Benjamin Franklin Essay

Can a man be as vast as a nation? Did the c atomic number 18r-experiences and cultural offices of a maven individual play as pivotal a role in the establishment of American democracy and American horticulture as both written declaration, constitution, or law? Without a doubt, there be historians who bear at the crap to assert that gum benzoin Franklin was merely much(prenominal) an individual. umpteen books, scholarly articles, essays, encyclopedias, and even works of fiction have headd and continue to contri merelye to the apologueical status of Benjamin Franklin in American history.However, there is is favourable rea word of honor to reject any surface-level interpretation of Franklins important contributions to the cosmos of American Democracy, and read with with child(p) c be the complex and extensive developing of Franklins actions and stated philosophies over the span of a great many a(prenominal) years. The resulting image of Franklin when the story of Franklin and the diachronic Franklin ar compared is angiotensin-converting enzyme of a challengingly doubtful and complex thinker, and of a man who acted in keeping with his unintelligibleest philosophical, moral, and spiritual beliefs many of which were quite radical in his twenty-four hours and many of which were astonishingly traditional.The truth of the matter is that Franklins extant literary productions are so adequate and voluminous that i can find almost any word be of Franklin one and only(a) wishes to find, (Frasca, 2007) but, certainly, in comparing the diachronic Franklin to the fictionologic Franklin, important cleverness into American history and into the psychology of American culture can be gained.Franklins career can be said to have begun actually(prenominal)(prenominal) betimes in his bread and butter story, when he left fieldfield school at 10 years of age to help his father (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007) non large later on, he was apprentice d to his half br different James, a gradeer and publisher of the novel England Courant, to which young Ben secretly contributed. After much disagreement he left his br opposites employment and went (1723) to Philadelphia to work as a printer (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007).Franklins early life was later make upn its first throw out toward mythic status with posthumous publication of Franklins Autobiography in 1791, non long after Franklins death. If the Autobiography helped to foster the mythic status of Franklin in American history, it was but one of the many examples of Franklins written contributions to American culture. During his active career, Franklin was immersed non further in attainment and history, but in philosophy and good theory as well.His prevalent writings contained both peevishness and moral axioms notably in his very general publication, Poor Richards Almanac, which was In his day the great inauguration of profit to every printer which was issued yea rly, and which was the vade-mecum in every household that could point little the necessary two or three pence annually (Ford, 1899, p. 400). Franklins loyal contributions to American popular culture during his lifetime included not only the folk wisdom of Poor Richard, but with much- needful humor for the American guilelessIn America, however, either because the immigrants had been recruited from the unfortunate and the spiritually austere, or because the hardness of the builds resulted in a sadness which tinctured the lives of the people, there seems to have been a practical extinction of all sense of the humorous. (Ford, 1899, p. 388) Against this back endground, Franklin himself often a deep-thinker and a moody mortal articulated the first instances of a natively American sense of humor.This detail is very important in evaluating both the mythical and the diachronic Franklin because the mythic Franklin ashes empty of all but a few slight traces of Franklins triumphan t career and reputation as a humorist. His status as such is very important because, as mentioned, it is Franklins cultural contribution to America as well as his political contributions which cements his status as a Founding Father and which has resulted in the extensive influence Franklin has held over American culture from its earliest bring forthnings.Franklin utilize humor in a very conscious path to pave the way for his more considered ethical and moral ideas more importantly he seized the opportunity to define humor in America for generations perhaps his most remarkable attribute is that the approaching historian of the now famous American humor must begin its history with the first publication of Poor Richard (Ford, 1899, p. 389) and, by doing so, Franklin placed himself in a chance upon position to define with humor just what it mean to be an American.His capacities as a humorist do not seem to have been affected, but rather emerged naturally out of his personalised ity. Franklin used humor to not only define himself and to uncompletely define American culture, but as a method to settle scores or take shots at traditional beliefs or institutions His irresistible inclination to copulate a joke out of everything is illustrated by the scrapes he got himself into with his advertisers. Employed to print an announcement of the sailing of a ship, he added an N. B. of his ingest, to the effect that among the passengers No sea Hens, nor Black Gowns exit be admitted on any terms. Some of the clergy, the right way incensed, withdrew their subscriptions from the Gazette. Yet this did not cure him of the