The First American--Influence from Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography and “Thirteen Virtues” on the Forming of American DreamIntroductionBorn in 1706, Benjamin Franklin was brought up in a poor and obscure family, as he says in his Autobiography.His father is a candle—maker, his mother is a pious Calvinist. When he was 16 years old, he began to serve as an apprentice to his older half-brother, a printer. It was also in that year when Ben tried to publish his essays under his pseudonym, Silence Dogood. At 17, Ben ran to Philadelphia to make his own fortune. His entrance into this city marked the beginning of a long story of success or American Dream. In 1730, at the age of 24, Franklin acknowledged that he has an illegitimate son named William, despite that his mother’s identity is still unknown. The famous Autobiography is written to William as it began: My dear son. Franklin was also known as a prodigious inventor, one of his abundant inventions, the most famous one is electricity. Besides, he helped to found the Pennsylvania hospital, an academy which led to the University of Pennsylvania, and the American Philosophical Society. Among those things which he started and for which he was still remembered today were volunteer fire departments, effective street lighting, the Franklin stove, bifocal glasses, and efficient heating devices.The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was probably the first autobiography in American literature. After its publication, millions kinds of similar works were imitated day and night. Autobiography generally recorded a man who grew from an unknown boy to a man of wealth and prosperity. It was written in the form of letter and divided into four parts, completed at different times. Franklin was 65 years old when he began to write it, but he died before he could finished the whole book, which was a great pity for readers who were fascinated with his works. In Autobiography, Franklin asked the question of how a man should live his life, and he offered the bestanswer he could do by himself, which provided the mould of American life and influenced American spirit in a long period.In Autobiography, the most famous part is the Thirteen Virtues of Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanness, Tranquility, Chastity, and Humility. Franklin is not a man who gave up something which is difficult to achieve. He is a man who made his dream become reality once he made up his mind to do it. For example, he recorded how he achieved the thirteen virtues step by step.I made a little book, in which I allotted a page for each of thevirtues. I ruled each page with red ink, so as to have sevencolumns, one for each day of the week, marking the beginning ofeach line with a letter for the day. I crossed these columns with13 red lines, marking the beginning of each line with the firstletter of one of the virtues, on which line , and in its propercolumn I might mark, by a little black spot, every fault I foundupon examination to have committed respecting that virtue uponthat day.(常耀信，1996:126)All these illustrated how Franklin tries to restrain himself and realize his dream in his time. How he becomes a great man in American history and how he influences the forming of American Dream in the following time.Chapter One Franklin and the “Thirteen Virtues”in His AutobiographyBenjamin Franklin’s Autobiography and the “Thirteen Virtues” in ItIn a day and age when few men are thinking about their own or anyone else’s character development, thoughtful men must look to the past to gain inspiration. Benjamin Franklin, one of the American Revolution’s most notable figures is such an inspiration. He was a Founding Father of the United States, a polymath, author, printer, inventor, postmaster, Rosicrucian and Freemason. He invented the lightening rod, bifocal lenses, the Franklin stove, the carriage odometer, the glass harmonica. He founded the first lending library and the first Fire Department in Pennsylvania.The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a record of self- examination and self-improvement. When we read the Autobiography，we can see an old man who was sitting there and told us an old story about his own life and his experience of his past life. He told us how to perfect ourselves by reading, working and learning. He taught us with pen in hand, drawing out the form of how he combated with his evil shortcomings step by step, day by day, how he succeed at last. According to his own story, he seemed to tell us that nothing is impossible; we can become somebody sooner or later once we do it. Franklin believed that everyone could communicate with god, which is also part of his religious belief. The Autobiography was Franklin’s life long work that he dedicated to expressing his every thought and belief. Arriving in New England at about 1682, Benjamin Franklin’s father, Josiah, found that English Conventicler were often disturbed by English laws and that they “induced some considerable Men of his Acquaintance to remove to that Country, and he was prevailed with to accompany them thither, where they expected to enjoy their Mode of Religion with Freedom” (Bastain,Peter,2005:83). The Autobiography is therefore Franklin’s embodiment of expression that had his family remained in England would have been impossible to achieve. What makes Franklin’s mo de of expression unique is that it draws exclusively on the self and allows the self to develop into a cohesive whole without the government imposing on it. Living in a land like America where its citizens could express themselves freely, writers like Franklin were able to establish a mode of expression that everyone could accurately represent themselves freely. Itcould then be argued that the first step in attaining the American dream was to reject Old World Values and adopt New World ones in place.Franklin sought