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 follows in his footsteps. He eventually decides to leave the family business and venture out and do this own thing. At the age of seventeen, Franklin is completely financially independent and begins his new and prosperous life. He does everything from working at a printing press to finally starting his own, setting up a Junto Club, Being Postmasterm getting elected to an array of cabinet positions, and even setting up a library. As if this wasn't enough, Franklin continues his legacy through his various inventions and his numerous contributions to society for anything and everything from starting a hospital to funding a war with the American-Indians.
             We begin his life by getting and understanding that Frankl
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