The Way to Wealth by Benjamin Franklin - Analysis

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Themes
·       Self-reflexivity
·       Warning against idleness, pride, and folly
·       Self- reliability
·       Remaining in one place
·       Industry
·       Trust in oneself
·       Be wary of others
·       Remaining in one place
·       Attending to one's affairs with care
·       Live modestly
·       Not to buy things one doesn't need
·       Save rather than spend
·       Buying excessively leads to want
·       Against vanity
·       Against pride
·       Against accruing debt
·       Against lying
·       God is crucial in success
·       Reason


Devices and Style

·       Self-reflexivity
I have heard that nothing gives an author so great pleasure, as to find his works respectfully quoted by other learned authors. This pleasure I have seldom enjoyed; for tho' I have been, if I may say it without vanity, an eminent author of almanacs annually now a full quarter of a century, my brother authors in the same way, for what reason I know not, have ever been very sparing in their applauses; and no other author has taken the least notice of me, so that did not my writings produce me some solid pudding, the great deficiency of praise would have quite discouraged me.
·       Quoting himself
·       Adages and proverbs
·       Italicized phrases


Keywords

·       Idleness
·       Poor Richard/Dick
·       Taxes

Benjamin Franklin


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