The Way To Wealth Play Analysis

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Recommended: Poor richard's almanac topics of discussion

The Time of Frugality to a Life of Leisure Through Hard Work America was founded on hard work and ethics. These historical ethics remained as prominent themes in many American movies and literature. In 1758, Benjamin Franklin wrote his opinions on “The Way to Wealth”, published by Poor Richard’s Almanack. This piece of colonial literature shaped the American citizens’ view of work ethic and what it takes to become successful, especially the working class. An example of the strong American work ethic is portrayed in the classic and modern day film, Forest Gump. “The Way to Wealth” set the expectations for the thematic idea of work ethic through specified subjects like time, leisure, and frugality. The modern film tells a story about a boy named …show more content…

“The Way to Wealth” taught Americans that it is in the persons’ best interests to accept a challenge, despite bad timing or complications. Forest, found himself facing specific tasks that later lead him to great success because he chose to not hesitate due to time insecurities. In the film, he made an impromptu decision to join the army after college. He wasted no time to pursue new challenges like joining the army, and because of that, Forest began making a substantial amount of money after he and one of the other soldiers founded a shrimping business. Comparatively, what Franklin writes about in “The Way to Wealth”, Forest, applied to his life throughout the film, and as a result of great work ethic, he found his way from frugality to …show more content…

“The Way to Wealth”, deciphered the Americans’ life of leisure through the point of view of both, Poor Dick and Benjamin Franklin, which Franklin stated clearly, “Leisure is time for doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man may never…” (238). It was the citizens who not only worked hard for what they wanted to become; but the ones that found leisure in the process as a whole, whom had the genuine understanding of the enjoyment of life. Just as it did before, Forest Gump was a cinematic example of what was written in, “The Way to Wealth”, and what it took to live a life of leisure. Throughout the film, Forest is on a constant quest to make himself useful; for that brought him all the satisfaction he needed. Before he chose to donate much of his money, Forest said, “Now, Momma said there’s only so much fortune a man really needs … and the rest is just for showing off”. What Benjamin Franklin was telling the American people at the time he wrote, “The Way to Wealth”, was that it was not how much hard work it took, but the type of work and the ethics a man invested, that brought him a leisurely

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