John Winthrop's Autobiography

Despite the rapid leaps in ideology that early American society made during its early days, one theme has remained consistent: liberty. American authors at the time used unique diction and phrasing to form their distinct voice, often differing only in time period. John Winthrop’s A Model of Christian Charity and Benjamin Franklin’s The Autobiography [Part Two] served as the pinnacle of pre-revolutionary American literature, due to this use of rhetorical form. John Winthrop and Benjamin Franklin express differing views towards the theme of liberty with the use of rhetorical devices.
John Winthrop’s views towards liberty in the new world is aided by his constant use of ethos. Because America was a controversial project, many immigrants needed

His past experiences of religious dissent form a unique view towards liberty from established society. He states that rather than conforming to the Presbyterian worldview that involved “olemic Arguments, or Explications of the peculiar Doctrines of our Sect, and were all to [him] very dry, uninteresting, and unedifying” (Franklin 300), he chose to create his own moral code, encompassing his views on how a citizen ought to live. Among Franklin’s thirteen precepts towards a better life, the concept of liberty is paramount. He states that “Resolution once become habitual, would keep me firm in my Endeavors to obtain all the subsequent virtues; Frugality and Industry, by freeing me from my remaining Debt, and producing Affluence and Independence.”(Franklin 303) Resolution is integral in Franklin’s virtues, due to the fact that it ends personal oppression that one experiences. By entering into the Presbyterian church, and eventually rebelling against the majority of its concepts, Franklin showcases the concept of ideological freedom that is key in the development of modern American society. This personal breakthrough only occurred because he “wish’d to live without committing any fault at anytime; I would conquer all that either Natural Inclination, Custom, or Company might lead [him] into.” (Franklin 300) This pursuit of perfection stems from the oppressive society that surrounded him. He refused to fall into the endless cycle of conformity that the Presbyterian church was advocating, as it gave him no sense of liberty. Along with this, Franklin’s use of logos pushes the reader into giving into any temptation to rebel, without providing them with a sense of guilt. Throughout his teachings, Benjamin Franklin defines his own experiences with liberty that can be adopted by any willing citizen. Despite the fact that he is