Essay Questions

How does Benjamin Franklin use humor to open and close the essay?

Franklin uses humor in The Way to Wealth to both engage the reader and make himself relatable. Franklin opens the essay by declaring how popular and repeated his advice is. He then declares it is so good he will quote himself. This declaration lets the reader know Franklin is fully aware of how the essay is just a series of quotes. At the end though, the listeners ignore the advice and send wildly. It is only those that do not spend money who have listened well and will be richer for it. The advice in “The Way to Wealth” is only useful if it is actually applied in real life.

What is the main purpose of Father Abraham's many adages in The Way to Wealth?

Father Abraham's statements are quotes from “Poor Richard” (Benjamin Franklin's pen-name). The adages are meant as a advice on how to live. How one should work hard, save money, and live a proper life. The adages are often metaphors and parables to be obvious to the reader. Often, the statements are catchy and easy to remember so the reader can always employ them in daily life. This allows anyone to use Poor Richard's (Benjamin Franklin's) in adages to help in their own lives

In what way does The Way to Wealth offer a way to wealth?

The Way to Wealth is life advice or self-help. Benjamin Franklin seeks to imbue his own life experience in the reader. It offers a problem, path, and solution to making wealth. The overall message is that one should always be frugal in life. It is important to work hard and never spend beyond one's station. The failure of the listeners at the end of the essay to heed this advice show how many people often fall into extravagant spending. Only those who use the advice are able to find their own way to wealth. It is up to the reader to use the adages to help themselves.