.
• A writer known for his wit and wisdom, Franklin
also published Poor Richard’s Almanack, invented
bifocal glasses and organized the first successful
American lending library.
4. • Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, in
what was then known as the Massachusetts Bay
Colony.
• Franklin learned to read at an early age, and despite
his success at the Boston Latin School, he stopped
his formal schooling at 10 to work full-time in his
cash-strapped father’s candle and soap shop.
Dipping wax and cutting wicks didn’t fire the
young boy’s imagination, however.
6. I. Opening/Introduction
•The writer states his thesis statement
that there are two sorts of people in
the world.
A person
who has
everything
in his life
to offer.
A person
living a life
without
nothing.
7. •He also states that whatever situation
men can be placed, they will find
conveniences and inconveniences, more
or less, better and worse, good or bad in
anything or in everything
8. II. Body
• The essay enumerates the characteristics of people in the world
1. In what ever situation they may find conveniences and inconveniences
2. In whatever company they may find more or less pleasing
3. At whatever table, better or worse taste
4. In whatever climate, they will find good or bad weather
5. Under what government, they will find good and bad laws, and good
and bad administration of those laws.
6. In whatever poem or work of a genius, they may see fault and beauties.
7. In almost every face, they may discover fine features and defects, bad
and good qualities.
9. • The people describes the effects of people’s characteristics
on themselves.
1. Happy person.
• On convenience of things
• Pleasant part of conversation
• Well-dressed dishes
• The goodness of wine
• And many more
2. Unhappy person
•disconnected on themselves
•Sour and pleasure of the society
•Offend personally by many people
•Make themselves everywhere disagreeable
10. III. The Conclusion
• The writer ends his thesis by relating his old
philosopher disposition, which conveys the
message of the essay. It states for a person to be
happy, this person should focus on the good things
in life. He should be contented and grateful in
whatever blessings he has, he should think of it as a
challenge, that will overcome and eventually arise
to be a better person, a better man.
11. Outlining
•You must have observed that Benjamin
Franklin’s essay contains very long sentences
that perhaps posed some problems to the
understanding of the material. For example, the
first sentence of the essay contains thirty-one
words, and the second paragraph has ninety-three
words in only one sentence.
12. • If you are one of those who are intimidated by this style of
writing, you may use what grammarians call
transformation grammar.
Transformational grammar involves three steps, namely:
• Step 1: Identify the kernel sentence. The kernel sentence
is the main clause embedded in a long sentence.
• Step 2: Break down the long sentence to simple elements.
• Step 3: Construct simple sentences from the small elements.
13. Read the beginning sentence of On Being
Happy again, and apply the three steps.
• Step 1: The kernel or basic sentence is:
• There are two sorts of people in the word.
•Step 2: The simple elements are:
• with equal degrees of health and wealth
• the other comforts of life
• becomes the one happy
• the other miserable
14. • Step 3: The simple sentences formed from the smallest
elements are:
They have equal degrees of health and wealth.
They have other comforts of life.
One becomes happy.
The other becomes miserable.
