America has always been a place of ideals, a place where people have striven for their concept of the perfect lifestyle. Certain virtues have permeated the American spirit and continue to influence social revolutionaries today. Motivation, courage, intellect, and thoughtfulness are some of the most pertinent qualities of the stereotypical American hero. The perception of this hero has changed little from America's origins to today's culture. Benjamin Franklin, one of America's most influential Founding Fathers, exhibits many of the classic American qualities while Chris McCandless, a modern social revolutionary and adventurer, also takes on many of these characteristics. The two men, despite belonging to completely different centuries, are parallel in a surprisingly fascinating way. From their steadfastness to parenting issues, Franklin and McCandless unite America then with America today, while also proving that the true American hero continues to exist. Despite their notable influence on American history and culture, these two men are also shrouded in controversy and fallibility. Their stubbornness and desire for change can be seen as destructive and flagrantly fearless rather than valiant or heroic. Both representing age-old values ​​of American society in their respective time periods, Benjamin Franklin and Chris McCandless share strikingly similar characteristics of an arrogant attitude toward their goals which, while responsible for much of their fame, culminate in deleterious consequences and lifestyles solitary. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay While most people rely heavily on the opinions and affections of their family members, Franklin and McCandless were both extremely independent and sought fulfillment without much outside help, consequently alienating many of their personal relationships. They displayed a solitary attitude towards relationships, opting instead to find the answers within themselves. For example, Franklin was constantly looking for a better job, despite having to separate from his family members many times throughout his life. At the age of just 17, he interrupted his apprenticeship as a printer with his brother James to find better work in Philadelphia. At first, Franklin thought of himself as an adult and saw little need to stay in touch with his brother. Her relationship with James was severely damaged, but that never really got in the way of her career goals. The idea of ​​putting work before relationships is strong in Franklin's mind, proving that he exemplifies the American ideal of industriousness to the extreme. In his autobiography, Franklin describes James's bitterness at his resignation: "When he found that I was going to leave him, he took pains to prevent my getting employment in any other printing house in the city, by going about and talking to every master, who consequently he refused to give me work” (Franklin). His scrupulous description of brotherly hatred makes him seem almost cruel and self-centered, highlighting how controversial Franklin's actions can be. Only two years later he moved to London to continue working there as printer. Together with his brother, Franklin had a bad relationship with his father, who always tried to prevent Franklin from realizing his true passion: going to sea on a ship. Franklin says: "I didn't like the profession and I had a strong inclination for the sea, but my father declared himself against it", showing evident resentment towards his father's rejection of his true aspirations(Franklin). The rift between Franklin and his father could have decreased Franklin's need for affection and increased his desire for independence and togetherness. Rarely calling his family home, McCandless became separated from his loved ones, especially while attending Emory University and during his odysseys thereafter. Soon after leaving his hometown in Virginia, McCandless traveled south to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and then to the Pacific Coast for a long and arduous cross-country adventure. This journey shows his lack of need for a strong bond with his parents. Furthermore, his actions demonstrate how he doesn't seem to require any permanence in his life; he likes to meet new people and then just leave them weeks later to start over elsewhere. Even though Franklin hasn't moved that far, they both demonstrate a desire to define their own lives rather than let their position define it for them. In Krakauer's Into the Wild, McCandless' mother, Billie, explains how his calls became less and less frequent, which worried her and separated him from her affection. He says, “Initially, he honored the agreement to call regularly, but as the summer wore on, the calls became less and less frequent” (Krakauer 118). McCandless clearly feels love for his parents, but he doesn't believe it. it should force him to remain the same throughout his life. Instead, he likely sees his parents as people who love him but who also hinder his ability to develop and change. Two summers later, Chris's resentment towards his parents grew even stronger, and Chris became particularly reclusive, showing the development of his independent spirit that would influence his future actions. Krakauer comments directly on McCandless's self-separation: “Chris's relationships with his parents… worsened significantly