Benjamin Franklin's autobiography and American literature

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 per say. 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 his brother James. One point of contention was the identification of Ben as the author of the famed "Silence Dogood" letters. When Ben was apprenticed at his brother's newspaper, James refused to allow his brother to write for the paper. To circumvent his relative, the younger Franklin wrote editorials to the Franklin paper under the aforementioned alias (Quick). Through Silence, Ben Franklin could expound on all of the societal dilemmas he witnessed. When it became known who the true author of these articles was, the elder Franklin was quite furious with his brother. James Franklin was doubly concerned that the fame of being identified as Silence Dogood would make Benjamin immodest and big-headed (Cook 2). This is used as both an anecdote from the life and as a lesson to William. One of Franklin's colloquialisms functions as the lesson for this period of Franklin's life. He says, "Immodest words admit of no defense, for want of modesty is want of sense" (Franklin 7). In this, like his famous saying from Poor Richard's Almanac, Franklin educates the reader of logical and understandable life truths.

In the second part of the autobiography, Franklin spends much time explaining to his son how he had written a list of thirteen virtues. These things were ideals that all men should aspire to in their own lives in order to both improve themselves and improve their society. However, these thirteen virtues are very difficult to keep abreast of and Franklin finally determines that it is simply not possible for a human being to be perfect. Being a human being means that the person has frailties and flaws but that it does not prevent them from being a good person. Franklin writes: "The mere speculative conviction that it was our interests to be completely virtuous was not sufficient to prevent our slipping, and that the contrary habits must be broken, and good ones acquired and established, before we can have any dependence on a steady, uniform rectitude of conduct" (38). This experiment, Franklin insists, taught him to be more understanding of his fellow men and to judge others less stringently.

It is also to remember that the text is an autobiography. Although Franklin explains some of the mistakes that he made in his youth, he certainly leaves out certain events in which he either did not make the right decision, or wherein he perhaps did not even consider the ramifications of his choices (Sparks 20). Many autobiographies suffer from being self-serving and this is no exception. Benjamin Franklin endeavored to educate his son through his writing and in doing so omitted any item that would not further this aim.