to cultivate his character by a plan of thirteen virtues, which he developed at age 20 (in 1726) and continued to practice in some form for the rest of his life. His autobiography lists his thirteen virtues as:Temperance:“Eat not to dullne ss; drink not to elevation”；Silence:“Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation”；Order:“Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have i ts time”; Resolution: “Resolve to perform what you ought; perfor m without fail what you resolve”; Frugality:“Make no expense but to do good to others o r yourself; ., waste nothing”; Industry:“Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions”; Sincerity: “Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly”; Justice: “Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty”; Moderation:“Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve”; Cleanliness:“Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation”; Tranquility: “Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable”; Chastity:“Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation”;Humility: “Imitate Jesus and Socrates.”(常耀信，1991: 124)Franklin did not try to work on them all at once. Instead, he would work on one and only one each week“leaving all others to their ordinary chance”. While Franklin did not live completely by his virtues and by his own admission, he fell short of them many times, he believed the attempt made him a better man contributing greatly to his success and happiness, which is why in his autobiography, he devoted more pages to this plan than to any other single point; in his autobiography Franklin wrote, “I hope, therefore, that some of my descendants may follow the example and reap the benefit.”(常耀信，1991:123-127)The Deep Meaning of the “Thirteen Virtues”Ben believed that man is basically good and free by nature; everyone owns unalienable right to pursue happiness and liberty. One of the 13 virtues he listed for himself is “order”, which is also one of the principle of the Age of Reason and the slogan of 18th century, just as Alexander Pope advocated in his contemporary that heroic couplet is the rigid form of his school. Then there comes “moderation”:“avoid extremes,” Franklin told himself and his fellowmen. As is known all, moderation and temperance were among the best virtues of men in that time. All of the 13 virtues are an impressive record of a man trying to be value to mankind: Franklin spent his whole life doing all kinds of things for the welfare of the world, as indeed we mentioned a little earlier. Creating as it does the image of a boy’s rise from rags to riches, the book demonstrates Franklin’s confident belief that the new world of America is a land of opportunities which might be met through hard work and with management, thus telling a story of self-reliance. “Industry” referred in the13 virtues best illustrated it in detail. Franklin was supremely human. He knew humanity’s foibles and deficiencies, but he was convinced that man is good and capable of becoming better, and that, although man and institutions are often corrupt, they might be improved. Had this belief failed to triumph over the doctrine of people like Jonathan Edwards, the American Revolution would be impossible.Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography is a strict stance against old world values. The main old view value stated that “the Christian Church must deliver the laws which she hath received from her King, not dare make laws” (Abbott, H. Porter, 2002:45). A key eighteenth century figure like Benjamin Franklin valued higher law values because allowing the government to interpret biblical passages the King could always place his own slant to make it seem that God ordained his leadership. Higher law practices instead advanced that God’s p ower was absolute and that no earthly being could rule the world. Franklin followed the New World belief because he lived his life with temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice,moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility. Moreover, Franklin stressed how he “determined to give a Week’s strict Attention to each of the Virtues successively” (Campbell, James，1999:58).Franklin’s schedule followed the New World’s tenants because he felt that church attendance was not mandatory to live life the way God ordained. Furthermore, Franklin’s virtues rejected English kings who would praise God’s word as their own and indulge in wealth while many citizens suffered from poverty. By placing the words “Week”, “Attention”, and “Virtues” in upper-case, Franklin stressed that his Virtues must be followed rigorously. Franklin spent an entire week on every Virtue and would move on to the next one only once he would not sway from the week’s Virtue in any way. Swaying from th e week’s Virtue meant that Franklin would have to start the entire cycle over again. Perfecting the entire cycle is what made him the astute and hard working individual who accomplished tremendous feats and discovered significant technical innovations such as electricity that we still used today. Benjamin Franklin believed that every American must perfect each virtue in order to attain the America dream and make America into a great world power.Chapter 2 The Influence of Autobiography and “Thirteen Virt ues” on the Forming of American DreamFranklin set an example for self-made man by constant study and ceaseless pruning for a perfect character he improved himself from a poor boy with 2 years education to one of the greatest and most influential man in the world with multiple identities as a businessman writer statesman scientist diplomat philosopher patriot and man of the work. He embodies and personifies the American dream. The autobiography is an inspiring account of a poor boys rise to wealth and fame and the fulfillment of the American dream. Franklin proved how little necessary all