The Way To Wealth

The historical context of Benjamin Franklin’s essay “The Way to Wealth” offers contemporary readers meaningful insight into the lives of Franklin’s pre-Revolutionary War audience. The citizens of the 13 British colonies in North America, from 1733 to 1758, once a year, had access to Franklin’s most famous of tracts: Poor Richard’s Almanack. The essay “The Way to Wealth” is just one of many that appeared in Franklin’s annual publication, presented to readers amongst recipes, household tips, and the calendar. During this time in history, almanacs were the most popular secular reading material, and Franklin used his almanac as a way to disseminate important advice and guidance to the North American colonists, all of which contributed the foundation of contemporary American culture as we know it today.

In “The Way to Wealth,” readers will observe ideas that reflect Franklin as a man of the Enlightenment. Franklin valued free thinking and reason, as well as basic moral virtues, which are all Enlightenment modes of interacting with knowledge and experience. All of these values are identifiable in Poor Richard’s aphorisms that preach common sense and logic. As well, Franklin’s subtle critiques of the British government present in his writing foreshadow the pre-Revolutionary War sentiment that eventually led Franklin to join the other Founding Fathers in creating the Declaration of Independence. By using his writing to express his resistance to the attempts of the British to exert increasingly more power over the colonies, Franklin eventually became a true voice of the people.

At the start of “The Way to Wealth,” Franklin directly addresses his audience, inviting them to participate in a deeply personal moment of confession. At this point in the essay, Franklin, as Poor Richard, discloses in a self-deprecating way that he has not often been quoted by his fellow writers. This divulgence positions Poor Richard as an underdog, which enables Franklin’s audience to sympathize with Poor Richard and relate to his situation on a personal level. The relatability of Poor Richard means that his advice is unlikely to inspire suspicion in readers who are sensitive to preachiness or didactic instruction. Franklin characterizes Poor Richard as an Everyman who is just like the members of his audience, a humble individual who is simply doing his best in the face of challenging circumstances. Additionally, Poor Richard asserts at the beginning of the essay that he, like everyone, needs a little bit of validation, and this neediness becomes humorous when Father Abraham begins to quote Poor Richard over and over throughout the course of the essay.

By employing the first person and using a conversational style of writing, Franklin ensures that his readers can connect well with his words and pass them on to non-reading members of their society. His readers will be unlikely to dismiss information they receive from a peer, so the more modest and self-effacing Poor Richard can sound, the better for Franklin’s readership. Even more useful to Franklin than his self-deprecating tone is his use of witty and humorous storytelling. The humor Franklin employs is gentle, but the practicality of his words rings true, inspiring rueful recognition in even the most resistant of readers. Few will be able to deny the foibles of humanity that Poor Richard and Father Abraham discuss in such a frank and open manner, especially when the foibles belong to Poor Richard or Father Abraham himself.

Poor Richard’s role, as well as that of Father Abraham, is one of a colonial Everyman, and this role enables both Poor Richard and Father Abraham to comment openly on the ways the colonists themselves can improve their lives, improvements that only require self-reliance and hard work to achieve. After all, every individual has the potential to make the most of these qualities as they do not require education nor superior intelligence nor special talent to cultivate. Franklin is not only able to help others with his writing; additionally, he is able to employ his writing strategically in terms of politics and rebellion. By positioning himself as an Everyman, Poor Richard contributes to the creation of a like-minded community, and this joining together of social ideals will prove to be very useful as the Revolutionary War approaches and the colonists work together to act on their desires for freedom from the British monarchy.

Poor Richard’s aphorisms, which are possibly the most enduring of all of Franklin’s written words, are uniquely effective in their pithiness and pragmatism. These clever turns of phrase are memorable in their simple rhythmic charm and truthfulness, and the ease with which the sayings can be remembered ensures that they will be quoted over and over again. Schoolchildren to this day remember Poor Richard’s sayings, as they have the lilt of a nursery rhyme and the simplicity that suits even a child’s memory.

The ending of “The Way to Wealth” is interesting as the crowd members listening to Father Abraham immediately disregard his words and act exactly opposite to how they have been advised to behave. Franklin’s keen wit and wisdom are at work yet again, as he observes through the experience of Poor Richard the tendency of people to dismiss messages they have received no matter how helpful they may be. Franklin understands that only personal experience will compel most people to change their behavior, but he, like Father Abraham, feels compelled to be as useful as possible to others. While their attempts at education may sometimes be futile, they must continue to try. This persistence reflects an innate faith in the human spirit, a faith that takes into rueful consideration the foibles of men and women as well as the glory of their potential.