Franklin Humor in Benjamin Franklin's Essay

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But one does not dress for private company as for a publick ball. 'Tis perhaps only negligence" (Chapter One). Here, his humor allows the reader to look at his work in a more lighthearted fashion, in addition to poking fun at his old age.

Franklin's choice to use humor in what seems to be a serious piece of rhetoric may seem perplexing, but it's use is effective and called for. Franklin's audience is the early American population, mostly those who are educated, but also those who are not. These people are used to reading dry sermons and treatises. Franklin must have known that through the use of humor, he could capture their attention.
Furthermore, his stylistic use of humor, and ability to poke fun at his own work, allows for its applicability to all. In other words, Franklin knows humor to be a sort of universal through which he can communicate with many. Thus, his humor allows him to identify with his readers, making it more likely that they will accept his prose. Franklin's choice to use humor, then, though it may seem out of place, is actually and ingenious rhetorical choice. His choice can help today's writers understand why the unconventional can sometimes be the best way to make an argument.

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"Franklin Humor In Benjamin Franklin's", 19 January 2009, Accessed.5 June. 2026,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/franklin-humor-benjamin-franklin-25395