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An Analysis Of Benjamin Franklin's Satire

258 Words2 Pages
Franklin developed a satirical style of writing that examined the political, personal, and social issues of the time. Whether he was poking fun at conservative Bostonians or laughing at the battle of the sexes, Franklin's style was entertaining, but carried a message. His satirical pieces "made 'em laugh" but also "made 'em think." Laughter was an effective way to reach the masses. Franklin scholar David Morgan points out that humor was important in much of Franklin's writing because he was "aiming at a popular audience. There weren't that many highly educated people in his [Franklin's] day. Most of the people were semi-literate at best. And so much of what they read . . . had to be put in a popular form or they wouldn't understand it."
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