Ben Franklin and Nathanial Hawthorne essays

Ben Franklin and Nathanial Hawthorne essays Benjamin Franklin and Nathaniel Hawthorne were both very important to Americas early literature. Franklins Autobiography and Hawthornes My Kinsman, Major Molineux represents the extremes of leaving home. Franklin makes accomplishing the American dream of the self-made man look easy. Hawthorne, however, revises and critiques that dream, showing the harsh realities of the real world. Franklin reveals his life story as a way to show the people of America that determination, hard work, and intelligence lead to success, while Hawthorne describes the harsh world waiting once youth and innocence are gone. Benjamin Franklin and Robin, Hawthornes main character, leave home for different reasons. Franklin, in his autobiography, explains how he journeys to Philadelphia in search of a job and to start life on his own. Franklin wants independence and he knows he will find what he seeks. Franklin states, I took it upon me to assert my Freedom (194). Robin leaves his home with the idea of depending on his second cousin, dependence not independence. Robin journeys from his familys country farm to the city in search of his kinsman, Major Molineux, with hopes that his kinsman will help him get started in life. Hawthorne writes, The Major... had thrown out hints respecting the future establishment of one of them in life. It was therefore determined that Robin should profit by his kinsmans generous intentions (801). Franklin and Robins arrival to the new towns embody the two authors feelings toward the idea of the self made man. Franklin and Robin arrival to their new destinations are drastically different. Franklin arrives in Philadelphia during the day, hungry, and dirty. Franklins determination keeps him going. He buys bread to eat, cleans himself up, and sets out straight away to find himself a job. He finds one within short time, I return...