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Essays on benjamin franklin's autobiography
Essays on benjamin franklin's autobiography
The life and essays of benjamin franklin
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Can some man arrive at moral perfection in this life, or is it impossible? Benjamin Franklin was an extremely brilliant and talented individual. He constantly sought ways to improve himself. After he read “The Spectator” he put in a very dedicated effort to imitate their style of writing because he loved how precise the authors wrote out their thoughts. Franklin was also a relatively religious man or at least believed enough to try to be a morally righteous man so that he would avoid his way into hell. Through these beliefs and virtues Franklin created a plan to achieve moral perfection. Although finding the task somewhat more difficult than he first imagined he stayed with his convictions and deduced thirteen virtues to improve upon and follow. These virtues were: order, silence, temperance, resolution, frugality, industry, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity and humility. Now how did he come up with the virtues and what did the virtues consist of? After concocting this ingenious plan towards moral perfection did Franklin ever see it through and reach moral perfection?
Benjamin Franklin was raised as a Presbyterian by his parents. Although not completely religious some of the teachings stayed on with him. “I never was without some religious principles; I never doubted, for instance, the existence of the deity, that he made the world, and govern’d it by his providence; that the most acceptable service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal; and that all crime will be punished and Virtue reworded either here or hereafter; these I esteem’d the essentials of every religion, and being to be found in all the religions we had in out country I respected them all” (BF, p65). Franklin later also goes on to say that he did not go to sermons on Sunday that often because that day was his day to study and relax, but when he did go he noticed that all sermons that he was listening to were rather “dry” as he put it and seemed to focus more on being a good citizen and not a person instead. These two instances in from Franklin show were he was coming from when he decided to create his list of virtues that would lead him to moral perfection.
Now that he was focused on his goal he need do dome research on the topic. “In the various enumerations of the moral virtues I had met with in my reading,...
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... he just fell short of his goal. Yet this did not discourage Franklin for he was made a better and happier man than he would have been. Franklin also realized that it was good not to be perfect because friends would hate and envy him; so it is better to keep a few faults in order to save face.
All is well that ends well. This statement best describes Franklin’s endeavor into morality. Even though he was not able to accomplish what he set out to do, he still managed to come out a better man because of it, and he learned a few things along the way. Sometimes reaching the end of something is not important, but the journey you took to get there is what really matters. I’ll finish with a quote from Franklin’s autobiography. “It is …. Necessary for every person who desires to be a wise man, to take particular notice of his own actions, and of his own thoughts and intentions which are the original of his actions; with great care and circumspection; otherwise he can never arrive to that degree of perfection which constitutes the amiable character he aspires after.” [BF, p227(Source P, 8: 128)].
Qoutes from "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin"
Beowulf’s fight against the dragon shows Beowulf as a hero. Although Beowulf had previously defeated two other foes, he stands fast and fights his most formidable foe yet, the dragon. Dragons were notoriously difficult to kill, and the poem states that it was a great man, who could kill a dragon, even if it meant losing one's life. While others cower away Beowulf fights the dragon. Beowulf defeats the dragon but loses his life in the same instance. Like the classical hero Beowulf loses his special status in death. Beowulf sought no compensation for his services; the mere satisfaction of helping others was pay enough. Like his two previous battles Beowulf fights for those who could not fight for themselves.
Gordon S. Wood delves into Benjamin Franklin’s philosophical, political, and personal legacies in the biography, The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. The book travels through Franklin’s experiments, his travels in Europe, and his role in the American revolution. The book begins when Franklin retires from business and becomes a gentleman. It was when he became a gentleman, it allowed him to analyze the world around him. “Indeed, he could not drink a cup of tea without wondering why the tea leaves at the bottom gathered in way rather than another,” a quote from Edmund S. Morgan’s book, Benjamin Franklin. Franklin spent a great deal of time in Britain before returning to America. When he returned, he threw himself into the American revolution, which sent him to France. After he accomplished his duties in France, he returned back home to America where he ran for public office.
Franklin believed that through self restraint and development of ones temperament anyone can achieve a successful life. The process Franklin describes involves cataloging all of the bad habits you do during a period of time and gradually working on reducing each of them to the point where they are almost non existent. However he does note that it is impossible to achieve
After defeating Grendel, Beowulf came back twice in order to kill Grendel's mother and a fire-breathing dragon. Although during his bout with the dragon, Beowulf was fatally injured. As his services were needed, he always prevailed; Beowulf's bravery never tired. He even had to fight and kill these monsters in their homes where nobody had ever ventured. Successfully defeating Grendel's mother lead Beowulf into his third and final battle with the last monster.
