Benjamin Franklin's The Autobiography

Many people try to better themselves, whether it may be through scoring better on an English paper or through better understanding the idea of quantum physics. However, people also try to better their character, as Benjamin Franklin explains in his book The Autobiography. Although people most commonly know Benjamin Franklin as an inventor and a founding father, few know him as a writer. In The Autobiography, Franklin discusses prominent events in his life through a comedic tone, but more importantly discusses thirteen virtues. He attributes these virtues to his success and explains the ways he tries to incorporate these traits into his life. Considering the virtues Franklin explains, we should also note America has changed drastically from the 18th century to the 21st century and that new ideas had to appear. This change in time results in another important trait: patience. These virtues pave the way towards success in America. However, these virtues are geared towards immigrants coming to America. Immigrants need a recipe for success and the virtues are the ingredients. Industry, Frugality and Patience have all become important characteristics in determining the success of immigrants in America.
One of the few important traits Franklin considers important for achieving success is Frugality. …show more content…
Resolution states “Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve” (261). This perception states my parents had succeeded despite the lack of materialist objects, due to having and following a goal. However, the means for which the goal is met occurs due to the virtue Industry. This argument is most synonymous to the argument made in the American Scholar, in that smart people had the intelligence, but they would only keep this intelligence to themselves, resulting in this intelligence to be