Franklin's contributions to the creation of an American national identity is perhaps the most important theme that need to be emphasized. We can note the shift in the American consciousness from an "otherwordly to a this-wordly" viewpoint. Franklin's abandonment of Puritanism in favor of the Enlightenment's rationalism reflects a central shift in American society throughout the eighteenth century. His works reflect the growing awareness of America as a country with values and interests distinct from those of England. Franklin expresses his deep concern for creating an American character / consciousness in his work with the hope to help all those who read it prosper and ultimately show the that what we deem as the "American Dream" is quite attainable. His autobiography is a work in which he not only presents the reader with a summation of his life and his adventures, but a book that also tells us what he feels some of the most important traits of the American self should perhaps be. In the following paper we examine what these traits appear to be, and then discuss their validity.
As Franklin begins his autobiography we note that he is of the lower class. His father is a simple tallow chandler and for a short time Franklin f
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Primarily the pamplet he printed which upset his boss, the fact that he stopped writing to Mrs. He leads a simple life; he's a vegetarian and pays a small fee for lodging. It shows us that as long as we don't quit we can accomplish anything. Once he arrives in Philedelphia, at the age of seventeen, we see how Franklin already creates a lasting impression with everyone he meets, as they seem to not only like him, but already respect him. No even the death of his good friend Denham and the fact that the women he cared about Mrs Read, got married to a potter, kept him from continuing his legacy.
Benjamin also finds it important to show us that no matter who we are and what we are noted for we all are humans with our own faults. Without this two, nothing would be possible. He never decided to practice anything unethical. His ambition was another hidden factor behind his success. He demonstartes this belief in numerous ways. He also held morals in high regard, whether it be integrity, sincerity, or truth. He tried to get involved in everything he could get his hands involved and wanted to do as much for the community as possible. Whether it was his printing press, Kremier's printing press, the library, the Junto Club, etc. Franklin's shows us his true colors as we notice how all his friendships pretty much last throught his whole life.
Approximate Word count =
1122
Approximate Pages =
4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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