Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

In his Autobiography, Benjamin Franklin details his accomplishments and provides insight into how his dedication to public service and self-improvement were integral parts of his success. From the beginning of the text, he declares his intention of providing wisdom and advice to his reader. In doing so, Franklin displays confidence in his own achievements, depicting himself as someone who knows from direct experience how to climb the social and political ladder. He also admits he has his own selfish reasons for detailing his life: “[L]astly, (I may as well confess it, since my Denial of it will be believ’d by no body) perhaps I shall a good deal gratify my own Vanity” (10). In admitting to his “Vanity,” Franklin acknowledges that he, too, still wrestles with his own flaws.

Franklin constantly emphasizes The Importance of Self-Improvement in his own path to success. His experience with years of writing and publishing, as well as his widespread knowledge of literature and philosophy, aid him in illustrating the importance of continuous education for good citizens. He makes allusions to well-known figures like Cicero and uses proverbs to connect his education with his experiences as a young, poor man attempting to establish his own printing house.