origin is to happiness, virtue or greatness and that with determination and dedication success is within anyone’s grasp. What’s more, Franklin put strong emphasis on morality and personalvalues, just as the “humility” “sincerity”and “moderation”he referred in the 13 virtues. It is he who made a perfect definition of the American dream linking morality and personal values with material success and who set a good example for people of both his time and subsequent generation. He also made contribution to all sects that were to be erected. At the heart of Franklin’s work was an unshakable pragmatism a concern with the means by which humans can improve themselves and their environments. In his invention of the Franklin stove the maxims of Poor Richard his establishment of the Junto and a circulating library and his bold and arduous Project of arriving at moral Perfection we can see a commitment to human progress through human initiative. For instance Franklin had infinite hope for the potential of science to improve human life. For centuries he has widespread and profound influence over people around the world and inspired millions of people holding dreams for success within. There is an ocean of benefits to study his work so that we can receive more lights from him to pursue our own dreams.Franklin is one of the founders of America; he practiced American Dream throughout his whole life and noted them down in his Autobiography. He even wrote such kind of dream into American Constitution and The Independence of America, which influenced the whole nation for hundreds of years. American believed that everyone could become a millionaire or a successful man once he devoted his effort and energy to his work with self- discipline and self- restraint, despite of his social status, property, family background and education background. In certain degree, Franklin is a typical example of the result of American Dream. He was born into a poor family, and made living when he was still a little boy. He never gave up no matter what kind of hardships were waiting for him. Finally, he became somebody from nobody, from rags to riches. Therefore, his Autobiography can also be regarded as a diary of a man teaching us how to stand on the top of the society, how he keeps “length of days in his right hand, and in his left hand riches and honor.” and how he makes his way become “ways of pleasantness and all his paths are peace.”（Bastain, Peter，2005:85）Generally speaking, Franklin performed American Dream with his whole life.Eighteenth century America was driven primarily by an awareness of expansion. The modern reader may have some difficulty grasping how Colonial Americans defined the America dream as be ing one of endless possibility. Franklin’s classification of the American dream implied an ideal that everyone had the chance to achieve the Jeffersonian ideal of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For Franklin, the American dream was possible for anyone who had the willingness to work hard and honestly. In Franklin’s estimation, anyone who would abide by this maxim would either achieve success or be emulated for their effort. Even those who did not achieve their goal would still have made a contribution to their nation because they followed the understanding that hard labor and honesty are qualities that everyone must strive for.Benjamin Franklin has traditionally been defined as a self-made man and rugged American individualist. The Autobiography is structured primarily around several errata that Franklin learned from throughout his life. American dream was to constantly correct one’s errors until these errors were eradicated into good personal qualities or at least to have learned never to commit them again What Franklin intended in his Autobiography was to explain to his readership how he understood his errors and how and why to correct them. Writing therefore became Franklin’s manner of explaining his wrongs and explicitly stating that he will never commit that particular wrong again. Franklin’s mode of conveying his sage was an effective one given that the reader is drawn into the narrative by Franklin’s assertive tone and will likely not commit the same errors.ConclusionAll in all, Franklin is not only a person who made great contribution to American physical life, but also played a decisive role in forming the spirit of America. He taught American people how to pursue their own happiness, how to overcome hardships in front of danger, how to restrain themselves with Puritan disciplines. Franklin performed American dream within his whole life. He is the first Americanwho was good at everything and devoted his whole life into the service of mankind. After Franklin died, there was no person who could be compared with him any more. He is such a great person that his doings influenced generation after generation. Besides, his Autobiography became a treasure in the history of American literal history, until today, it was read by millions of people in the world, which has been regarded as a guideline to success. For the thirteen virtues in the Autobiography, all of which are regarded as the principle of action in people’s daily life.Bibliography1.Abbott, H. Porter. The Cambridge Introduction toNarrative. New York：Cambridge University Press，2002.2.Bronson, W. C. A Short History of America Literature.Boston, Heath, 1900.3.Bastain, Peter. “Let’s Do Lunch: Benjamin Franklin and theAmerican Character.”Australasian Journal of AmericanStudies (2005): 83-89.4.Campbell, James. Recovering Benjamin Franklin: AnExploration of a Live of Science and Service. Chicago:Open Court, 1999.5.J. A. Leo Lemay, ed.Autobiography, Poor Richard,& Later Writings. Library of America, 1987 one-volume,2005 two-volume.6.本杰明富兰克林. 富兰克林自传[M]. 江石亮，许国平译. 上海: 东方出版社中心，1999.7.常耀信. 美国文学选读（上册）[M]. 南开大学出版社，1991. 120-1378.杨自伍. 美国文化选读（上册）[M]. 上海: 华东师范大学出版社，1997. 2-3.。