tendency, and he was quickly offending again. (Ford, 1899, p. 394) idea and literary works provided one means for Franklin to influence the development of early American culture and these aspects are slightly contained in the myth of Benjamin Franklin, with the humorous aspects downplayed.For example, Poor Richards Almanac is probably part of the F ranklin myth in most peoples brainiacs and they probably also are aware that Franklin offered axioms of wisdom in this Almanac, but many people are probably deeply unaware that Franklins gift for humor was not only an important part of his literary output, but an aspect of his personal philosophy and a method by which he engaged other people and also helped to resolved conflicts. Another aspect of the Franklin myth is that he invented electricity by tying a key to a kite-string. kindred many myths, this myth has a basis in historical candor His experiment of flying a kite in a th understorm, which showed that lightning is an galvanizing discharge and his invention of the lightning rod won him recognition from the leading scientists in England (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007) but it is a slim basis. What the lightning and key myth re typifys in a compressed form is the long and complex contribution to the natural sciences and to popular inventions which actually was a part of the hist orical Franklins career.In realizes to his actual scientific achievements, Franklin is notable by historians to have been a brilliant inventor and adapter of breathing technologies He repeated the experiments of other scientists and showed his usual practical bent by inventing such diverse things as the Franklin stove, bifocal eyeglasses, and a glass harp (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007) he is regarded as having a very brilliant scientific mind and a keen sense of practical implementation of abstract ideas.These qualities are also present in Franklins philosophical and political ideas which will be discussed soon and to rifleher, Franklins scientific, philosophical. and political vision actually hold with the popular aesthetic already shown to have been a part of his literary output. In some ways, Franklins cultural contributions mirror a deeply democratic sense of purpose and fulfillment the creation of common axioms, a common wisdom, along with useful technologies are not separate from Franklins political vision.Ironically, the democraticism which is inferred in Franklins guiding principles is less present on the surface in his specifically political writings. When specifically considering Franklins political beliefs and writings, it should be pointed out that Franklin was actually very different from the other Founding Fathers. He was older and more committed to the British imperium and certainly more cosmopolitan and urbane than they were (Morgan, 2005, p.551) and because Franklin lived abroad for just under twenty years in England and having traveled a lot through Europe, Franklin was in many ways the least American of the revolutionaries (Morgan, 2005, p. 551). This duality in the historical Franklin is, of division, completely absent from the lightning and key mythic Franklin who is regarded as a Founding Father of American democracy.This last idea of the myth of Franklin is confessedly enough, but as this paper has hopefully shown, the historical ensure of Franklin is a more ambiguous and much more complex than the myth. This is an understandable condition because part of what myth does with historical events is to simplify them and streamline them so that the emblematic impact can be made more right on and less diluted by alternate interpretation.It would be difficult if not impossible, for example, to take a mythic vision of Franklin which included the historical reality that Franklin like the social and intellectual life of London to that of Philadelphia (Morgan, 2005, p. 551) or that his landlady, Margaret Stevenson, and her precocious daughter, Polly, provided Franklin with more compatible intellectual companionship than did his own wife and daughter (Morgan, 2005, p.551) so these very real and very important aspects of Franklins actual life and his actual personality are absent from the Franklin myth. Yet these aspects, and others, are super important in helping to define and understand what exactly Franklin contr ibuted as a Founding Father of American democracy. That his cultural contributions, whether humorous, literary, or scientific not only fostered his myth but actually altered the course and evolution of American society is demonstrable by way of historical evidence.What, then, were Franklins political contributions to the early American nation? Did Franklin evidence as much resourcefulness and thoroughness in his political career as he evidenced in his career as a printer, or humorist, or inventor? One very interesting aspect of Franklins life is that he dealt with not only the revolt of the American colonies against a British Empire which he loved, but also with the resulting estrangement from his own (illegitimate) son during the course of the war.Franklins actions at the outbreak of the Revolutionary struggle give a solid glimpse into his sympathies and beliefs at the time As annoy between the British government and the colonies grew with the approach of the American Revolution, Franklins deep love for his native land and his devotion to individual freedom brought (1775) him back to America. There, era his illegitimate son, William Franklin, was becoming a leader of the Loyalists, Benjamin Franklin became one of the greatest statesmen of the American Revolution and of the newborn nation.