Autobiographies of Ben Franklin and Frederick Douglass Essay

Ben Franklin and Frederick Douglass atomic number 18 the most prominent figures in Ameri quarter history who fought for freedom and equal rights, democracy and racial equality. Frederick Douglass was hotshot of the most important figures in anti-slavery and civil rights movement which took place in the 19th century. Ben Franklin was a scientist, politician, diplomatist and originator. His social and political activity coincided with consolidation and creation of the nation and for this reason his liberal ideas had a gigantic impact on formation of the nation.Thesis For both Franklin and Douglass, escape from oppressive circumstances became a move point in their careers giving rise to political and social activity. The themes of survival and escape are almost connected with family background and early life of both men. asa dulcis Franklin was of a family that for generations had lived by the sweat of its brow. worry his ancestors for generations back, he was bred to a trade t hrough a long apprenticeship. That he became a journalist was not altogether accident.His Uncle Benjamin and his maternal grandfather had been versifiers, and his elder brother had become printer of the fourth composition set up in New England. Franklin describes his experience I disliked the trade and had a tight inclination to go to sea, still my father declared against it. But residing near the water I was very much in it and on it 1. 1. Franklin, B. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (with entry and Notes). (Macmillan, 1914), 7 Moreover, he learned early that writing, if unrivalled has a mastery of it, is useful for creating and controlling the opinions of men. The story of his teaching himself to write is generally known.Frederick Douglass was born a slave in 1818, and raised by his grandparents. Historians suppose that Douglass grandmother, Betsy Bailey, was the central figure in his early years1. In contrast to Franklin oppression and slavery were the driven forces w hich forced Douglass to escape from. At their twenties, Franklin and Douglass escaped and run to long cities looking for job and career opportunities. At the eld of 20, Douglass escaped from his master and went to New Bedford, Massachusetts. No yearlong in the clutches of slavery, he was ready to take the next steps in his career as an orator, a preacher, and an abolitionist 2.It was a watershed in his life. This battle with Mr. Covey was the turning-point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own bithood 3. At the age of 18, Franklin broke indenture and run to Philadelphia. During a year, he worked for Samuel Keimer, a printer. On the October morning, 1723, when Franklin passed under the sign of the Bible, entered the fail of Bradford and asked for work, Samuel Keimer, a rival printer, had set up in the townsfolk. Bradford had nothing for the lad to do, but gave him a folk and sent him to Keimer, by whom he was soon employed.He describes I have been the more particular in this description of my journey, and shall be so of my first entry into that city, that you may in your mind compare much(prenominal) unlikely beginnings with the figure I have since made there3. 1. Lampe, G. P. Frederick Douglass Freedoms Voice, 1818-1845. (Michigan State University campaign 1998), 27. 2. Ibid, 26 3. Douglass, F. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An the Statesn Slave. 1997. http//sunsite. berkeley. edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/ 4. Franklin, B. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (with Introduction and Notes).(Macmillan, 1914), 24 During a few months all went well, and Franklin spent his time courting and printing. Franklin was sent to Boston with a garner to Josiah, a printer. Josiah refused to take him, and Benjamin came back to Keith, who now dispatched him on a fools errand to London. He sailed with the belief that he was to have letters of introduction and letters of credit that he was to buy types, paper, and a press, and return to America a master printer. He reached London to find Keith a knave and himself a dupe. After the escape, both men started active political and social activity.Douglass became a lecturer for the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. He started publishing activity and published several newspapers including New National Era, Frederick Douglass Weekly, The North whizz, Frederick Douglass Paper, etc. He made friends with Wendell Phillips and William Lloyd Garrison. During the Civil War, he was an adviser to President Abraham Lincoln. Philadelphia during 1727 to 1757 was a town of remarkable intellectual activity. During 1727-1730, Franklin emerges as the chief political leader and scientist, the energizing, galvanizing source of two-thirds of the towns important enterprises 1.In autobiography, Douglass creates a vivid image of slavery as a burden with deprives some(prenominal) people a chance to be free from oppression and humiliation. There is intensity of illusion because the author is present, constantly reminding readers of his unnatural wisdom. The moral quality of both works depends not on the validity of doctrines, but on the moral sense and arguments presented in the work. In both books, a certain amount of dapple is based on emotional response. For Franklin, escape became a turning point in his career and arena views. It was at this time that Benjamin founded the Junto, wrote his famous epitaph,1. Lampe, G. P. Frederick Douglass Freedoms Voice, 1818-1845. (Michigan State University Press, 1998), 28, 2. Franklin, B. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (with Introduction and Notes). (Macmillan, 1914),. 27 in grew religious, composed a liturgy for his own use 1. For instance, to get a circulation Philadelphia Franklin resorted to quick-witted expedients. He strove to make the Gazette amuse its readers, and to persuade the readers to write for the Gazette for he well knew that all(prenomi nal) contributor would buy a dozen copies of the paper containing his piece from sheer love of seeing himself in print.Necessity to survive and hardship had a great impact on their moral values and views. Douglass support equal rights movement and fight for emancipation in England where he earned the nickname The Black OConnell. After the Civil war, Douglass was selected the President of the Reconstruction-era Freedmans Savings Bank Minister-General to the Republic of Haiti and put of the district of Columbia. In 1862 Frederick Douglass described him as a miserable tool of traitors and rebels and quite a bona fide representative of American prejudice and negro hatred 1.For many Americans, religious norms represent the main cypher of values and norms determining specific mode of conduct personally and socially preferable. To some extent, this way of idea gives strength and flexibility to both men who reflect their own identification with an entity the nation. Desire for independ ence and self-identity can be interpreted as distinctively American feature and unique style of life. The first hold master of American literary expression, Franklin is also in the heroic tradition of American brainpower.Franklins humor and wit-the gentle touch that won mens hearts and affections and the bite of satire that disconcerted the enemies of America and the opponents of freedom and progress-reveal him in his most creative aspect as a pioneer of the American personality. His animation of fair play, tolerance and compromise for the better good of all have elicited, over the years, the 1. Franklin, B. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (with Introduction and Notes). (Macmillan, 1914), 68.2. Douglass, F. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. 1997. http//sunsite. berkeley. edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/ respectful admiration of Americans and the love of the consentaneous world. Though vivid images and ideas of survival expressed in his work, Douglass appealed to emotions of slaves talking about ideas of independence, freedom and equal rights. Douglass writes It was affluent to chill the blood and stiffen the hair of an ordinary man to hear him talk. Scarce a designate escaped him but that was commenced or concluded by some horrid oath 1.Douglas did not mean in arguments against slavery, supposing that common sense and moral values were higher than any religion. Always loyal to this enormous notion of what is real, Douglass tends to seek a mode of radicalizing viewing. In 1872, Frederick Douglass became the Vice President of the United States and was the first Afro-American who had occupied this high position. For both men, escape becomes a symbol of future and hopes. Franklin and Douglass paved the way in accordance with life expectations and aims coined by hardship and necessity to survive.Their style encompassed a respect for human arrogance transcending the limitations of color, a defense of the rights of the press and of freedom of speech and conscience, a engross for the liberty of every man to worship God in his own way, a regard for education and learning and for arts and letters, a sincere belief in equality of opportunity and condition that expressed itself in a concern to prevent excessive wealth and extreme poverty, and a passionate belief in the future enormousness of America. 1. Douglass, F. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave.1997. http//sunsite. berkeley. edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/ Works Cited 1. Douglass, F. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. 1997. 30 April 2007 http//sunsite. berkeley. edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/ 2. Franklin, B. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (with Introduction and Notes). Macmillan, 1914. 3. Lampe, G. P. Frederick Douglass Freedoms Voice, 1818-1845. Michigan State University Press, 1998. 4. Shenk, Joshua Wolf. The novel of Lincoln, Reconstructed. The American Pro spect. 12, February 26, 2001, p. 36.