that summer, and Walt and Billie had no idea why. According to Billie, 'He seemed angry at us more often, and became more withdrawn...he didn't tell us what was on his mind and spent more time alone'” (Krakauer 121). By this time McCandless had severed much of the emotional ties he had with his parents. His obsession with self-reflection and solitude is something that demonstrates good character, but it also shows his callousness in caring for his parents who need his love as much as he should need theirs. Dianne Trumbull, in an article on the psychological effects of an arrogant attitude, explains that the tendency towards antisocial behavior and the rejection of parental affection is not intrinsic; rather, he argues that “shared intentionality forms the basis of human society… Pro-social behaviors have been central to the creation and maintenance of societies” (Trumbull). Thus, she would argue that Franklin and McCandless's self-separation is not helpful in creating a cohesive society, whether in a small family or in society at large. Franklin and McCandless were very stubborn and often refused to see the subject "other". , which got them into trouble and created their reputation for inflexibility and even stupidity. Franklin demonstrates several times that he loves discussion and firmly holds his beliefs, and also shows that he sometimes enjoys arguing for the sake of causing a disagreement, especially with his childhood friend John Collins. Franklin says: “Once, somehow or other, a question arose between Collins and me as to the advisability of educating the female sex in learning and their study abilities. He was of the opinion that it was improper and that they were naturally inadequate. I took the opposite position, perhaps a bit out of controversy” (Franklin). His polemical attitude is, againonce, a dual quality that Franklin possesses; some might say that being argumentative is necessary to advance your beliefs and ideas, while others might say it is rude, obnoxious, and uncooperative. Franklin's arrogant characteristics, seen in his actions and speeches in the book, make him seem as if he doesn't. worry about the opinions of others. Creating interesting connections between the obsession with honor of American society and Greek society, Trumbull writes in his article that “when an individual boasted of being able to achieve the superhuman, when he violated established customs, or when he attempted feats reserved for the gods, he made one guilty of the crime of hubris” (Trumbull). For the Greeks, arrogance was detrimental to a person's ability to be an effective leader and cooperate with others; to fellow Americans of the time, Franklin's arrogance, while not a "crime," would have made his character seem more repugnantly arrogant. However, argumentation is a skill that is emphasized in American society, fostering a reputation of strong will among its people. Mirroring Franklin's argumentative character, McCandless refused to give in to countless warnings against traveling deep into the desert with so few supplies, which ultimately cost him his life. and giving him a reputation for carelessness. After his first odyssey in the summer before starting college, Chris's father chastised him for being so reckless while traveling west. Walt says, “'I tried to explain that we parents were not against his travels; we just wanted him to be a little more careful and keep us better informed about his whereabouts'” (Krakauer 119). However, McCandless took these concerned comments with a grain of salt, showing the development of his arrogant attitude and further disconnection from his parents' affection and care. Krakauer explains McCandless's aversion to his father's opinions: “To Walt's dismay, Chris bristles at this little fatherly advice. The only effect it seemed to have was to make him even less likely to share his plans” (Krakauer 119). Chris's failure to heed warnings didn't just manifest itself to his parents; Jim Gallien, one of the last meetings Chris had with a person before leaving for the Stampede Trail, tried to persuade Chris, or Alex in this case, not to be so reckless and try to venture into nature completely unprepared. Krakauer says, “Gallien offered to drive Alex to Anchorage and buy him some decent gear; and then take him back wherever he wanted” (Krakauer 6). As usual, Chris remained stubborn and refused to let Gallien help him. Gallien describes Chris' steadfastness, saying that “'There was just no way to get the McCandless boy to stop.'…'He was determined. Real gung ho'” (Krakauer 6). Both Franklin and McCandless take actions that are, at best, courageous and heroic but, at worst, reckless and arrogant. Their inability to listen to others makes them known for being independent thinkers, but it also results in dark consequences in the form of a bad reputation for Franklin and the loss of his life for McCandless. Franklin and McCandless represent a timeless American value regarding the desire for social reform. and a steadfastness in achieving this goal in order to trigger a change that, in their minds, is for the common good. First, Franklin had quite radical views on the role of religion in American society that profoundly influenced its appearance in the creation of the American Constitution. He focused less on organized religion and more on having one.