Essay/Term paper: Self-reliance

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Miscellaneous

The idea of self-reliance is an American idea.

Self-reliance is a way of life when one is reliant on one's

own capabilities, judgment, and resources. When someone

is self-reliant they are completely Independent. Many

American authors have used examples of this idea,

self-reliance, in a lot of their writing.

For example, in a Progress to the Mines by Byrd

examples of self-reliance are present. In the beginning of

the story Byrd writes about a character who Ò... rode eight

miles together over a stony road,Ó in order to get to a

house. This shows self-reliance because riding eight miles,

all by himself, is a hard task to accomplish. Especially back

then when the story took place because there werenÕt

very many people around to help one if one got into

trouble. Byrd shows another example of self-reliance when

he was describing one of the main characters who ran an

iron mill. He described him as Ò...so great a master in the

mystery of making Iron, where in he had led the way and

was the tubal-cain of Virginia.Ó This shows self-reliance

because Byrd shows that this character is the best iron

maker around and that heÕs self-reliant in doing it. Byrd

shows self-reliance once again while describing this same

character. He said ÒHe was... first in North America who

had erected a regular furnace.Ó This shows self-reliance

because he set up this iron mill and furnace in the middle of

nowhere with no help from anyone else. All three of these

examples show that Byrd has examples of self-reliance in

his writing.

Another American writer who has examples of

self-reliance in his writing is Franklin. In FranklinÕs Poor

RichardÕs Almanac he shows many examples of

self-reliance. Franklin says that ÒGod helps them that help

themselves.Ó This greatly advocates self-reliance. Franklin

is saying that you should help yourself, i.e. be self-reliant,

before looking to God, or anyone else, for help. Franklin

shows self-reliance again when he says ÒKeep thy shop

and thy shop will keep thee.Ó Franklin is saying that if you

work hard at something like keeping a shop you will be

supported by that hard work and that you will be

self-reliant. Franklin shows self-reliance once again by

saying, ÒAt the working manÕs house hunger looks in, but

dares not enter.Ó In this quote Franklin is saying that if you

work hard youÕll never be hungry, youÕll never have to

depend on someone else for food, and that youÕll be

self-reliant. These three examples show that Franklin has

examples of self-reliance in his book Poor RichardÕs

Almanac.

In an other piece of writing by Franklin, The

Auto-Biography, examples of self-reliance are also present.

In this book Franklin writes about his childhood. He writes

about when he wrote anonymous articles for his brotherÕs

paper. He writes Ò...I contrived to disguise my hand, and

writing an anonymous paper...Ó This shows that he is

self-reliant because he writes the articles for his brotherÕs

paper with no one else's help. Franklin continues talking

about his childhood and writes about when he gains his

freedom from his brother. He writes Ò...I took upon me to

assert my freedom...Ó In this quote Franklin is standing up,

all by himself, and is asserting his freedom from his brother.

This shows self-reliance because his is doing this all on his

own with no oneÕs help. This also shows self-reliance

because once he became free he didnÕt have his brother

to depend on for work anymore and he had to go out on

his own. The book goes on to say that ÒDuring the next

several years Franklin becomes a successful printer and

businessman.Ó This shows self-reliance because Franklin

starts out with nothing and with no help from anyone yet he

becomes successful. These examples show that Franklin

has examples of self-reliance in The Auto-Biography.

An other American author that uses examples of

self-reliance in his writing is Thoreau. In Walden, Thoreau

uses many examples of self-reliance. For example in the

first opening paragraphs Thoreau describes where he is

living. He writes Ò...I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from

any neighbor, in a house which I had built myself...Ó This

shows self-reliance in many different ways. First, he writes

that he was living alone, without the help of anyone,

meaning that he must have been self-reliant, in order to

survive. The second way it shows self-reliance is that he

built his house by himself. Without help from anyone else

this would be very difficult task for someone who wasnÕt

self-reliant. Thoreau shows self-reliance again when he

writes that he Ò...earned [his] living by [his] own hands

only.Ó This shows self-reliance because he relied on work

that he did with his own hands, not anyone elseÕs. Another

way Thoreau showed self-reliance was when he wrote,

ÒIn most books, the I or first person is omitted; in this it

will be retained; that in respect to egotism, is the main

difference.Ó This shows self-reliance because Thoreau is

advocating the self. HeÕs write his book in the first person

in order to show respect to egotism. By advocating this he

was making his own judgments about life and is hence

showing self-reliance upon his own ideas. All of these

examples show that Thoreau showed examples of

self-reliance in his writing.

All of the examples above show that American authors

do use examples of self-reliance in their writing. From

Franklin to Thoreau ideas of self-reliance have been an

intricate part of American writing and culture. This country

was founded on ideas of independence, freedom, and

self-reliance. Without self-reliance this great nation of ours

wouldnÕt be as great as it is. Hopefully, ideas of

self-reliance we be around for years to come.