(Franklin, Benjamin, 2007) As a statesman, Franklins contributions can be at least to some degree quantified and cited he was postmaster general, a delegate to the Continental Congress, an appointee and signatory to the committee which wrote the contract bridge of Independence, he was also sent to Canada with Samuel Chase and Charles Carroll of Carrollton to persuade the people of Canada to marijuana cigarette the patriot cause (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007).The mythic vision of Franklin as a powerful statesman delivering powerful, moving oratory before the Continental Congress, or laboriously poring over draft versions of the Declaration of Independence are confronted by an ecdotes of historical fact. An example of this is John Adams, who contemptuously described a Franklin from day to day sitting in silence, a great part of the time debased asleep in his chair and sighed that he was likely nevertheless to get credit for everything achieved by the Congress, (Lopez & Herbert, 1975, p. 203).Again, Franklins political reputation was based not so much in his perception among his American colleagues, but in his foreign popularity and fame. His best tactic was not spell-binding oratory or conglomerate legalese, but in injecting a calm pronouncement or a bit of humor (Lopez & Herbert, 1975, p. 203) into difficult political processes. The question still mud as to what Franklin, personally, believed roughly the American Revolution during the time of the revolt and afterward and whether or not Franklin can be accurately described as a firm believer in democratic principles.The historical facts provoke that Franklin held conflicting views about democracy a nd royalist rule. On the one hand, he advocated personal liberty, on the other, he seemed reluctant to dismiss with the notion of a royalist government altogether. As he wrote in the Autobiography, his feelings were not at all certain during the time of the approaching revolution In our way thither I projected and drew up a be after for the union of all the colonies under one government, so cold as cogency be necessary for defense, and other important general purposes (Franklin, 1914, p.131) but here there is no mention of a constitution or a strong Federal government at all. Franklins own visions for a single-chamber congress and a weak executive council were rejected (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007) and, alter, although he objected to aspects of the final Constitution, he helped to direct the compromise and worked earnestly for its ratification (Franklin, Benjamin, 2007).The picture which emerges of Franklin as a politician is one of a man whose core-principles were challenged by the birth of a new government, but who fought resolutely on behalf of the new nation without regard for the degree to which it mirrored, exactly, his always-evolving personal beliefs. In addition to the differences which are evident between Franklin the myth and Franklin the historical figure in regard to his literary, scientific, and political contributions to American history, two other areas of Franklins life are absent from the mythological figure of Franklin his apparitional and racial convictions.Of course, it is absolutely full-strength that Franklins religious convictions and his views on race and ethnicity evolved throughout his lifetime. On the other hand, Franklins religious beliefs seemed to occupy a central place in his interpretation of his own lifes purpose and the meaning of his life. Where pietism is concerned, Franklins most intimate beliefs depict a rather traditional point of view.Because of his personal experiences and personal fortunes, Franklin tended to view the arc of his life in rather conventional religious terms Scattered through his writings are sentences full of gratitude to God for His favor in lifting him up from such a low to such a high estate, in carry him substantially unscathed through the graver dangers and baser temptations of human life, and in affording him the bureau that the divine goodness, of which he had received such signal proofs in his career, would not cease with his death (Bruce, 1917, p.51) these simple, but enduring, beliefs are easily compatible with many forms of American Christianity. That said, it would be very difficult to trace an influence from Franklin to groundbreaking Christianity, nor an influence of Christianity directly on the myth of Franklin. In both fact and in myth, Franklins traditional religious ideas are downplayed due, presumably, to their existence prominently in keeping with the common ideas of Franklins time. Interestingly enough, Franklin retained his religious convictions at th e close of his very eventful life and the fruition of his religious convictions strengthened him in old age and in death.As one of his biographers wrote WHEN THE DAY CAME, April 17, 1790, he was ready. All his life he had been gingerly taming death, stripping it of its awe and power, clothing it in appealing metaphors of travel and bliss, humoring it, handsome it a place in the family circle (Lopez & Herbert, 1975, p. 308) and because of his receptiveness to deeply held religious convictions which were, nonetheless, not tied to any kind of dogma or unappeasable adherence to religious doctrine, Franklins religious philosophies and his actual death are gestures, also, of a democratic sprit and and individualist.The conflict which the religious side of the historical Franklin presents for the mythic vision of Franklin is difficult to articulate. It has