When I started reading the new book, I was happy that finally someone admitted to the real reason for writing their autobiography - vanity (at least in Franklin's case). I felt that the authors of the previous two books we read tried to convince us (and maybe even themselves) that they we writing their stories for the readers. For example, Seaver mentioned in his introduction how people were really interested in Mary Jaminson's life and that's why he convinced her to tell her story. Her initial reaction left me with the imression that the only reason she agreed to do it was to share her story and to familiarize people with the Indians. Stein, on the other hand seemed to have written her autobiography because she wanted to relive her life, and maybe to sell the other books she wrote. Nobody ever mentioned vanity as the reason. My personal opinion is that anyone who decides to write the sotry of his/her life probably feels that he/she is a rather important and interesting person. That's why I really enjoyed reaidng Franlin's perspective: "And lastly, (I may as well confess it, since my Denial of it will be believ'd by no body) perhaps I shall a good deal gratify my own Vanity. Indeed I scarce ever heard or saw the introductory Words, Without Vanity I may say..."
I was a little disappointed later when I read the letters in the beginning of part two. It looked like Franklin was including them to justify the reasons for writing the book. So now I am not sure anymore, why did Franklin decide to write the second part - because of his readers, or out of vanity?
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This post recalls probably my favorite one-liner of anything we've read thus far--Franklin's admission at the end of Chapter 2, "For even if I could conceive that I had compleatly overcome [my pride], I should probably be proud of my humility."
First of all, awesome. Only the most objective, disconnected individual could ever adequately describe themselves as humble, because we as humans view humility as an admirable quality.
Second, this is an interesting point as it relates to Franklin's almost compulsive obsession with vice and virtue. He points out every instance of what he refers to as his great "errata"; he catalogs his every fault on a weekly basis; he even includes a letter from Benjamin Vaughn imploring him to write his autobiography as a means of spreading his own virtue among the masses.
This is either a weird sort of benevolence or a massive ode to Franklin's egotism. I'll leave it to everyone else to judge for themselves.
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