Response to: Who is Ben?

From his autobiography, there is much evidence to show that Benjamin Franklin did indeed believe in the values shared by Puritans of this time. However, unlike previous authors like John Winthrop, his writings are not centered on religious beliefs. There is certainly much praise given to God and Christianity and Franklin himself documents his quest for “moral perfection”,

This being said, Benjamin Franklin’s true purpose in producing his memoir was to document his legacy for the benefit of his son. Therefore his work is considered one of the earliest recorded examples of an English language autobiography. As such, Franklin’s work is always focused on his experiences in various stages of his life.

There is also a distinct tone of condescendence in Franklin’s work, particularly for a man who praises virtues such as humility. This is especially evident in part 2 of his autobiography where he lists his infamous“13 virtues” in which Franklin attempts to propose a way of maintaining a pious God fearing life style similar but not nearly as detailed as Winthrop’s “A model of Christian.”

Still yet, the most significant difference between the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin and the other various puritan authors we looked at is that Franklin’s, is the first thorough documentation of life in the new world. Puritan theology dictated that everything the settlers did was for the benefit of God and through God’s grace thus there was no real documentation suggesting life for the everyday person of this time.

Though Franklin’s opinions can often come across as arrogant and boastful, he never the less shares a first-hand glance at life in colonial America and the effects of a life spent in pursuit of the “The American Dream”.