Benjamin Franklin & Henry David Thoreau

Both Henry David Thoreau and Christopher McCandless ventured out into the woods to get away from the dreariness of everyday society and to find themselves. Only one lived to tell the tale. What was the fatal flaw of the man who didn’t continue on? The only way to find this is to analyze the differences and similarities between the two. McCandless, while embracing some of the same values as Thoreau, was ultimately a different man. While they led very contrasting lives in very distant times, both McCandless and Thoreau sought a type of freedom that can only be achieved when immersed in nature. Thoreau’s entitlement and cozy cabin in the woods is a far cry from McCandless’s constant struggle during his expedition, however, certain parallels

In “Walden”, Thoreau talks about his experience living at Walden pond for what he said was two years, two months and two days where he for the most part, isolated himself from civilization and supported himself with the help of no one else.

John Winthrop and Benjamin Franklin both played pivotal roles in their structuring government, yet were very different in their philosophical views. Winthrop, a Puritan, founded his ideals based on a firm belief in one almighty God. Whereas Franklin, also a believer in a supreme being, founded his ideals on a more scientific ideal. Both men had different visions of government along with a different view of humanity.

Henry David Thoreau was a great American writer, philosopher, and naturalist of the 1800’s who’s writings have influenced many famous leaders in the 20th century, as well as in his own lifetime. Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts in 1817, where he was later educated at Harvard University. Thoreau was a transcendentalist writer, which means that he believed that intuition and the individual conscience “transcend” experience and are better guides to truth than are the senses and logical reason (Prentice Hall 1174). Thoreau is well known for writing Walden Pond, Excursions, The Maine Woods, Cape Cod, and A Yankee in Canada. In 1849 Henry David Thoreau wrote an essay

It is easy to see Benjamin Franklin was no doubt an archetypal American. No one since him has ever had the same amount of success as him. He was a private businessman who made enough money to retire early and to spend the rest of his life in politics. Around this time period only the rich were able to retire early. He was industrious. Franklin continually put forth the idea of the industrious American. He had support from the middle-class who did not care if he was rich but he was a man who was self-made and worked hard. This American attitude was formed early and most of it by him. Franklin was also not judgmental came to decisions and conclusions as a businessman and politician. However, his attitude was non-judgmental with respect to a

While Emerson and Thoreau certainly have difference of opinions, they recognize the need for public discussion and discourse. Emerson declares “a foolish consistency” to be “the hobgoblin of little minds” (Emerson 367). This is shown in their essays “Self-Reliance” and “Civil Disobedience” in which they support individuality and personal expression. Despite their contrasting views of society and government, the two most

Benjamin Franklin wrote his autobiography to help citizens of America, and inform them on his life accomplishments. Franklin wanted to help citizens prosper in their lives just like he did. Franklin gives tips and lays out ways to be a better person throughout his autobiography. The main example of his exigence is the virtues he explains. A few of the virtues Franklin explains are, “ Order- Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time. Industry- Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions. Tranquility- Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.” Franklin includes these virtues in his autobiography to provide the reader with ways to become a more successful person in life. Franklin wanted to give readers of his autobiography an outline of how to become successful in life through a few quick and easy steps. Olaudah Equiano’s main exigence or purpose for writing his autobiography is to provide the reader with knowledge of slavery. Equiano wanted everyone to know how cruel slavery was, and how unfair and poorly slaves were treated. He did this through telling his story as a slave during late 1700s. Equiano supports his purpose with

Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography is an inspiring tale of his personal, as well as public achievement throughout his life. Franklin’s life embodies the exemplary model of a life composed of discipline, self-reliance and self improvement. From his humble beginnings as an apprentice candle and soap maker in his father’s business to a successful business man, author, philosopher, civil activist, politician scientist, inventor, and diplomat, above all Benjamin Franklin was, and still is, an American Icon and truly a pioneer of the American Dream.

