Venture Smith

The opening paragraph of this narritive caught my attention because of how it leaves you asking questions.  I wanted to know what was gonna happen to Venture Smith and his mom.  It was a very good opening in my opinion.  The next paragraph I was kinda confused because I could not understand why Venture Smith's mom would leave her son with a stranger.  Even if the stranger was a rich farmer how can you trust him.  After Smith's mom leaves Smith was put in charge of tending sheep.  Smith starts to recall a time when he was attacked by a dog which lacerated his arm pretty bad.  Then his biological father sent for him to return home where he is reunited with his mom and dad.  A few days later invaders had come to destroy their land unless Smith's dad follow the invaders orders.  As it turns out the invaders where not very honerable and planned on attacking anyway. Later on, after Smith and his village was captured, Smith watched someone get tortured to death by the invaders but I'm not sure who it was.  I think it was the king because they spoke of money.  Smith was forced to do work by these invaders that caused him a lot of pain.  Needless to say he was a slave.  Once Smith was sold, his new master employed him carding wool and other household business.  Smith had been living with his master now for about 13 years.  Smith was about 20 years old and he got married to another slave named meg.  Smith's current master pawned him to a guy named Daniel Edwards who used Smith as a cup bearer and waiter.  the next couple paragraphs were hard for me to understand.  I could not figure out who bought or sold Smith. 

The ending of the narative shows that Smith, age 69, finally earned his freedom and lives very well off. 

Benjamin Franklin

The autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was very interesting at times and boring at others.  The first four paragraphs were the most boring to me but I did learn a few things I did not know like Benjamin Franklin wrote this for his son.  I was surprised to read that Benjamin Franklin thanked god for the happiness of his past life.  I never really thought about wheather or not Benjamin Franklin was a religious man. 

In chapter two Benjamin Franklin seems to be far from home for two reason; the baker did not understand the expression "three penny loaf" and while he was walking past the door of Mr. Read, Benjamin Franklin says " she, standing at the door, saw me, and thought I made, as I certainly did, a most awkward, ridiculous appearance".  Once Benjamin Franklin changed his clothing he started making some friends with people that love to read.  I did not fully understand why Benjamin Franklin was trying to forget Bosten or the entire 8th paragraph of chapter two honestly.

Chapter 6 talks a lot about virtues such as order, silence, sincerity, and justice.  Benjamin Franklin list 13 total virtues in this chapter.  Benjamin Franklin tried to acquire all of these traits and he explains his plan on how to do so.

Ralph Linton's "100% American"

Ralph Linton's "100% American" was a fun to read in my opinion.  How he described america was perfect.  Everything that makes up america originated somewhere else and since were known as the melting pot that would make sence.  For example: using plates for breakfeast which is form of pottery that originated in china or using a knife made of steel that was first made in southern India.  America is a mixture of many different races and ethnic groups and in my opinion Ralph Linton described this very well. 

ENGL 2200 test

just testing