Colonial America

 

ENG 516/525: Literary Journalism   Unit 1 Jan. 11-25 Objectives  By the end of this unit, you should: be familiar with the general character of colonial American journalism; be familiar with the general character of colonial American literature; have explored the journalistic and literary qualities in the writings of Benjamin Franklin and Captain John Smith. Names  Make sure you know the meaning and significance of each of the following names: Benjamin Franklin Philip Freneau Captain John Smith Schedule Please complete these assignments on or before the dates in bold.  Week 1 Jan. 11 Read: Syllabus Week 2  Jan. 14 Read: Colonial American Journalism, Colonial American Literature Meet: Main library  Jan. 18 Read: Benjamin Franklin, BOSTON AND LONDON (Silence Dogood Nos. 1, 4, and 8); PHILADELPHIA 1726-1757 (The Busy-Body, Nos. 1 and 4; "One Piles a Fidler"; The Trial and Reprieve of Prouse and Mitchel; A Witch Trial at Mount Holly; Lying Shopkeepers; "A certain St-n-c-tt-r"; The Molasses Bill; "A certain C-n-table"; Death of a Drunk; Counterfeits; The Murder of a Daughter; On Protection of Towns from Fire; The Speech of Miss Polly Baker); 1753 Poor Richard's Almanack (skim); The Autobiography (paragraphs 88-98).  Week 3  Jan. 21 Holiday: No class  Jan. 25 Read: Benjamin Franklin (This article is different from the one listed above); Franklin, PHILADELPHIA 1726-1757 (Apology for Printers, Statement of Editorial Policy);  The Autobiography (paragraphs 127-144 on Web/pages 1363-1370 in book) [Because I know you have only so much time for reading, I am requiring you to read only the sections of The Autobiography listed above.  If you can spare more time now or later, however, I hope you will read the entire autobiography--particularly Part I, which provides a fascinating inside view of printing in the 18th century.]  Resources You can find more information about the subject covered in this lesson by consulting the print or electronic resources listed below: Be Your Best: Research offers detailed guidance on finding, evaluating, and using sources. The Press in America is a clear, concise overview of American journalism history, from its origins to modern times.  In addition to describing important figures and trends, it covers issues related to freedom of expression. American Journalism: A History: 1690-1960 covers important people and developments in American journalism over the past three centuries. Updated January 11, 2001 © Mark Canada, 2001 mark.canada@uncp.edu

Introduction Welcome to ENG 467: America’s Literary Journalists.I am looking forward to a fascinating and productive semester.After some discussion of general characteristics of literature and journalism, we will begin our exploration with a look at the literature and journalism of colonial America, focusing on works by Benjamin Franklin.  You can find the readings in the box at the left in Benjamin Franklin: Writings, which is available at the bookstore.If you would prefer not to purchase this book, which is rather expensive, you may find all of the required readings online by clicking on the links at the left.Please note that you do not need to read everything you find when you click on the links to the works by Franklin.  Rather, just read the selections I have listed; most of these are just a few pages long.  If you are using Netscape Navigator, you sometimes can find the selection by going to "Edit" in the toolbar at the top.  Choose "Find in Page," type in the appropriate title, and click on "Find Next."  Please note that we will meet in the main library on Monday so that I can help each of you begin working on your author project.Before you come to class, please e-mail me to let me know which author you have chosen for your project.If I do not hear from you before or during class, I will assign you an author.  Discussion During the colonial period of American history, which stretches from the founding of Jamestown in 1607 until the end of the American Revolution in 1783, American journalism and literature were both in their infancy.  At times, they even shared the same cradles--that is, newspapers and magazines.  Colonial writers were largely concerned with things of this world and the next--not with airy imaginings.  Relatively few authors produced noteworthy poetry.  Fiction was not to come in full force until the nineteenth century, and American drama did not take off until the twentieth century.  The major colonial genre were forms of nonfiction, particularly essays and sermons.  It was, in short, a time ripe for literary journalism.  Indeed, one of the first writers to live on American soil was a journalist of sorts. Captain John Smith recorded life in and around Jamestown, Virginia, which he helped to found in 1607, and his accounts are a bit like a correspondent's report back to his home country of England.  Among the books Smith wrote about America are A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Noate as Hath Hapned in Virginia (1608), A Map of Virginia (1612), The Proceedings of the English Colonie in Virginia since Their First Beginning from England in the Yeare of Our Lord 1606 (1612), and The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles (1624).  A century and a half later, Philip Freneau also straddled the fields of literature and journalism.  In addition to writing a number of noteworthy poems, including several polemical ones that earned him the nickname of "Poet of the Revolution," Freneau edited the New York Daily Advertiser, the National Gazette, the Jersey Chronicle, and the New York Time-Piece.  The greatest of colonial literary journalists by far was Benjamin Franklin.  After contributing material to his brother James's New England Courant and The American Weekly Mercury, Franklin bought The Pennsylvania Gazette and turned it into an enormous success.  From 1729 until 1766, Franklin not only ran the newspaper, but also produced much of its material, including straight news stories, essays, even a political cartoon.  As you read the selections for this week, consider both their journalistic and their literary qualities, as well as their purpose and style.  Use the exercises below to guide your study.

Exercises

Overview

Featured Writers: Captain John Smith and Benjamin Franklin

1C.  Analyze the content, style, and themes of the works you read by Franklin.  How do they square with those of the writing of other colonial journalists and authors?