During revolutionary America, Benjamin Franklin, Olaudah Equiano, and Phillis Wheatley all wrote autobiographical works that framed their identities and explored new ideas taking form through the Great Awakening and Enlightenment. Equiano and Wheatley wrote in support of abolition and used their works to exemplify that, while Franklin focused on the “American dream” and how he was able to achieve it. Despite these differences, all three were quick to mention religion in America and the Christian hypocrisy associated with it.

A Comparison of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Beliefs concerning Simplicity, the Value and Potential of Our Soul, and Our Imagination.Henry David Thoreau tests Ralph Waldo Emerson’s ideas about nature by living at Walden Pond, where he discovers that simplicity in physical aspects brings deepness to our mind, our soul to its fullest potential, and our imagination to be uplifted to change our lives. These two men believe that nature is what forces us not to depend on others’ ideas but to develop our own. Nature is ever changing so we must keep searching for explanations about human life. They feel that nature is the key to knowing all.Thoreau lives at Walden Pond to find the true meaning of life. He wants to experience

In The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, we are reading the path that one man took to go from a middle class child to a well respected adult. Benjamin Franklin created what we know today as the American dream. Today we understand the American dream to be that one can go from rags to riches with a little hard work. The autobiography is based around the age of reason and a time man was thought to be able to be perfected by means of science and invention. The Autobiography of Benjamin

“ What is the recipe of being successful, Choose a career you love, give it the best there is, in your seize your opportunities and be a member of the team.” This quote tells us that it took a while for Franklin to become successful. Such as discovering electricity. When he attached a metal key to the tail of a kite and flew it during a storm. The metal attracted electricity from the storm, which helped Franklin connect the idea of electricity and lightning. Franklin is well known because of this experiment. His father wanted him to enter clergy,but they didn't have enough money for him to attend school and became a minister.Franklin went to work as an apprentice for his brother, who was the owner of a printing press and published local newspaper. He didn't have a good relationship with his brother.When Franklin was a teenager, he ran away to Philadelphia, which became his home base for the rest of his life. Later on in life Franklin wrote many books that became popular and influential. Such as: Poor Richard's Almanac and The Autobiography of Benjamin

Franklin discussed his life-story as an example to illustrate the most important American qualities and values, like determination, self-sufficiency, perseverance, hard work, frugality, and reliance on a sound code of ethics are the ingredients of success. He showed the endless possibilities in the New World. Benjamin Franklin is the true definition of “rags to riches”. He achieved his success through his solid work ethic. In the autobiography he told us how he shaped himself as an ordinary citizen of the colony. The foundations of Benjamin’s beliefs come from his humble beginnings and his family’s strong ethics.

It is an undisputable fact that the contribution of such prominent philosophers, writers, political and social activists as Benjamin Franklin and Henry David Thoreau in developing American statehood is tremendous. The literary works of both men can serve as a manifesto of national and personal liberation, a call for building a better society, where each citizen can live and work freely. Indeed, both Henry Thoreau and Benjamin Franklin emphasize the independence and freedom of an individual, but they do so in significantly different ways. These differences can be linked to their different worldview, life positions, philosophies, or interests.

“I wished to live without committing any Fault at anytime; I would conquer all that wither natural Inclination, Custom, or Company might lead me into” (66) says Franklin while describing the grandiose objectives at the time. He derived from his Puritan background, diligence, preoccupation with ethics and a sense of responsibility to an ordered community. But he approached the tradition with “detachment and selectivity”. We find his activities confined to the world of men and he is not involved in any mystical participation in divine being. In the earlier passages of his autobiography there is a reflection of Franklin’s initial optimism in his ability to achieve the desired results and it perhaps reflects his enthusiasm for deistic principles that he describes in the earlier passage of the autobiography. His subsequent account of his failure to reach his goal bespeaks an understanding of human nature in relation to the Divine that owes much more to theology of Calvins and