In Benjamin Franklins Autobiography, Samuel Keimer is a character who represents the antithesis of Franklin. The development of Keimer not only improves the readers understanding of the minor character, but also of Franklin, the major character. Franklin makes a point of showing the reader each of Keimers faults and contrasting them with his own merits. When Keimer is first introduced to the reader, he is in very much the same circumstances as Franklin; they are two young men trying to make a fresh start in a new town, the only difference being Keimers economic, and thereby social, advantage. In comparison to Franklin, however, Keimer is a flawed and immoral man; this difference is what makes him the ideal model for Franklin to scrutinize. As Benjamin Franklin consistently moves up the social and economic ladders, more than surpassing Keimers achievements, Keimer quickly falls into poverty and loses everything.
With the rest I (Benjamin Franklin) began to live very agreeably; for they all respected me, the more as they found Keimer incapable of instructing them, and that from me they learned something daily.1 Franklin goes into great detail to teach the reader how one should live ones life in order to avoid the same fate as Keimer. In Franklins opinion, many factors attribute to his rise to glory and Keimers fall to disgrace; these elements help to provide the foundation for some of Benjamin Franklins thirteen virtues. The virtues are designed to show how a person can lead a morally flawless life, which is why the morally corrupt Keimer is the perfect counter-example for Franklin. The first of these virtues is Temperance. The amount of Keimers temperance can be summed up in the following quote: He was usually a great Glutton (BFA 29); he is unable to last through the ordeal of abstaining from meat and eventually orders and eats an entire roast pig before his guests can arrive. This scenario also shows an example of Keimers lacking of the fourth virtue, Resolution, and of the ninth virtue, Moderation.
The Essay on Ben Franklin 4 Benjamin 4
Benjamin Franklin left a great legacy when he died on April 17, 1790. He was one of America s greatest diplomats and the only man to sign all four of the key documents of the American Revolution: the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and the Constitution of the United States. He laid the foundation that changed the study of electricity into a ...
The lack of Resolution can be named as one of the main causes of Keimers downfall in society; Franklin points out that it is virtually impossible to attain economic success without drive and perseverance. Franklin, however, eats and drinks little and often goes on vegetarian diets; he has been quoted as saying, Eat to live, and not live to eat.2 Also, when Franklin resolves to do something, he always follows up and does it, including his resolutions to start his own printing house, to become a morally perfect person, and to correct his errata. The second virtue is Silence; Franklin has many opportunities to speak libelously against others, especially against Keimer, but often chooses not to, except against certain political issues published anonymously. Keimer chooses to use the scene outside of the courthouse as a medium to emphasize his superior position in their relationship; it is Keimers complete disregard for this value that leads to Franklins resignation. Keimer also has trouble with the third of Franklins virtues, Order, as Hugh Meredith reminds Franklin that Keimer was in debt for all he possessd, that his Creditors began to be uneasy, that he kept his Shop miserably, sold often without Profit for ready Money, and often trusted without keeping Account. That he must therefore fail (BFA 44).
The sixth virtue, Industry, is of tremendous importance to Franklins success; he states repeatedly that time should never be wasted: I never went out a-fishing or shooting (BFA 54).
Franklin is credited with many quotes concerning lost time including Lost time is never found again (BFQ 310) and Time is money (BFQ 310).
Keimer, even though he is in tremendous debt at one point, takes both Saturday and Sunday off from work at a time when the six-day workweek is standard practice.
The Essay on Franklin Pierce Jane President House
Franklin Pierce, one of eight children of Benjamin and Anna Kendrick Pierce, was born in Hillsborough, N. H. , on Nov. 23, 1804. His father had served in the American Revolution and later became governor of New Hampshire. Pierce was educated at Hillsborough Center, Hancock Academy, and Bowdoin College, from which he graduated in 1824 after advancing from last place to fifth from the top of his ...
Also, as he is disconnected from the inner-workings of the printing house, Keimer is unable to keep his underpaid, unmotivated staff working diligently. Franklin remarks that part of his job is to put his Printing-House in Order, which had been in great Confusion, and brought his Hands by degrees to mind their Business and to do it better (BFA 42).
An example of Franklins opinion of one of Keimers workers is that he is idle, thoughtless and imprudent to the last Degree” (BFA 43).
Only the short time that Ben Franklin works for Keimer is the printing house well run. Finally, Keimer has a problem with the tenth virtue, Cleanliness, as he is described by Franklin as slovenly to extreme dirtiness (BFA 45).
Franklin, however, takes pride in his appearance as shown by his embarrassment of his awkward ridiculous Appearance (BFA 20) on his original arrival in Philadelphia. Ben also takes the time to remark on his dress when returning to Boston: I was better dressd than ever while in [Keimers] Service, having a genteel new Suit from Head to foot (BFA 24).
The lack of these seven virtues Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Industry, Moderation, and Cleanliness helps to bring about Keimers failure and forces him to sell the printing-house and move away. Franklin uses the example of Keimer to provide evidence for some of his other theories as well. Soon after Keimer employs Franklin, Ben makes a step towards proving that knowledge is power when the Governor of the Province, impressed with Franklins letter to Bens brother-in-law, becomes an acquaintance of his. Though at the time Keimer is the master, Franklins intellect and education help him to attain a social step up on Keimer. At one point in his autobiography, Franklin gives the reader a lesson on the value of rhetoric and the use of the Socratic Method. Franklin then uses the example of Keimer and their frequent debates to show how, by using the Socratic Method, he is able to completely confound Keimer to the point that Keimer becomes ridiculously cautious, and would hardly answer me the most common Question, without asking first, What do you intend to infer from that? (BFA 28).
The Term Paper on Ben Franklin 3
This report tells of the many accomplishments of Benjamin Franklin, and of how he became known as a hero of America. It explains how he rose from poverty by working hard. The report spreads out Ben Franklins life and the accomplishments he made during it, all from his birth to his death. You will find the discoveries and inventions he made, the way traveled in his life, and how he did all he could ...
Franklin attributes Keimers failure to all of these characteristics, and attributes his own successes to the opposite traits.
Keimer is a role model for Franklin, and for the reader, of what not to become. As Franklin is reminded, Keimer was in debt for all he possessd, that his Creditors began to be uneasy, that he kept his Shop miserably, sold often without Profit for ready Money, and often trusted without keeping Account. That he must therefore fail; which would make a Vacancy I might profit of (BFA 44).
Thus Keimer, though a minor character, is of great importance to the reader, for without him, Franklin would not get his points of morality across as clearly or as precisely..
