In her second letter, Silence Dogood looks back on her childhood — and takes aim at colonial education.

Writing as a reflective widow, Benjamin Franklin critiques the limits placed on young minds, especially girls, in early eighteenth-century Boston. Silence describes her brief schooling, her love of books, and the ways formal education often failed to nurture curiosity or character.

Essay Two reveals something important — even at sixteen, Ben Franklin was already thinking deeply about opportunity, learning, and who gets a voice.

Discussion Question:
If Silence were writing her essays or letters to the editor today, what would she say about modern education? Who still struggles to be heard — and what would she challenge?

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