The novel, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, depicts the life and adventures of Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin came from a large family. He was the youngest son of seventeen children and he was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. His father, Josiah, was a candle and soap maker and he made Benjamin work for him at a young age. However, Benjamin did not particularly enjoy his father's work. His father tried to find him a new job, and he realized that Benjamin was a bibliophile. Benjamin then started working for his brother James, who was a printer. This helped Benjamin read more, develop his own writing style and skills, and he strengthened his debating skills thanks to his friend John Collins. Classified as one of the true American icons, Benjamin Franklin receives this title due to his inventions, moral beliefs, and he was a polymath. .
Benjamin Franklin was credited for inventing many things that are still used today. He invented most of his inventions to benefit others, and to solve some common problems. Some of the things he invented include the fire station, the library, the light bulb, bifocals, the Franklin stove, and swim fins. He invented the fire unions in order to eliminate house fires, "I wrote a paper on the different accidents and carelessnesses by which houses were set on fire, with cautions against them, and means proposed of avoiding them forming a company for the more ready extinguishing of fires, and mutual assistance in removing and securing the goods when in danger." Benjamin Franklin was aware of a common issue, and set out to find a way to fix that problem. His Franklin stove was also useful and beneficial. It was an open stove he had invented to improve heating inside homes. His creation of the library allowed subscribers to acquire books to read once a week. Over time, more people began reading books and the intellectual level of the subscribers increased over time.