Benjamin Franklin: Son of a Candle Man

For those who have read the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, would you agree that it could be considered one of the first "rags to riches" story of our country? After all, Ben had a very humble beginning and proved that success is born of hard work. Actually, wouldn't this be a great required reading for the entitled generation of children we are raising in our country today. Work ethic isn't something the youth of today even realize exists. It may prove to be a real eye opener for some.
Ben Franklin was quite the "Renaissance Man", if you will.  The youngest in his family, he snubbed the family trade of candle and soap making and took interest in his brother's printing business. He loved writing and basically was self taught at this particular skill. It proved to be very beneficial to him as his works such as Poor Richard's Almanac, The Pennsylvania Gazette, and even his own autobiography proclaim. Actually, this book may be a first of its kind, since it tells about his life and his beliefs, as well. Ben Franklin, a Deist who was somewhat "obsessed" with self-improvement and the betterment of others was not immune to his own shortcomings. He originally wrote this biography for his son, William, with the intention of showing his life as an example. Franklin admitted that although he was happy with how is life turned out there were still things he would have changed if given the opportunity. I expected he would not have lived to see his story come to fruition and I was correct, as he died 2 years before the completion. It is important to note that what one may think to be the basis of his book was not even included in the story. There is no account of his life during the American Revolution in the book. What were his reasons for such an omission? Did this not give pride? Was he ashamed?  Or did he simply want to stand out in another arena?
Although, Ben could be deemed a virtuous man he was not without "skeletons in the closet". At the time of  his son's death he seemed to be more concerned with how he appeared in the public's eye rather than the events of his own private life. That doesn't quite jive with a man who developed a list of 13 Virtues that he intended to develop each week. In conclusion, I would like to say that Benjamin Franklin remains somewhat of an enigma, an enigma  who was a good writer, great thinker, inventor, statesman.....and more. If he were alive today, I wonder what Ben Franklin would say about Ben Franklin?????

Bias on Bios

After reading The Shoemaker and the Tea Party and the Autobiography of Ben Franklin alot of questions came to mind as to just how much work goes into the compilations of such histories. Although, I feel I have learned a great deal about the lives of these men I could not help but wonder during my reading if what was before me was indeed fact or perhaps sensationalized in some way. Better yet, can such a question really be answered. I titled this blog the Bias on Bios because without sounding negative, who can argue that all biographies indeed are tainted in some ways. In regard to The Shoemaker, the account feeds off of the work of 2 historians, Thatcher and Hawkes, who both openly admitted that George Robert Twelves Hewes had an excellent memory, quite an advantage for the interviewer looking to recount events that may have happened 50+ years ago. Let's be honest, historians tend to pad a story to make it better, including those parts that may be more appealing to the reader. Also, like most of us emotions and values tend to get in the way, and may even change someone's outlook on a certain event or subject. Especially if we feel strongly about the topic. Again, another bias to notice. Though, I am not a historian, don't you think it would be difficult to remove the undertones of personal interpretations of the those doing the research or the interviews? I would think it would be hard to avoid. It's simply a part of human nature. This again goes back to an emotional or moral standpoint.
Often, like in The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, information can get muddled or out of historical sequence, again leading to the accuracy and validity of the retelling. So again, I question and hesistate to wonder when events seem hard to piece together, how easy would it be for author or historian to embellish a story here or there. I know it seems like I am being a "Negative Nelly"  but I don't intend to be. I am just trying to keep an open mind. I do find biographies and autobiographies to be interesting as they are the best account we have at a glimpse of what life might have been like; how people lived their lives, what were their beliefs, their political thoughts, what kind of inventions/discoveries they made,and what values were important to them. So remember when reading bios proceed with caution but reap the benefits, too!