Benjamin Franklin, America's proud representative of a self-made man, was truly a figure considered a genius and ahead of his time. His autobiography consists of a range of themes that influence and highlight American culture and identity. While Franklin is best known for being an individualist, as well as a man of esteemed values ​​and remarkable discipline, Franklin's autobiography presents other aspects of his personality, which he describes in accordance with the story of his life. These aspects constitute the various themes of The Autobiography: religion, work and personal development are just to name a few. One of the themes of The Autobiography is social prejudice, where social norms and expectations affect Franklin's life in one way or another. It is discerned in the way society of his time reacted or behaved towards Franklin for different reasons. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay One of the first evidences of social prejudice mentioned in The Autobiography occurs when Franklin was sixteen and decided to begin a "plant diet." However, this “caused an inconvenience” and he was “frequently reprimanded” for this “singularity”. At the time, vegetarianism was not so common and those around him clearly did not appreciate this "singularity", because it is normal for a community to disapprove of a member of its group because he has something unusual at his home. The life that brought him harsher criticism from society was when he "had already made himself somewhat odious to the ruling party" because he had written and published articles in the newspaper about political issues and subsequently offended the Assembly, which made him disliked by the rich and high-ranking people of the city. Additionally, Franklin was not a practicing Christian, and through his reading he had come to doubt the teachings of the Church. However, he was not afraid to tell the truth about his opinions and was therefore “indiscreet” in his “disputes about religion”. This caused him to be “pointed out with horror by good people, as an infidel or an atheist”. Naturally, most of society condemned him for his different view of religion, and Franklin was therefore seen in a negative light. Although Franklin appears to have cared very little about what others thought of him, he actually demonstrates his understanding of the importance of how other people perceived him. This was especially the case once he established his own printing company, as he went to great lengths to secure his "merchant's credit and character." He “took care not only to actually be industrious and thrifty, but to avoid any appearance to the contrary.” In other words, Franklin knew the importance of appearing well-mannered, kind, and educated. He dressed simply, made sure not to be seen in "idle diversion spots" and never went fishing or shooting. Additionally, Franklin would make sure that people saw him taking home the paper he purchased from stores, in order to prove that he was not haughty in his business. All of this highlights his willingness to do things with profit in mind, as his efforts have certainly resulted in better deals for him. And although the community was happy to accept Franklin for whatever appearances he presented, they treated Franklin's temporary rival, David Harry, differently. This was because Harry was "very proud, dressed like a gentleman and lived expensively", thus leaving him in.