Reflection on a quote of Abel James - Assignment Example

Life is uncertain as the Preacher tells us, and what will the world say if kind, humane and benevolent Ben Franklin should leave his friends and the World deprived of so pleasing and profitable a Work, a Work which would be useful and entertaining only to a few, but to millions. (Franklin 58).” The following words by Ben Franklin’s friend Abel James are imbued with much fun and humor, though at the same time they do ample justice to the wise and exalted character of the one whom they are addressed to.

It is a fact that man is a sociable animal and thereby one always needs the approval of one’s friends and acquaintances. Thereby, in the following lines Abel James is resorting to a tongue in cheek manner while greeting his exalted friend Ben Franklin. Yet, the thing that needs to be understood is that Ben Franklin actually happened to be a person who warranted much respect and esteem from his fellows. Thereby, Able James in these lines is not depriving him of the respect due to him, while he resorts to an ironic choice of adjectives to prick into the exalted self opinion that people of Ben Franklin’s stature are bound to have.

Thereby if on the one side Abe James is astutely celebrating the exalted social persona of Ben Franklin, one the other side he is resorting to an indirect manner to puncture his sense of pompousness and pride. The good thing about the mannerism that Abel James is resorting to is that it does take a toll on the pride of the person it is directed to, while being minimally derogatory and impetuous. It is certain that a person of Ben Franklin’s mental capacities must have surely relished the way he is being addressed by Abel James.

The other noteworthy thing regarding these lines is that it is only people with high intellectual capacities who are able to bear with such communications from their close friends. Thereby, these lines are also indicative of the marked intimacy that Ben Franklin must have shared with his close friend that is Abel James.