Ben as the Epitome of the American Dream

Ben Franklin's autobiography is not quite one of the most gripping novels I've ever read in my 18 years but it does exemplify a lot of what it means to be American. His dedication to improve himself and go from rags-to-riches is one of the elements people think of when they think of the American Dream. He was the youngest son in a large family that was not quite prominent in society, as shown by the fact all the sons started work at young ages. He writes (endlessly, it seems) about his experiences in school and work, mentioning how he was when he started out and how he applied himself to become better than those in his field, portraying him as a youth with a strong work ethic. He is careful throughout the book to describe how he became successful through skills and hard work - basically creating the legend of the American Dream.