Essay on Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography
ESSAY ON BEN FRANKLIN’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY
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. Dr. Franklin made it a point in his autobiography to detail his life as a young man. The youngest of thirteen children, his father was unable to afford him a college education. Had he done what was expected of him, he would have remained a common candle maker from Boston, another man born and bred to his father’s trade. Franklin however, had other ideas. His love of reading, a skill he developed at an early age, invoke in him a spirit of curiosity and a hunger for knowledge. Not being privileged to a formal education did not stop Franklin from becoming educated because he took it upon himself and made a point to read as much as he could and learn as much as he could about any subject that caught his interest. Franklin’s love for reading and knowledge lead him to his passion for writing. Finding that he was not very good at conveying his thoughts on paper, he took to practicing his writing through a series of self imposed writing exercises. This is the first of many examples Franklin gave on his technique for self improvement. Even at a young age he exhibited astonishing amount self-discipline. This same self-discipline and commitment to self improvement assisted Franklin in his advancements all through his life, teaching himself in regard to various other subjects such as: arithmetic, geometry, and the art of debate, as well as several languages: French, Italian,
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. Dr. Franklin made it a point in his autobiography to detail his life as a young man. The youngest of thirteen children, his father was unable to afford him a college education. Had he done what was expected of him, he would have remained a common candle maker from Boston, another man born and bred to his father’s trade. Franklin however, had other ideas. His love of reading, a skill he developed at an early age, invoke in him a spirit of curiosity and a hunger for knowledge. Not being privileged to a formal education did not stop Franklin from becoming educated because he took it upon himself and made a point to read as much as he could and learn as much as he could about any subject that caught his interest. Franklin’s love for reading and knowledge lead him to his passion for writing. Finding that he was not very good at conveying his thoughts on paper, he took to practicing his writing through a series of self imposed writing exercises. This is the first of many examples Franklin gave on his technique for self improvement. Even at a young age he exhibited astonishing amount self-discipline. This same self-discipline and commitment to self improvement assisted Franklin in his advancements all through his life, teaching himself in regard to various other subjects such as: arithmetic, geometry, and the art of debate, as well as several languages: French, Italian,