John D. Rockefeller's 'What Is A Successful Life'

During the nineteenth century an industrial revolution occurred which resulted in large scale industries, such as steel and oil, to flourish. In America a super rich social class emerged. This class was made up of big business owners such as John P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, and Andrew Carnegie, who specialized in a form of production. Being a banker, Morgan was able to take control of bankrupt railroads and consolidate them, which eliminated his competition. He soon controlled two thirds of the nation's railroads. Rockefeller owned ninety percent of the oil refinery industry by using horizontal integration, which brought competitors under a single corporate umbrella. Young businessmen strived to become wealthy, and stories such as Ragged

The author searched further than the surface of what people viewed as success and considered the underlying morals, integrity, and relationships of the “successful.” It is stated that a man may have a big house, nice cars, and a large bank account, but does this mean anything if he gained all of his wealth at the expense of others? This writer had wise and valid points to be shared in the nineteenth century, since many Americans’ self-identity and worth was dependent on the amount of money they had. In my opinion, the passage “What is a Successful Life” is written not to a specific class, but to all classes, with a motive to convince the human race to fully consider and acknowledge what a rich and successful life is. However, I see this article more inspiring and appealing to the common people of this time, who were not extremely wealthy, because it gives a strong reminder that money cannot buy happiness. Through the author’s questions, the reader is required to evaluate themselves and ponder how they view success. I would categorize this author's work as expository writing since it embodies a logical understanding obtaining facts and figures. Not only does this passage apply to the time frame it was written, but I found it compelling to read, even three centuries after it was published. I identify with the fact that it is easy to get caught up in the petty things of this world, and humans sometimes forget to recognize how blessed we