Benjamin Franklins Poetry Essay

This is a research paper which I shall analyze on the comparison of Benjamin Franklins thoughts and Ideals on remarks concerning the Savages of North America and The Way to Wealth. Benjamin Franklins (1706-1790) who was a renowned founder father of the United States, he participated in its development as a philosopher, scientist, publisher and a leading writer who is important in the history of American history. He wrote a lot of literature materials which are of essence even today and they are used in most analysis of human development and livelihood. He is credited for being the founder of the American character and values he participated by enlightening people the importance of education, community service and hard work so that they would be able to develop themselves. He also emphasized on building self governing institutions which are not authoritative but those which shows sense of leadership to prosperity of the Americans. In this research paper I shall compare and contrast his writing in The Way to Wealth which is also know as Father Abrahams Sermon which he wrote in 1758 and Savages of North America which he wrote in 1784. The write up of The Way to Wealth had its theme based on frugality and work ethics. While, Savages of North America is a narration whose theme is based on the difference between the civilized North American society and the Indians who were referred to as uncivilized. According to Wohlpart (1996) the American Citizens were much concerned about being heavily taxed by the government and they requested Benjamin response which they awaited eagerly. To their surprise Benjamin spoke his mind to address on how they would be able to elevate themselves from poverty and make better use of the idle time they had. He notified them that they are taxed thrice by their pride, thrice by their idleness and four times by their folly and there was need to change how they operated. He told them â€Å"God helps them that help themselves† and therefore they must do something meaningful to alleviate themselves from poverty. He let them know that those people who love life they do not squander time for it is what life is made of. He challenged them for long hours which they spend asleep knowing very well that sleeping fox does not catch poultry. He told them â€Å"Time is money† and â€Å"lost time is never found again† therefore it was important to use every time one has at their disposal. He as well advised them it is only being early to bed and early to rise up which makes on wealthy and they should not tolerate laziness as it travels very slow therefore being overtaken by poverty. He wrote that â€Å"There are no gains, without pains† so they should not hope and wish for better times because those who live hoping shall die fasting. Those who have trade they have estates while those who have offices they make profits and the must work on them so that they would productive enough to pay their taxes and have enough to develop their lives. He assured the Americans that if at all they are industrious they will never starve as he told them â€Å"diligence is the mother of good lack†. He emphasized that one should do what is possible today without postponing it tomorrow because â€Å"one today is worth two tomorrows† and any delay will just result to things being pilled up undone the following day (Wohlpart, 1996). The reason why they should take his advice serious is because there is a lot which they needed to do for themselves, their country and families and this would only have been achieved by working hard and being not idle. He encouraged each of them to be their own masters and they should not get themselves idle as no one would wish to be found idle by their master. He made them understand that leisure is not idleness but a time when one does meaningful things he wrote â€Å"A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things† signifying that they should as well take the time which they refer as leisure very important and do something useful but not squander what they have labored for long and tirelessly. In his writings â€Å"Get what you can, and what you get hold† he meant that most of the time gains are quit uncertain and temperately and they should be well guarded because as he advised them that it is much better to â€Å"go to bed supper-less than to rise in debt†. This was meant to encourage them to live within their means and take charge of their wealth. Benjamin in his write up Salvages on North America which compared North Americans societies which he referred to as civilized and the Indians who were uncivilized. He presented it in using the incident of the treaty of Lancer which the governor of Pennsylvania presented an idea of taking the responsibility to provide all the comfort of the young Indians who will be sent to colleges (Lemay 2000). Benjamin shows on how the native population of the Indian Taught the North Americans about cultural relativism. By understanding that different nations usually have different conception, he wrote that the Indians when they are young they are warriors and hunters and when they grow up they are counselors. While, the women nurses and bring up their children and till they ground for food, it is also their responsibility to preserve public transactions which they pass over to the next generation through oral teachings. According to Lemay (2000) this form of employment which was much more natural was quit different on with the formalized civilization in the Northern America where there is government for the purpose of legislations and maintenance of order and a favorable environment for businesses to thrive. The life styles also necessitate it to have prisons, and officers who use force to compel obedience among the citizens. This is because civilizations come along with complexity in management and administration of the society that why they need established systems to take control of. The Indians although their youths are proposed to be trained in the white college and their payments be met by Government of Virginia they claim it would be of no use because after the training they will not be of any use at their home country. Because livelihood in India was done by being a warrior or hunter for men and taking care of children and subsistence cultivation by ladies which was not being addressed by the formal leaning of science and other studies which they were being taught. Indians are much polite and when they held their public councils they were much orderly and respected each others idea and they did not disrupt one another. Interruptions even when one is conversing with one another are regarded as being highly indecent, because their presentations were not written and any disruptions would interfere with the string of thoughts which would lead to forget what one intended to deliver. Benjamin compared on how disorderly and disrespectful the British House of commons is which there are frequent confusion as participants keeps on interrupting each other and the speaker has to intervene to maintain orderliness (Lemay 2000). This shows on how he was fascinated by the power of oral culture which was passed over generations orally by the six nations in India which is orderly as compared to the chaotic disrespectful discussions by so known civilized nations. The Indians had a lot of civility as compared to the citizens of North America; the Indians were hospitable to the Americans when they visit them. They are taken care of without pay but when Indians visits them they do pay for every thing which they spent. Benjamin in his write-up he shows on how churches would be seen as sinister places by on lookers that they are not meant for those who go there to be taught good things but places where business men congregate to set prices against the native traders. This is because the white settlers are seen being more cruel and rude by the Indians in their way of life and that the reason why they meet every other seventh day. The main concept of this write-up Benjamin was trying to show the different of the civilized and uncivilized societies. This proves that acceptance and demand of equality among different people had a long way to go because they are in different regions which has different needs to support their livelihood. Therefore its importance for each societal setup to adhere to their norms and practice which supports their unity and development in what they participate together (Baym, 1998). The main concern of the American was on how they would be able to establish industrialization to meet their rising cost of living and be able to pay tax while the Indians concern is on how one would be a good worrier and counselor when aged. This shows on how human kind should be able to use the resources at their disposal to better their livelihood. Work cited Baym, Nina. The Norton Anthology of American Literature: Beginnings to 1875. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. 1998 Lemay, Leo. Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America. 2000 Wohlpart, Jim. Benjamin Franklin’s â€Å"The Way to Wealth†. University of South Florida in Fort Myers. 1996 >