Benjamin Franklin, the proud American representative of a self-made man, was truly a character considered a genius and ahead of his time. His autobiography consists of a series of themes that influence and highlight American culture and identity. Although Franklin is best known for being an individualist, as well as a man of esteemed values ​​and notable discipline, Franklin's autobiography shows other aspects of his personality, which he describes in accordance with his life story. These aspects constitute the various themes of the Autobiography: religion, industry and self-improvement are just to name a few. One of the themes of the Autobiography is social prejudice, where social norms and expectations influence Franklin's life in one way or another. It is discerned in the way the society of his time reacted or behaved towards Franklin for several reasons. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay One of the earliest evidence of the social prejudice stated in the Autobiography dates back to when Franklin was sixteen and decided to start a "plant-based diet." This, however, “caused an Inconvenience” and he was “often reproached” for this “oddity”. At the time, vegetarianism was not so widespread, and the people around him evidently did not like this “singularity”, since it is normal for a community to disapprove of a member of its group having something unusual about him. The next part of his life that aroused more severe criticism from society was when he “had already made himself somewhat unpleasant to the ruling Party” for having written and published articles in the newspaper on political topics and subsequently offending the Assembly, which therefore made him disliked by the rich and high-ranking people of the city. Furthermore, Franklin was not a practicing Christian and, by indulging in his books, had come to doubt the church's teachings. However, he was not afraid to tell the truth about his opinions and for this reason he was "indiscreet" in his "disputations on 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 so Franklin was seen in a negative light. Although Franklin appears to have had very little concern for what others thought of him, he actually demonstrates an understanding of the importance of how other people perceived him. This was especially true when he established his own printing press, as he made a great effort to secure his "credit and character as a merchant". He “was concerned not only to be in reality industrious and frugal, but to avoid any appearance to the contrary”. In other words, Franklin knew the importance of appearing polite, amiable, and polite. He dressed simply, made sure not to be seen in “Places of Idle Diversion,” and never went out fishing or shooting. Additionally, Franklin made sure that people saw him take home the paper he bought from stores to show that he was not haughty in his business dealings. All of this underlines his willingness to do things for the sake of profit, as his efforts have certainly led to a better business for him. And while the community was happy to accept Franklin for all the appearances he made, they treated Franklin's temporary rival, David Harry, differently. It was because Harry was "very proud, dressed like a gentleman and lived expensively", thus leaving him bankrupt. As a result, people were less friendly towards Harry, but were decidedly friendlier towards Franklin, demonstrating not only the impact being liked could have on an individual.