America has always been a place of ideals, a place where people have strived to embody their concept of a 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 relevant assets of the stereotypical American hero. Perceptions of this hero have barely changed from America's beginnings to its current 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 assumes many of these characteristics. The two men, although from completely different centuries, resemble each other in a surprisingly fascinating way. From their determination to their parental issues, Franklin and McCandless connect America then to America today while demonstrating that the true American hero continues to exist. Despite their notable influences on American history and culture, these two men are also surrounded by controversy and fallibility. Their stubbornness and desire for change can be seen as destructive and blatantly fearless rather than valiant or heroic. Both representing the age-old values ​​of American society in their respective eras, Benjamin Franklin and Chris McCandless share strikingly similar characteristics of an arrogant attitude towards their goals which, although responsible for much of their fame, results in harmful consequences and solitary lifestyles. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay While most people rely heavily on the opinions and affection of family members, Franklin and McCandless were both extremely independent and sought to achieve their goals without much outside help. , consequently alienating many of their personal relationships. They displayed a reclusive attitude toward relationships, choosing instead to find answers within themselves. For example, Franklin constantly searched for a better job, even though he had to separate from his family members several times during his life. At the age of just 17, he abandoned his indentured apprenticeship in the printing business with his brother James to find better work in Philadelphia. At first, Franklin considered himself an adult and saw no need to stay in contact with his brother. Her relationship with James was severely damaged, but it never really hindered her professional goals. The idea of ​​putting work before relationships is strong in Franklin's mind, showing that he exemplifies the American ideal of hard work to the extreme. In his autobiography, Franklin describes James's bitterness over his resignation: "When he realized that I was going to leave him, he took care to prevent me from finding employment in any other printing office in the city, by making the in turn and speaking to each master, who consequently refused to give me work” (Franklin). His careful depiction of brotherly hatred makes him seem almost cruel and self-centered, emphasizing how controversial Franklin's actions can be. Only two years later, he moved to London to continue working as a printer. Along with his brother, Franklin had a bad relationship with his father, who always tried to prevent him from realizing his true passion: going to sea on a ship. Franklin says: "I didn't like the job and I hada strong fondness for the sea, but my father objected to it", showing obvious resentment towards his father's rejection of his true aspirations (Franklin). The breakup between Franklin and his father could have diminished Franklin's need for affection and increased his desire for independence and solidarity. Rarely recalling his family, McCandless became estranged from those close to him, particularly during his studies at Emory University and during his odysseys thereafter. Immediately 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 trip shows his lack of need for a strong bond with his parents. Furthermore, his actions demonstrate how he does not seem to require any permanence in his life; he likes meeting new people and leaving them a few weeks later to start again elsewhere. Although Franklin hasn't moved around as much, they both show that they tend to define their own lives rather than letting their location define it for them. In Krakauer's Into the Wild, McCandless's mother, Billie, explains how his calls became less and less frequent, which worried him and separated him from her affection. She says, “At first he honored the agreement to call regularly, but as the summer progressed, the calls became less and less frequent” (Krakauer 118). McCandless clearly feels love for his parents, but he doesn't believe it. should force him to remain the same throughout his life. Instead, he likely views his parents as people who love him but also hinder his ability to grow and change. Two summers later, Chris's anger towards his parents grew even stronger and Chris became particularly lonely, showing the development of his independent spirit that would influence his future actions. Krakauer comments directly on McCandless's self-estrangement: "Chris's relationship with his parents... deteriorated significantly that summer, and Walt and Billie had no idea why. According to Billie, “he seemed angry with us more often and he became more withdrawn…he wouldn't tell us what was on his mind and spent more time alone” (Krakauer 121). At this point, McCandless had severed most of the emotional ties he had with his parents. His obsession with introspection and solitude is something that shows good character, but it also shows his insensitivity 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 a hubristic attitude, explains that a tendency toward antisocial behavior and rejection of parental affection is not inherent; rather, it argues that “shared intentionality constitutes the basis of human society…Prosocial behaviors have played a fundamental role in the creation and maintenance of societies” (Trumbull). Thus, she would argue that Franklin and McCandless's self-separation does not help create 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 "other's" argument, which got them into trouble and created their reputation for inflexibility and even stupidity. Franklin repeatedly demonstrates that he enjoys arguing and strongly supports his beliefs, and he even shows that he sometimes enjoys arguing to provoke disagreement, notably with his childhood friend John Collins. Franklin says: "Once, in one way or another, a question arose between Collins and myself, as to the desirability of educating the female sex in learning, and theirstudy skills. He was of the opinion that this was inappropriate and that they were naturally not equal in it. I took the opposite side, perhaps a little for the pleasure of the argument” (Franklin). His argumentative attitude is, once again, a two-sided quality that Franklin possesses; Some may say that being argumentative is necessary to assert one's beliefs and ideas, while others will say that it is rude, obnoxious, and uncooperative. Franklin's arrogant characteristics, seen in his actions and speech in the book, make him seem like he doesn't. caring about the opinions of others. Drawing interesting connections between American and Greek society's obsession with honor, Trumbull writes in his article that "when an individual boasted of being able to achieve the superhuman goal, when he violated established customs, or when he attempted feats reserved for the gods, he was guilty of the crime of pride” (Trumbull). For the Greeks, pride was detrimental to a person's ability to be an effective leader and cooperate with others; To his fellow Americans at the time, Franklin's hubris, even if not a "crime," would make his character seem even more repugnantly arrogant. Nonetheless, argumentation is a skill that is emphasized in American society, fostering a reputation for strong will among its people. Like Franklin's controversial character, McCandless refused to give in to countless warnings against traveling deep into the wilderness with so few supplies, ultimately costing him his life. and giving him a reputation for carelessness. After his first odyssey the summer before he started college, Chris's father chastised him for being so reckless while traveling west. Walt says, “I tried to explain that we parents weren't opposed to 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 the even greater disconnection from his parents' affection and care. Krakauer explains McCandless's dislike of his father's opinions: "Much to Walt's dismay, Chris bristled at this bit of fatherly advice. The only effect it seemed to have was to make him even less inclined to share his plans” (Krakauer 119). Chris's failure to heed warnings wasn't just evident in his parents; Jim Gallien, one of the last encounters Chris had with anyone before heading out on the Stampede Trail, attempted to persuade Chris, or Alex in this case, to be as reckless and try to walk in the nature without any preparation. Krakauer says: “Gallien offered to drive Alex to Anchorage, buy him some decent equipment; then lead him back to where he wanted to go” (Krakauer 6). As usual, Chris remains stubborn and refuses to let Gallien help him. Gallien describes Chris's steadfastness by saying, "'It just wasn't possible to talk McCandless out of it.'… 'He was determined. Really enthusiastic'" (Krakauer 6). Franklin and McCandless perform actions that , at best, are valiant and heroic, but at worst, reckless and arrogant. Their inability to listen to others earns them the reputation of being independent thinkers, but it also brings dark consequences in the form of a. bad reputation for Franklin and loss of life for McCandless Franklin and McCandless represent a timeless American value about the need for social reform and a determination to achieve this goal in order to bring about..