to do with the fact that, while Franklins individual take on Christian principles and religious ideas does, in fact, make a very co mpatible fit with the American notion of individual liberty, Franklins avoidance of traditional dogma and doctrine results in making his individualistic religious beliefs more difficult to define and picture to a popular audience.Just as there is no easy mythical spirit for Franklins humor, as there is for his scientific prowess, there is no ready mythic symbol for his peculiarly individualistic religious beliefs which are root in traditional Christianity. Just as Franklins religious attitudes stop to find mythic expression, his ambiguous views on race and racial bias also are a poor fit for the Franklin myth.The attentive observer of history will take into consideration that at various points in his life, Franklin was demonstrably racist and xenophobic Franklin was clearly unhappy about the great number of Germans who were immigrating to his home town of Philadelphia, even though many back up him by patronizing his printing business (Lapham & Saunders, 2005) and also, Frankl in prior to the Revolutionary War grumbled about Philadelphias bilingual (English and German) street signs and complained that the Pennsylvania parliament needed to use translators (Lapham & Saunders, 2005).In addition to these historical facts, there is evidence that Franklin was not only racist, but perhaps a bit paranoid about other races and cultures. He wrote on one occasion, That the Number of purely white People in the World is proportionably very small. (Lapham & Saunders, 2005) which in and of itself might be considered merely an observation of fact until it is paired with Franklins words, which preceded the educational activity Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of our Anglifying them (Lapham & Saunders, 2005).These kinds of historical details and indications of Franklins character have no place in the Franklin myth. Their impact on the historical influence of Franklin is one which is very multiform and fascinating because the evolution of Franklins thoughts and actions in regard to issues of race underwent a profound change throughout his life.Although Franklin seemed to regard one race being in conflict with another in some of his writings, he nevertheless, was elect to be president of one of the first anti-slavery societies in America, (Lapham & Saunders, 2005) and he went on to help to create black schools, assist free blacks to obtain work, resurrect family-friendly values, and improve the social conditions black children (Lapham & Saunders, 2005).The most important aspect of Franklins views on racism is that his ideas evolved over his lifetime, becoming more tolerant and egalitarian as he grew older (Lapham & Saunders, 2005), however, even such a spectacular and ultimately positivistic aspect of Franklins historical biography is left out of the Franklin myth. A letter to Franklin from his sister seems to encapsulate the very kinds of ambig uities and vagaries which the myth of Franklin exists to erase.His sister remarks of the American revolution to Propagate Is stufed into them, & it is Dificult to know whither Either society are in the Right. for my Part I wish we had Let but strife before it was medled with & folowed things that make for Peace (Van Doren, 1950, p. 107) and from this letter and others like it, the young observer is able to glean at least a partial understanding that ideas and conflicts in Franklins time were no more clear, no more black and white than they are in our own.In conclusion, while the myth of Benjamin Franklin, the man who discovered electricity with a key tied to a kite, the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence, a man who is one of the Founding Fathers of America, is a powerful and enduring myth, the historical facts of Franklins long and eventful life offer and a more authentic deterrent example of early-American philosophy, politics, and culture.The conflict between the my th of Franklin and Franklin the historical figure is rooted in the fact that historical truths are often ambiguous, complex and difficult to express succinctly, whereas myth, while sacrificing authenticity often makes a far more opportunist impact on popular consciousness. Franklin the historical figure achieved a far greater influence practically over the development of American culture and American politics than the myth is capable of expressing however, the historical facts of Franklins life also sometimes stand in stark opposition to the myth which they, at least in part, began.References Bruce, W. C. (1917). Benjamin Franklin, Self-Revealed A Biographical and diminutive Study Based Mainly on His Own Writings (Vol. 1). untested York G. P. Putnams Sons. Franklin, Benjamin. (2007). In The Columbia Encyclopedia (6th ed. ). New York Columbia University Press. Ford, P. L. (1899). The deep-lobed Franklin. New York The Century Co. Franklin, B. (1914). The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York Macmillan. Frasca, R. (2007). Benjamin Franklin Unmasked On the Unity of His Moral, Religious, andPolitical Thought. The Historian, 69(2), 359+. Lapham, S. S. , & Saunders, A. (2005). Benjamin Franklins Evolving Views on Race and Ethnicity. affectionate Education, 69(1), 13+. Lopez, C. , & Herbert, E. W. (1975). The Private Franklin The Man and His Family. New York W. W. Norton. Morgan, D. T. (2005). The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. The Historian, 67(3), 551. Van Doren, C. (Ed. ). (1950). The letter of Benjamin Franklin & Jane Mecom. Princeton, NJ