Name Date Hour Early American Literature Chart Title The Speech of Miss Polly Baker (p. 20) Author Benjamin Franklin Characteristic Evidence/example in literary work Puritan beliefs displayed (explain which ones, if any) x Typical early genres (sermon, religious poem, religious tract, diaries or journals, short fiction) Settings firmly grounded in the new world Short fiction Focus on issues unique to the new world Creating new social norms; what should the government be like? Concerns about Native Americans x Concerns about slavery x Developing new social codes and/or a national identity Single motherhood not wrong: she argues that she raised her children herself, was no burden on society, didn’t seduce any husbands/break up families; thus she shouldn’t be punished. Fictional plots are simple; stories are more like sketches yes – monologue, just one scene, not much plot; however, there is a conflict that is resolved. Use of realistic dialects Flavoring particles “’tis like”; sentences have long-ish, natural structure. America – Connecticut