In The Autobiography, Benjamin Franklin recounts the many paramount experiences throughout his life that shaped him into great American figure he was known to be. On the opening page, Franklin reveals the book’s epistolary format by writing, “Dear Son,” going on to admit that he’s made some mistakes in the past and to recollect that past is a way to relive it. By divulging his desire to “change some sinister Accidents & Events” (Franklin 3) the author indicates how important it is for his son to observe as he amends his mistakes. Pride, virtue and vanity play a pivotal role in Benjamin Franklin’s life and the way he portrays himself to others. Instances occur where the author is shown gloating about his great accomplishments and he puts emphasis on his need to live a virtuous and morally perfect life. Throughout his story, Benjamin Franklin tells his son of his many virtuous acts and momentous achievements, motivating the question as to whether he seeks his own approval more so than the approval of his peers.
Franklin looks back on his fervent love of books, particularly Dr. Cotton Mather’s Essays to do good wherein the minister preaches about the importance of human courtesy and doing good unto others. He concludes that Dr. Mather’s essays “gave [him] a Turn of
Thinking that had an Influence on some of the principal future Events of my Life” (Franklin 13). By expressing the fact that Dr. Mather’s words played a pivotal role in his ambitions, it creates the assumption that the author’s life has been a quest for self-betterment. Throughout his existence, Franklin recounts his scholarly achievements from learning multiple languages to founding what is now known as a library. Most of all, his entire reason for writing the auto...
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...is mistakes and let go of any self-resentment, in the eyes of his son. Though these arguments appear as rebellious against Benjamin Franklin’s hubris or self-endowment, it can also be said that these elements helped fuel his ambition and lead to great discoveries. If Franklin’s infatuation with self-betterment was arguably responsible the creation of so many necessities and components of society today, then no criticism can be dished out – Franklin deals with enough inner critique as it is.
Works Cited
Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography. New York: Library of America Paperback
Classics, 1987. Print.
Mather, Dr. Cotton. Essays to do good. London: Williams & Son, 1816. Google Books.
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Bunyan, John. The Pilgrim’s Progress. London: Dent, 1678. Google Books.
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Throughout history and in current times, Benjamin Franklin has been greatly revered and admired by a large majority of American citizens. In the attempt to achieve prosperity, a multitude of people have strived to emulate Franklin’s lifestyle. Accordingly, this emulation was the source of Mark Twain’s disdain toward Benjamin Franklin, which Twain expresses in his satire, “The Late Benjamin Franklin.” Correspondingly, in “The Late Benjamin Franklin,” Mark Twain displays hostility toward Benjamin Franklin through the utilization of a derisive and mocking tone as well as the elements of satire. The ridicule and degradation of Franklin that is displayed in Twain’s satire highlights Twain’s belief that Franklin’s accomplishments are exaggerated upon, placing unrealistic expectations on all males, including Twain.
In Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography, Samuel Keimer is a character who represents the antithesis of Franklin. The development of Keimer not only improves the reader’s understanding of the minor character, but also of Franklin, the major character. Franklin makes a point of showing the reader each of Keimer’s faults and contrasting them with his own merits.When Keimer is first introduced to the reader, he is in very much the same circumstances as Franklin; they are two young men trying to make a fresh start in a new town, the only difference being Keimer’s economic, and thereby social, advantage. In comparison to Franklin, however, Keimer is a flawed and immoral man; this difference is what makes him the ideal model for Franklin to scrutinize. As Benjamin Franklin consistently moves up the social and economic ladders, more than surpassing Keimer’s achievements, Keimer quickly falls into poverty and loses everything. “With the rest I (Benjamin Franklin) began to live very agreeably; for they all respected me, the more as they found Keimer incapable of instructing them, and that from me they learned something daily.”1 Franklin goes into great detail to teach the reader how one should live one’s life in order to avoid the same fate as Keimer.
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Benjamin Franklin wrote a Autobiography to explain the ways and steps of becoming a perfect man and being perfect. He’s writing about it because he believes that he could become a true man by following those rules and steps to becoming one. one of the rules of his steps is silence which means like speak only to benefit others as help don't speak just to talk. The other one is order as in be organized with your things and time do one thing at a time and move on to the next when your done.
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Twain suggests that Franklin did certain things that were not under his control. Twain writes that "it was in this spirit that he became the son of a soap-boiler, and probably for no other reason than that the efforts of
A general theme in Franklin's writings is the differences between the private and public self and how the two interact. Parts One and Two of his Autobiography were written at different times and intended for different audiences. In Part One Franklin is speaking to his Son, (who was then the Governor of New Jersey) a public figure. It was started in 1771. Part Two was begun...
Houston, Alan. Franklin: The Autobiography and other Writings on Politics, Economics, and Virtue. New York: Cambridge UP, 2008. Print.