The Character of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was a gifted, and successful man; yet like the rest of us, he has flaws. He was dedicated to improving himself, however, and set out to eradicate these flaws. In his autobiography, he provides a specific list of the virtues he seeks to acquire, and he is much less specific about his faults. Several are revealed in the narrative of his journey to Philadelphia, however they are not revealed through direct statements, but …

…out to do. How successful was his project for moral perfection? Were the character flaws of the 17-year-old boy smoothed out, or eradicated by the strict program Franklin established for himself? It’s fair to guess that, like the rest of us, he took two steps forward and one step backward nearly everyday. Doing this, Franklin acquired a habit of seeking virtue if not exactly the “habitude of all these virtues” as he originally intended.