Benjamin Franklin is considered one of the most important men in American history. Among his many contributions to the world were inventions such as the Franklin stove, the bifocal, and the harnessing of electricity. He is also renowned for his writings, including contributions to the United States' Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. One of his most enduring works has been his multi-volume autobiography wherein he highlights some of the points of his life and how he perceives them upon reflection. The text functions both as an interesting account of the life of one of history's most unique characters and also as an example of the individual style that would come to feature in works of literature written by American authors.
The 1st and 2nd parts of Benjamin Franklin's autobiography cover his life in the times before the 1740s, from childhood up until his early successes in business. At this time, Franklin grew from childhood and into the well-spoken newspaper man whose writings would influence the known world. The texts paint an accurate picture of what it was like growing up in the colonies under British control. It also shows some of the initial fractures that would eventually lead to revolution by the colonists and the formulation of the United States of America. Benjamin was apprenticed to his brother James Franklin who started the first newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts which printed original materials from the colonies as opposed to other papers which merely reprinted information from England (Quick). Ben was only fifteen at the time and was involved in the production of the newspaper but was not allowed to participate in reporting.
American literature reflects the ideas about what citizens of this nation have come to expect from their country. It exemplifies individuality and the belief that the American Dream is obtainable for everyone. This concept was part of the American identity even before there was an America...
Even while under control of the British Empire, the citizen of the American landscape was given the belief that they could surpass the sociological and cultural class in which they were born if only they were willing to work hard for it. Many scholars would point to Benjamin Franklin as an example of the self-made man that all Americans would aspire to become (Sherman 1). He was born a poor man from a poor father. He was not the most educated because of his financial disadvantages. To gain the position of esteem that Franklin would carry, he had to work hard for it. Thus the American Dream is achievable because Mr. Franklin was one such individual who was able to acquire it.
The whole of the autobiography seems to be a series of lessons that Franklin learned through the course of his life. Given that the text of the autobiography was written at the request of Ben's son William and it is addressed to this same young man, it can be inferred that Franklin has a pedagogical motivation for writing the autobiography. At the time of the writings, Benjamin Franklin was one of the most famous people in the world, a national treasure in his own lifetime. Having such a man for a father could send a child on one of two paths (Jensen). Either the next generation could try to emulate the father and be as renowned, philosophical, and educated as their parent or they could try to feed off the father's fame and make little out of their own lives. The autobiography then serves to influence and encourage the son through the lessons of the father. This is another trademark of American literature. Since America is a relatively young country, much of the early writings that came out of the nation were cautionary or educational materials designed to have an impact on the current and future generations.
Of particular interest in the first part of the autobiography are Franklin's recollections of the disputes that Ben Franklin had with…
