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Literary Analysis of Benjamin Franklin's the Way to Wealth
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Literary Analysis of Benjamin Franklin's the Way to Wealth
The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was an intellectual movement that,
throughout the eighteenth century. The revolutionary age stressed on rationality over dogma and
research over blind belief, resulting in the establishment of scientific approaches. The
Revolutionary age was marked by reason, experimentation, modernism, and cultural pluralism as
its dominating principles. The Way to Wealth, a revolutionary text by Benjamin Franklin, will be
discussed in this paper.
In the text the way to wealth, Richard confesses that he sometimes quotes himself.+ He
feels successful in that his suggestions are followed and that his authority is respected. Father
Abraham exhorts the gathering listening to him to be thrifty and productive. He supports his
conviction in hard effort with the help of 19 of Poor Richard's aphorisms. After all, the act of
saving is just as important as the act of acquiring, and modest costs rapidly mount up. He
paraphrases Poor Richard's warning that excessive spending leads to poverty. He believes that
being faithful to one's situation in life is just as vital as avoiding the sin of pride. The person who
borrows from others is typically saddened by their debt. Father Abraham advises the gathering in
Poor Richard's Vespersas to "guard your freedom" and to "be hardworking and free" (Franklin,
2008). At the end of the text, Father Abraham tells the readers not to complain about the
"difficulties of paying taxes or the hardship of lean times" and "look after each other." The
primary concerns in the text include wisdom versus foolishness, hard work, and the value of
money, among others.
In the narrative essay, the concept of wisdom versus foolishness is brought out in the text
through Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard and Abraham, a fictitious patriarch who delivers
public addresses. Abraham's wisdom is nurturing and stern and kind and compassionate, lending
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an appealing quality to the situation. The people exhibit a state of lunacy, as demonstrated by the
advisors. While many of Poor Richard's most insightful witticisms are self-evident, they
illustrate the intelligence process of considering the repercussions of one's actions. The theme of
hard work is also evident in the text. Benjamin Franklin suggests two complementary wealth-
building strategies, which he finds are inherently equivalent in value: producing and saving
money. Making money has become more complicated in recent years since success in the market
requires an individual to bring an idea to fruition on their own, often without the assistance of
their community (Reinert, 2015).Consequently, the majority of Father Abraham's advice is
oriented at supporting people in strategizing about their various emotional and mental challenges
to focus on their objectives. Then, when a person has mastered the art of earning money, he says,
they should master the art of saving money. If one does not learn to save money, they may work
their whole life and never gain wealth.
The value of money is brought out in the text through father Abraham's speech which
directly relates to money. Father Abraham tells individuals that it is much easier to squander cash
than to save money. "Buy what thou hast not a need for, and ere long thou shalt sell thy
necessaries"(Franklin, 2008). He advises people to save their money to get money to use if they
lose what they have. "Buy what thou hast not a need for, and ere long thou shalt sell thy
necessaries."(Franklin, 2008). Father Abraham also warns that some wealthy persons have
slipped into poverty due to their desire for luxury items just because they seem lovely. Many of
Father Abraham's interpretations of Poor Richard's sayings center on the premise that no one
fully appreciates the value of money unless they don't have any.
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The age of reason was prevalent in the eighteenth century, particularly in Western Europe
and the North American colonies. The era was distinct from the others in that it welcomed
independent thinking. Additionally, doubt permeated the works of the time. The educated classes
adopted new ideals, especially a concentration on science. The enlightenment age was also
reflected in the literary realm, as seen by several literary works such as Benjamin Franklin's The
Way to Wealth. A rise in human ingenuity also marked the revolutionary era. As seen in the
book, the characters are informed and conscious of the lifestyle choices that may lead to financial
stability and personal success. Additionally, the book shows an age of modernity characterized
by the introduction of taxes and the idea of capitalism as demonstrated by the revolutionary
period (Panesar, 2009). Benjamin presents his major concepts using narrative methods such as
the chronological approach, in which he chronologically recounts the events of the tale.
Additionally, the book uses foreshadowing, as Benjamin portrays a viewpoint that is millennia
ahead of his time. His insight into the art of modest living and the importance of planning is
palpable.
To summarize, "The Way to Wealth" is a treatise about accumulating sufficient wealth to
provide financial security, personal freedom, and social acceptability. The ways by which this is
accomplished are primarily hard effort and frugality. The book is mainly composed of Poor
Richard's maxims set against the backdrop of a basic narrative on surviving in this world. The
book is quite educational in that it emphasizes the significance of perseverance to succeed,
thereby teaching readers how to thrive in life.
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References
Franklin, B. (2008). The Way to Wealth and Poor Richard's Almanac. Nayika Publishing.
Reinert, S. A. (2015). The way to wealth around the world: Benjamin Franklin and the
Globalization of American Capitalism. The American Historical Review, 120(1), 61-97.
Panesar, G. (2009). Benjamin Franklin: The Critical Reception.
