(DHL 15 ) "Anyhow, I defy you. I defy you, oh society, to educate me or to suppress me, according to your dummy standards."" Lawrence's opinion was that although Franklin was a successful man in many aspects of his life, he was constantly contradicting himself through his own actions. He believes that Franklin limits man, while at the same time expects him to obtain the highest of goals and morality. (DHL 24) "He tries to take away my wholeness, my freedom. How can any man be free without an illimitable background?- (DHL 24) "And how can any man be free without a soul of his own, that he believes in and won't sell at any price? But Benjamin won't let me have a soul of my own."".
In reading just the first page of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, it is made apparent that D.H. Lawrence's opinion of Franklin is with justification. Franklin is constantly building himself up to be a man of great morals but turning out to be a hypocrite by going against his own standards. He admitted to falling short of his own virtue #10, Cleanliness. Although not aware, Franklin also falls short of other virtues as well. Virtue #9 Moderation is enormously unmet. This entire so-called novel is a memoir continually boasting of his accomplishment, without any moderation or modesty Franklin is writing his memoirs to his son and from the beginning builds himself up. (Franklin 16) "From the poverty and obscurity in which I was born and which I passed my earliest years, I have raised myself to a state of affluence and some degree of celebrity in the world."" A person of a humble nature would not pronounce himself or herself a "celebrity-. A humble person would let whomever they were speaking to know of their accomplishments and make their own opinion or come to the realization alone. Even more humbling would not to boast of one's accomplishments at all. This proves that Franklin was proud, which goes in contradiction of one of his own virtues: Humility.