Everyone wants to become better, if that's in sports, academics, or everyday life, and we usually set goals to accomplish them. Most of the time, like when we set a new year's resolutions, our goal seems to far to reach, so we just give up, but this was not the case for Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston Massachusetts, and moved to philadelphia when he was seventeen years old. When he was in philadelphia, he decided he wanted to change himself for the better, so he wrote down some virtues. There was 13 virtues that Franklin though were crucial to becoming better. In Benjamin Franklin’s “Autobiography”, he had many ways of improving himself, but the virtues that had the biggest effects on him were temperance, order, and justice. In Franklin’s “Autobiography”, there are many effects of the virtue temperance. One might say, what is temperance, it is basically restraining from excess eating and drinking. In his “Autobiography” he states, “Thus, in the first week, my great guard was to avoid every the least offence against temperance” (143). How could this change Franklin's life? Temperance made it so Franklin did not have to focus so much on what he needed to intake, when we watch carefully what goes into our bodies, it will greatly affect, not only our physical body, but our attitude throughout the day. As Frances E. Willard states, “Temperance is moderation in the things that are good and total abstinence from the things that are foul”. Also,
Franklin was an immigrant from the second generation. His father was the Puritan, the maker of candles, to Boston, Massachusetts, from England the year 1683. Imagine the life of Franklin, in many ways, the impact of the Enlightenment on the talented person. Science itself but it was well familiar with the books of John Locke, Lord Shaftesbury, and Joseph Addison, and other writers of the enlightenment. Learn how to apply them, Franklin logic and reason over his own separation from traditions-in particular the long-standing Protestant tradition-when threatened by suffocating
Benjamin Franklin came up with the idea to make his life better by trying to be perfect in every way. This can otherwise be known as trying to reach a state of moral perfection, in which one could find themselves being happy with the life they live, and also living a pure, sinless life. It has come to be questioned if attempting to achieve moral perfection is a worthwhile goal. In the end of his experiment he ended up not being able to reach or achieve his goal but learned a very crucial, very valuable lesson. He discovered throughout the recesses of his journey that achieving his goal would be found to be impossible, but in turn he learned that many of the virtues are good to try and maintain during everyday activities and through life
In his autobiography, Benjamin Franklin discusses the importance of thirteen virtues that can make a man as close to perfect as possible. He explains the value of each virtue and keeps a detailed and organized chart of how he practices those virtues. Personally, I understand his methodology in his autobiography and have actually done the same when I was younger. Although I relate to the majority of his listed characteristics, I’ve found that I struggle the most with resolution.
Explain Franklin’s quest for moral perfection. What process did he use? How successful was he? Which virtues did he find most challenging to maintain? What was meant by saying “a speckled ax is best?”
Franklin sites a strong work ethic throughout his autobiography as a means of advancement in life. At 17 years of age, he ran away to New York and the first thing he did was to seek suitable employment. After experiencing many a hardship Franklin remained resolved and finally established himself in Philadelphia were he found work and much favor with whomever he acquainted himself with. He firmly was against wasting time on frivolous activities and encouraged the reader to mind their business and be industrious in all things. This too was a practice he implemented his whole life and was the reason he was rewarded on several occasions with better opportunities and advancement in business.
Many people looked up to him, and this is one of the reasons he wrote his autobiography. Part two specifically shows how Franklin was an enlightened man and dives into major detail about his morals and his path to moral perfection.
Having been born in the first month of the year 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin has been regarded an iconic figure not only in the history of America but as well as the world.1 Although he had a deep passion for reading, he could only manage to attend school for two years. He then joined his brother at the age of 12 in apprenticeship at a shop. At the age of 15 people were reading his very first newspaper in Boston. It is after his letters had become a hit that he declared to be the writer. His brother, James, got furious about his writing so he had to run away to Philadelphia at the age of 17. His love for experiments could be seen at an early age for he carried out an experiment on kites during a lighting storm. This one was in regards to lighting and power. Franklin was a famous politician as well as a civil activist during the Enlightenment Era that took place in North America. He was widely known as he played his role as the Ambassador to France and the effort he made to acquire French military assistance when the American Revolution was ongoing. Among other achievements, Benjamin was among the Founding Fathers that put their signatures for the Declaration of Independence besides helping in the drafting of the United States Constitution. Besides being approachable and self-effacing, Benjamin Franklin was an extremely brilliant person.2 he was first a businessman as well as a scientist although he later got involved in civics and politics.
