Self Made Man

Zachary Stevens
AMST 100
March 4, 2010
Ben Franklin and Ragged Dick both embody the idea of the “self-made man.” Franklin writes “I was surpriz’dto find myself so much fuller of Faults than I had imagined, but I had the Satisfaction of seeing them diminish.” This statement is a prime example of a self-made individual because he does not claim to be perfect. He simply recognizes his flaws and works to make corrections. Also, becoming a self-made person requires dedication and determination. Franklin shows this when detailing his plan for changing his flaws. “Proceeding thus to the last, I could go thro’ a Course compleat in Thirteen Weeks,and four Courses in a Year.” He understands that some changes are difficult and time-consuming, but are worth the effort. In the case of Ragged Dick, it is shown that he is a man of morals. When explaining Ragged Dick’s decision to jump in the water, the author writes “His determination was formed before he heard the liberal offer made by the boy’s father.” Also, these self-made individuals never want to forget their beginnings or lose their drive. When speaking about his shoe brush, Dick says, “…but mine I want to keep, to remind me of the hard times I’ve had, when I was an ignorant boot-black, and never expected to be anything better.” The appeal of this idea is that it gives the average person hope that he/she can aspire to become a highly respected member of society regardless of their beginnings. One place that we always hear about the self-made man is from many business owners, especially those of large corporations. I think the owners tend to do this to try to make workers in the company feel like they have something in common with the boss, when in reality; the two individuals usually have little in common.
There are many people in our culture who fit the label. Ross Perot definitely fits the description. He started out as a salesman, left to start his own business, and eventually became a multi-million dollar... [continues]

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