American Literature

Benjamin Franklin was one of Americas Founding Fathers, having been a signatory of the Declaration of Independence and one of the framers of the Constitution of the United States.  But Franklin was more  than just a statesman he also provided, through his works, the kind of morals and values Americans would practice to this day.  His values would be attributed initially to that of the Puritans having been mentored by the renowned Puritan cleric, Cotton Mather as a youth in Boston.  If there were Puritan values Franklin agreed with, it was hard work and industriousness, a trait that characterized anyone living in the United States who seeks to better his or her life and were considered builders of moral virtues.  It could be said that the Puritans had instilled these values on the American character and it was Franklin who propagated it.  In addition to these values, there were others that form part of his  Thirteen Virtues  which served as his personal code of ethics which he tried to follow and had featured it in  Poor Richards Almanac  time and again such as temperance, frugality, moderation and humility to name a few. But this was the extent of Franklins agreement or subscription to Puritan values.

Franklin found Puritan values too rigid with their strict adherence to Scripture.  Another  negative  aspect of Puritan values was that it was chauvnisitic, as proven in the case of anne Bradstreet whose works were initially looked down upon because she was a woman.  In addition, her style in writing tended to go against the rigid norms of Puritan society  it can be inferred here that Puritan values had its  flaws  where it was introlerant.  It could be said that Franklin also  bucked  the rigid system of the Puritans, like Bradstreet and this was why Franklin settled in Quaker Philadelphia where it was more  liberal  and tolerant of others, that is, to be open and accept others differences without imposing ones own way on them.  It was here that he managed to make a new  religion  grounded on reason and nature.  It was attribute of tolerance that Franklin liked about Philadelphia that this enabled him to contribute in the writing of the Declaration of Independence which also placed emphasis on tolerance of others.

It could be said that Franklin did not necessarily replace Puritan values totally but added to it when he placed emphasis on (religious) tolerance.  He felt America would not be considered a truly democratic society if it were intolerant or self-righteous.  For Franklin, America was a vibrant society and tolerance of others was the key to this vibrancy and eventual growth of America.  Nevertheless, one should not neglect he owed part of the values he was preaching to the Puritans who had provided America, its work ethic, particularly on industry and hard work, the hallmark of everyone who came to America and avail of the opportunities in promised to anyone who sought to start a new and better life here and had given America  moral supremacy  which it has proven time and again throughout history.