As a founding father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin had a profound and noteworthy influence on the early growth of his nation. Franklin was a prestigious author and inventor that grasped the motive to grow the economy to new heights. His autobiography is an accurate representation of his achievements and the intrinsic motivations that made him the man we think of today. Although it is biased because he writes it only through his eyes, the reader can see the differences he made to the well-being of the United States of America throughout his life. Throughout his autobiography, Benjamin Franklin draws a vivid image of the many contributions he made to society through community service events while at the same time staying true to his virtues that guided his character. He changed society through the improvement of education, healthcare, transportation, and numerous other community projects throughout his lifetime.
Ben Franklin’s autobiography is a prime example of the American Dream. He starts life in a large family and is sent to find work fairly early. He grows into an educated, humble, and honorable man. Through his work in printing and writing he develops a formidable business and makes some money. Throughout his life he focuses greatly on achieving perfection, but finds that is not very practical, however it does lead him to happiness. He wrote this autobiography as a path, to live a life of virtue, mainly for his son. However, it has become a moral guide and tale of the so called American Dream. While there are several ways to interpret his writing and his character, Benjamin Franklin is one of the best examples of a pure and honest American.
Thesis: In his autobiography, Franklin is undoubtedly concerned with developing virtue and self-improvement, but relies on others as the primary frame of reference for his own progress, always measuring himself with others. This habit of comparison results in the development of vices as well as virtues.
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
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a detailed account of the illustrious experiences of Benjamin Franklin. Though the cultural differences in writing has changed since the 18th century one can learn a lot about one of America’s greatest forefathers through this book. It accounts for Franklin’s life when he was born January 17th, 1706 till the year 1757. Unfortunately, he died in 1790 and was never able to finish his autobiography. However, the book thoroughly details the early life of Benjamin Franklin.
It was the year 1706 in Boston, MA when Benjamin Franklin entered the world. Birthed after fourteen other siblings, Franklin's family structure is only one deciding factor in the way that this legendary tale pans out. A hero of American Revolution, this novel depicts 18th century realism accurately while logging Franklin's personal conception on human nature and social community. Many look at Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography as your typical rags to riches tale yet, the truth and falsehood throughout the pages is unknown, raising many questions and concerns. As this book was written in segments over a stretched period of time, we must analyze this account of his life, the struggles and successes which took place, and the outcome of such
Benjamin Franklin was one of the first and most famous scientists in America. He was a man of many talents and interests. Franklin was always curios about they way things work, and he always tried to find ways to make them work better. Even though he started out as a published, he was always interested in science. However this interest soon became a passion to Franklin. He even retired from his publishing business to work in a laboratory with his mostly homemade equipment. Throughout his life Benjamin Franklin made many important discoveries and theories which greatly influenced future scientists and inventors.
In spite of the fact that Franklin was hardly a puritan, he was nevertheless very much a child of the Puritans. This is not displayed merely in his promotion of the virtues, but in his abstaining from excessiveness in eating, drinking, conversation, or whatever. Franklin is strongly influenced with self-governance In numerous ways, this is, to someone coming to it for the first time, a very amazing book. Franklin is, of course, one of the most celebrated Americans who ever lived, and his credentials in a wide arrangement of endeavors are a part of American knowledge and popular history. A great deal of this knowledge and numerous of his accomplishments are missing from this account of his life. He never finished the autobiography, earlier in his life on account of the fact that he was too engaged with what he terms public employment’s, and later in life by virtue of the opium he was taking for kidney stones left him incapable to concentrate adequately. Had Franklin been able to write about every period of his life and all of his achievements, his autobiography would have been one of the most exceptional and outstanding documents every produced. It is astonishingly imperious. However, his record as an office-holder is stained by the use he made of his position to advance his relatives. He was one of the most important statesmen in the new America and was a historical figure who shaped our nations history. He was a very