In reading the book, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, I have come to the conclusion that Mr. Franklin was an important asset to American history.  He was a leader in many ways, he contributed to science, literature, and politics.  He was also a printer, philosopher, author, patriot, and an impeccable husband.  In knowing all of the positive and negative of Benjamin Franklin, many people argue over the fact of if he is a positive role model to history.
    Benjamin Franklin contributed to science in recognizing lightning as electricity, observing the Golf Stream, and the invention of literature.  He met and discussed the Declaration of Independence, and made several revisions to it.  Franklin is very often called Franklin of Philadelphia.
    My personal outlook on this question is I feel that Ben Franklin wasn't the best role model.  From reading The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin I have built up the opinion that Franklin was an arrogant man.  Franklin had a hard time following the rules of others and instead he went astray with his own beliefs.  A Quaker friend told Franklin that he, Benjamin, was generally considered proud, so Benjamin put in the Humility touch as an afterthought.  (D.H. Lawrence 4)  Franklin gave himself bad and good marks depending on how he saw his behavior, he thought that his only flaw was Order, he felt that he wasn't very neat and tidy.  "I admire him.  I admire his sturdy courage first of all, then his sagacity, then his glimpsing into the thunders of electricity, then his common-sense humor.  All the qualities of a great man and never more than a great citizen.  Middle-sized, sturdy, snuff colored Doctor Franklin, one of the soundest citizens that ever trod or 'used venery'," expressed D.H. Lawrence.  To display Franklin's control a man used the satire, "I'm not just an automatic piano with a moral Benjamin getting tunes out of me," to describe the way that he treated people.
    In his book, The Autobiography of  Benjamin Franklin, he tells his stories of all the experiences that he has been through in his lifetime.  He talks about how poor he was and how he had to travel from house to house, asking for food and a place to sleep.  He basically would bounce from one house to the next each night. He began his career as an apprentice for a printer.  His brother was also a printer that made very little money.  Unlike his brother, he used his printing days as entertainment rather than to challenging the system.  Franklin was focused on 'free will' rather than ignorance, how many people see him.
    Lawrence expresses that no man can be free without a soal of his own, and that he believes in it and won't sell it at any price, but he feels that Benjamin doesn't let him have a soal of his own.  Benjamin says that he is nothing but a servant of mankind- galley or slave.  'Work, you free jewel, WORK!' I do not choose to be a free democrat.  I am absolutely a servant of my own Holy Ghost.  (Lawrence 9) Benjamin was stubborn, if you wanted to ride your horse to go somewhere you must put a bit on his mouth.  And Benjamin wanted to ride his horse so that it would upset the whole apple-cart of the old masters.  He wanted the whole European apple-cart upset.  So he had to put a strong bit in the mouth of his ass.  (Lawrence 9)
    Benjamin Franklin was a man that created a huge impact on American history.  He contributed in many ways, and voiced his opinion in order to help his idea out.  I have come to the personal conclusion that Franklin was a very arrogant and cocky man.  Yes he did impact history, but he didn't do so in a way with a positive outlook and attitude.