A writer needs to adapt to many standards in order to be considered a truly American writer. This person should portray positive hopes and dreams for readers. They should also try to help readers with certain aspects in their lives, and ways to better their lives. The writer should also be involved with their country, and portray a typical American citizen. A writer that is truly American should be able to write about material never touched upon in quite the same way. In their writing, the author should provide some sort of a hero for the reader to look up and listen to. Also, this writer should be able to touch upon positive deeds that readers can act upon to better themselves and their community. Finally, a truly American writer should be concerned with the well being of others. .
One author that we have read this semester caught my eye as the first truly American writer. This author portrayed all of the American standards of a truly American writer. The author that I believe to be the first truly American writer is Benjamin Franklin. Franklin in many ways embodies the Enlightenment spirit, and may even be thought of as the first prototypical American.
The first American standard that Franklin covers well is that he is very involved in the country and his own community. Franklin is one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, and he also co-wrote and signed the U.S. Constitution. Franklin also helped draft the Declaration of Independence. Often Franklin is thought of as the revolutionary figure that led protests against the Stamp Act, and is rarely thought of a writer. Franklin coordinated the peace treaty, which in turn ended the American Revolution. With all of these accomplishments in his life, Franklin may even be thought of as the "first American". .
The work that was read in class that portrayed many American standards was Franklin's work, "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin".
