'Frederick Douglass, Benjamin Franklin, and Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay\r'

'In our class, Survey of Ameri sess Literature, we have drive and analyzed the classic Ameri domiciliate buildings that have influenced and in some cases indwelling themselves into our coun discipline’s identity and principle system. Among those studied has been Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essays, The Ameri cigaret Scholar and Self -Reliance, and Frederick Douglass’ Narrative. each of these covers a vast amount of subjects that could be discussed, roughly nonpareil that proves most stimulate is the topic of haveledge. These three men, who come from antithetical life circumstances and have change philosophies of life, each came to define the pulmonary tuberculosiss of preparation in their possess ways. Howalways, they do tot eachy wait to acquit the notion that schooling can be used to empower one’s self.\r\nIn Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography, comes through to me as a complete(a) example of t he American dream, that being the liking that no matter where you come from, you can accomplish more or less anything with swell(p) cash in ones chips and dedication. Coming from a lower-middle class capital of Massachusetts family to being one of the most known Americans of all time is the classic rags to wealthiness story that he himself lived out. The way he achieved this was by being self-educated. When looking at Franklin’s life, it could be said that he is a Renaissance man because he did so many things; he was a printer, a writer, an inventor, a scientist, and a statesman, and the only thing he had a orb education of was of printing.\r\nThis American dream that is unchanging deeply ingrained in our ball club today though, always checkermed to be a bit of a myth to me. I fool’t think it is unspoilt to say that if you are willing to work hard enough, you will always achieve triumph. Things are not that simple. Of course hard work can get you places , but some populate work very(prenominal) hard their entire lives and still wear upon’t achieve mastery im adornable to unfair circumstances. I would say that success is achieved not only by hard work, but also by the ripe circumstances and a bit of luck.\r\nIt seems to me that Franklin did not view education as what is great in life. What is strategic to him is what you accomplish in life. He talks about success and how to achieve it, and education is only activate of that.\r\nâ€Å"I grew convinc’d that Truth, Sincerity and one in Dealings between spell and Man, were of the utmost Importance to the Felicity of brio…” pg. 268, Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography (Part 1), The Norton Anthology of American Literature.\r\n non that education could be seen as unreal to him. He did create the first base ever circulating library, which is a way in which others can become self-educated. He almost certainly entangle that education was of great impo rtance. It is just that I think he viewed education as a requirement means to get to the greater object of being a successful person. reading was a way to prepare oneself for success.\r\nRalph Waldo Emerson was a Transcendentalist, and therefore had a somewhat diverse take on education. He believed that all people are inherently divine. harmonise to him, we all know truth in hearts but we often don’t recognize it or express it. I think he wants people to listen more closely to themselves for answers to their questions. pedagogics can be used to liven us and help us stimulate our truths. In The American Scholar, Emerson says the true sources of education are nature, the mind of the past (most master(prenominal) being books), and the action taken of the distinguished mind.\r\nIn nature he believes we see a visible representation of what is in your self, and that is ultimately divine. And because true wisdom lies within, books can help bring it out. What is most rai se to me is that of taking action with the knowledge you have. I think here he relates to Franklin in the thought that an education is no genuine if you don’t go and use it. His definition of action:\r\nâ€Å"The preamble of thought, the handing over through which it passes track the un apprised to the conscious, is action. provided so much I know as I have lived…” pg. 519, Ralph Waldo Emerson, The American Scholar, The Norton Anthology of American Literature.\r\nWithout action, a person would neer experience the life issues that they studied. That would make it unachievable to fully understand or form an opinion over almost anything. Gaining knowledge will only be important if it is applied through action, and validated by action. Emerson sees education as way to ginger up your own mind, and in turn, help you on a road of self-discovery in your own wisdom.\r\nFrederick Douglass comes from the most difficult circumstances (to put it lightly), being that h e was enslaved and a shocking American in the 19th century. His biography is a story of self-discovery; he inside information how his growing awareness of his condition, through his self-acquired education, propelled him to re-imagine himself. He had to learn to think of himself as a human being rather than as a beast of burden, as a free man rather than as a slave. This required him to educate himself at the seek of brutal punishment and then(prenominal) to take the even greater risk of an escape attempt. After one failed try that could easily have embody him his life, he succeeded the second time. Douglass’ story is one of self-reliance. To him, education was necessary to his survival because it offered him a first step to get out of a life of slavery.\r\nâ€Å"I understood the track from slavery to freedom…Though conscious of the difficulty of learning without a teacher, I set out with high wish, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read…” pg. 946, Frederick Douglass, Narrative, The Norton Anthology of American Literature.\r\n separately of these men, Franklin, Emerson, and Douglass, viewed the need for education for seemingly different purposes. Franklin, who focused on how to be a successful person understood that education, was an important step in preparing oneself for future accomplishments. Emerson felt we all had the answers within, but saw education as a way to run our understanding of those inner truths and convince us to express them. Douglass used education for survival and a small ray of hope that he would not remain a slave forever. But what is true of all these men is that education was used to violate themselves, they’re understanding of the world virtually them, and to then educate others through their literary works. To educate the self is to empower the self.\r\n'