Benjamin Franklin: The Most Influential Founding Fathers Of The United States

Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography is an inspiring tale of his personal, as well as public achievement throughout his life. Franklin’s life embodies the exemplary model of a life composed of discipline, self-reliance and self improvement. From his humble beginnings as an apprentice candle and soap maker in his father’s business to a successful business man, author, philosopher, civil activist, politician scientist, inventor, and diplomat, above all Benjamin Franklin was, and still is, an American Icon and truly a pioneer of the American Dream.

Benjamin Franklin’s life made a huge impact on the history of America. He also was an influence for many citizens. Since Franklin lived during the eighteenth century, a period of growth for America, he also played a part in the political founding of the United States. To help future generations, Franklin wrote an autobiography of his life. An autobiography is a piece of literature about someone’s own life. He separates his into four parts, each one depicting a different phase of his life. In The Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin, the author uses his life events to describe values and ways of life that every man should believe and follow.

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.

This is evidenced by the tone and topic of Autobiography. It is as much a repository of advice and reflection like his other works as it is a rich and historical documentation of his life. It is almost as though Franklin were writing a loose guide for future success, with himself as the primary example. However, not every colonist who read Franklin’s work and was inspired to action would be successful, and Franklin knew it. As noted by the author of the Introduction of the Third Edition, Louis P. Masur of Rutgers University, Franklin knew that just as many, if not more, failed as many did succeed at the American Dream, so Franklin never intended for the story of his life to be a sure-fire success guide.

Benjamin Franklin was a major literary figure, and is an idol who could not go unnoticed. From working with his older brother being a printer and later a writer, scientist, and diplomat Benjamin Franklin was a man of many talents. Franklin’s way of lifestyle and his areas of work are the major reasons why he is such an important part

At the start of the First Chapter, Franklin claims to write only so that his own life may be an example for his son of how one can live well and how one can get through hardships. He meant to show"…the conducing means...which…so well succeeded, my posterity…may find some of them suitable to their own situations." Franklin, B. (1909). The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. (New York: P F Collier & Son Company,

His autobiography is the first example of the completion of the American Dream. Franklin talks about his life history as an example to exemplify the most significant American character and principles, like strength of mind, self-reliance, determination, hard work, penny-pinching, and dependence on a code of moral principles are the elements of achievement. He describes how he became an excellent citizen through lack of money and steady assiduousness. Franklin established the potential of life in the New World through his own rise of the social classes. His family was poor when he was a child, but despite that, he became a very rich and influential man. In addition, he declares that he pulled off his achievements through a diligent work ethic. He showed that even ordinary people in Boston possibly would, through industry, turn out to be great people of significance in America.

The Autobiography opens with a letter to Ben Franklin’s son, William Franklin, who was the royal governor of New Jersey at the time. Franklin writes the letter while on vacation in Twyford. Franklin says to William, “Imagining it may be equally agreeable to you to know the circumstances of my life, many of which you are yet unacquainted with… I sit down to write them to you (5). His purpose of writing his son would be to tell him personal accounts of his life that could benefit him in ways of motivation, wisdom, and simply to show him how far he has improved in his life. He wishes to tell him how he rose from “poverty and obscurity” to a higher degree of reputation in the world. Furthermore, this would not be his only purpose, which changes with the tone and style of his writing Franklin decides to write a complete autobiography to exemplify his self-improvements. He shares with him how he enjoyed his life, and if the opportunity to live the exact life arose he would change some errors. Ones which were

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

Benjamin Franklin was raised Protestant. His mother’s name was Abiah Folger who was the second wife of his father Josiah. Benjamin’s mother was caring, and his father was musical and artistic. Benjamin was put into grammar school and a school of writing and arithmetic at a young age, which affected his success in writing later in life. As a young boy he greatly enjoyed reading. His father planned on devoting him to the church, but Franklin became a devoted Deist later in life. When he was twelve years old he was to serve as an apprentice in his brother’s printing house until he was twenty-one years of age. His apprenticeship gave him much time to learn how to work in printing newspapers. While Benjamin was apprenticed to his brother, his brother

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.

The autobiography of Benjamin franklin starts of by talking about his son William Franklin who at the time was the royal governor of New Jersey. Franklin started to write his autobiography in the summer of 1771 on holiday in London England. While only on holiday for a week, Franklin thought it would be a good time to record his past because his son may wish to know about his life at later date. Benjamin start saying that he had lived a good life and if he had the chance he would go back to erase only the small errors he made in life. He feels by writing down his life, would be the next best things to reliving it. He mentions a thank you to god for allowing him to live an enjoyable life.

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 is an iconic figure in history, primarily for his many inventions. Franklin also wrote an autobiography about his life, there is a difference between a biography and an autobiography. Biographies are written by someone who is writing about another person’s life. An autobiography, on the other hand, is a person writing about their own life. Usually in an autobiography, the writer will talk about his or her life, including their childhood, family, and schooling. The writer will also usually talk about their parents, and their marriage. Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography is very different, he starts off by saying “dear son”, which leads the reader to believe that it is a normal autobiography. Once you read about two more paragraphs in the book, it is clear that it is not a

Throughout his autobiography, Franklin emphasizes and establishes the concept of “doing good” as the most important moral principle one can follow. Franklin states, “I never doubted… that the most acceptable service… was the doing good to man” (Franklin 62). Franklin wrote his autobiography as a guide for the common man to do a good, become a better citizen, and live a life of happiness. He constantly says that doing good is his foundation and that he will not do anything that contradicts this