Franklin was remembered for stating "the longer I live, the more convincing proof I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men." Franklin 's ideas that contributed to the Enlightenment is found in his Autobiography. His idea of a perfect person has 13 virtues and claims that a practical and scientific man is based on combining their values and economic values. Franklin preferred voluntarily societies over government control, all his thoughts can lead back to free opinion. In his, Almanac is reflected on his scientific interests and was popular within the
Henry David Thoreau and Benjamin Franklin had a lot of similar ways of life. The men didn’t believe in the Christian religious conviction of the time. Franklin supported Deism, in which people think that God shaped human beings and the soil, but would not get in the way of human development in it. Thoreau supported Transcendentalism, which is the faith that human beings are independent, unique people, who are one with the natural world. The beliefs of both these philosophers were very different than what the rest of society deemed socially acceptable, but this did not affect them in the least bit. In fact, their religious beliefs are part of what made these men such influential figures in American history. Franklin’s beliefs in Deism reflect his outlook on life. He was a very driven, hard-working person who, if he discovered a problem with society, he would do everything in his power to fix it. The fact that Deists believe that God will not get in the way of human development suggests that He will not fix one’s problems for them. They are expected to fix it themselves, which is exactly what Franklin ...
“I wished to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that the natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into” is the mission statement he begins this discussion with, using such forceful terms as conquer to characterize this goal as a battle his perseverance can win. The thirteen virtues which he tries to commit to habit also reflect his belief in making one’s own life; order, industry, moderation, tranquility, and humility each hinge on the notion that a person can control their emotions and live in a constant state of productivity to accomplish any possible goal. Even after he abandons this pursuit, Franklin believes that his efforts have made him a better person more likely to succeed in life, claiming that “I was by the endeavor a better and happier man than I otherwise should have been.” This example and several others from his autobiography show that Franklin wholeheartedly felt that any person could improve their state of being and material affairs by the pulling of their own
Beowulf is a good example of a courageous and strong hero. He shows all of
In the beginning of the novel, Beowulf takes interest in the plight of Hrothgar, King of Denmark, and wants to help him fight Grendel. Grendel is a large monster that has been harassing members in the mead-hall of the Heorot. Beowulf owes Hrothgar a favor, due to the fact that Hrothgar saved his father in years past. Hrothgar is honored to have Beowulf attempt to fight the swamp monster, and decides to hold a feast in his name. When Grendel shows up to the feast, Beowulf illustrates his bravery by fighting Grendel without any armor. When Beowulf wins the battle by ripping Grendel’s arm off, everyone in the mead-hall praises Beowulf for his acts of courage. In this scene, Beowulf proves that he is a hero by fighting off a monster that everyone else was afraid of. This made him look
After comparing and contrasting the views of mankind of Franklin and Edwards by looking at the personal background, religious views and evidence in their writings, it is clear that their views were very different. Franklin’s education was based off of philosophy books he read while Edwards’ education was based off of the study of theology and a biblical background. The religious views of Franklin were that mankind was basically good, but Edwards’ views were that man was basically evil. The evidence in the writings of Franklin showed that he relied in being morally good without God’s grace, while Edwards understood that the only way man could become good is through God’s grace. While both men were very influential and important in history, their views were very different.
Towards the end of Beowulf’s epic hero cycle and life as king, he had to take on one last monster, the Dragon. He commuted back to Geatland with his men. As he begins to fight the Dragon, his sword failed him, and Beowulf was left with no weapons. Then ten of the eleven men he brought fled in fear and Beowulf was left with only Wiglaf. They took on the Dragon together and successfully killed him only after being badly wounded in the neck. Beowulf then collapsed and passed on. This finished his cycle as hero and as
“My intentions were to acquire the Habitude of all these virtues, I judg’d it would be well not to distract my attention by attempting the whole at once, but to fix it one of them at a time, and when I should be master of that, then proceed to another, and so on till I should have gone thro’ the thirteen” (Franklin 93). He believes that if he masters all of these virtues that he will become the perfect individual. If humility is the thirteenth one, than it must be the most important one in his life, or at least a closure to a perfect lifestyle. He made a book in which he allotte...
without religion, was the key to reignite the passion of a country. America has been
Invisible Man is a novel by Ralph Ellison, addressing many social and moral issues regarding African-American identity, including the inside of the interaction between the white and the black. His novel was written in a time, that black people were treated like degraded livings by the white in the Southern America and his main character is chosen from that region. In this figurative novel he meets many people during his trip to the North, where the black is allowed more freedom. As a character, he is not complex, he is even naïve. Yet, Ellison’s narration is successful enough to show that he improves as he makes radical decisions about his life at the end of the book.
Benjamin Franklin is one of the most influential and famous figures of all time. Ben Franklin if often referred to as the "self-made man," and his philosophies and principles in the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, edited by Louis P. Masur, has served as a self-help book for millions around the world. Franklin's Autobiography is a prime example of the American dream, a rag to riches story that has inspired many people to think of themselves and the community in a different light. Franklin's moral and social philosophies are packed deeply into his Autobiography. Franklin believed that improving ones self was the key to success. Self-improvement, self-education, and self-discipline are the main factors of a self-made man. Improving yourself will ultimately improve the society as a whole. Franklin speaks of principality and inclination. His idea was to produce the principle man with the awareness of man's natural inclination. Throughout the text Franklin provides examples from his own life that contradicts his moral and social philosophies. These contradictions are mostly caused by natural inclinations. Franklin uses these contradictions to educate people to be aware of their natural inclinations and to try and overcome them. Franklin's realizes that improving oneself is a road with many imperfections. Not even the "self-made man" was completely perfect.