Franklin & Emerson: Major American Writers?

Benjamin Franklin and Ralph Waldo Emerson are both widely recognized names in the American literature landscape. They share many of the same qualities in their views and beliefs. Both believed in free thinking. Franklin’s early life and writings show the division of the classes in society at that time. Many believed you were born into your destiny and you could do little to change whatever that might be. His life and works are proof that an individual did possess the ability to change their fate and were the beginnings of the framework for what the new country’s government was to be shaped into.

Emerson believed it was the “American Scholar’s” responsibility to take a fresh look at the world and break free from the heavy influences of the European world and its deep class based society. He is widely regarded for helping to shape what became the framework for the American philosophy of life and its new culture.

In 21st century, Benjamin Franklin is more widely known as an inventor, yet he created and wrote many interesting documents as well. He is admired by a lot of people through both his selfaware sarcasm and his sincerity. We can directly connect the way he undertook the balance of wealth, virtues and values, and a quest of reputation to his writings. A disciplined and ironic man, Franklin loved to make lists of principles for his tradesmen as well as himself. As a young man, he made a list of values and virtues that could define his life.

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By these, we are able to see some of the influences he left on the landscape of American literature and history. Throughout his whole life, he compromised on many matters but not over his aversion to tyranny. He put his many talents to work on this issue by writing or by doing. To protect against arbitrary power and tyranny, he believed in expressing his ideas and thoughts feely with no distractions and barriers.

With his writings he found a way to freely express many of his thoughts and beliefs. Some could say these were the foundations of a free press in America. Franklin also found a way to incorporate and use humor to present a message through his writing. He acquired respect as well as wealth through his work. His writings were those that the everyday person could be entertained by or given the power to believe in their right to be free thinkers. One of his friends once said him that he was a show off and he felt guilty of his pride and because of this the virtue of humbleness was one that he strived for. He believed in the general populace’s ability to work together. In this courage of collaboration, much could be achieved. He was full of a strong sense of responsibility towards the community. He became a role model by doing many civilized good works and helped to define the concept of “good citizenship.”

In “The American Scholar”, Emerson exercises romantic and inspirational views in his writings. He makes clear a few key points. He wrote that all humans are fragments, divided like the hand is into fingers; pieces of a greater mankind. A person may dwell in two states. In one state he is divided and does not possess himself but is recognized by his occupation or some repetitive actions. In the other state he is promoted and raised as a man for all mankind. To broaden their views and create something greater, the American scholar must refuse the old and traditional ideas and thoughts. He has to become a man of thinking rather than just the victim of this society. He truly believed that thinking is everything to succeeding in life. He further wrote that it is a responsibility of the American scholar within this “One Man” to become as the “Man Thinking”. They should not be influenced by what the popular choice was, but be free thinkers and see the world with fresh and unpolluted views. It is very essential to see the world undoubtedly and to widen one’s understandings about the world. He further states that The American scholar must not be influenced solely by historical views or what occurred in the past, but that his eyes should be open to every side.