Thomas Alva Edison: Overcoming Life Obstacles
Thomas Alva Edison was an unconventional genius that played a vital role in shaping the modern world with his inventions, but didn’t accomplish this role easily. Edison led an inquisitive life encompassing his disruptive adolescence, unconventional methods of success, and exceptional ability to endure failure. Although his inventions and ideologies exemplified him, Thomas Edison overcame tremendous obstacles throughout his lifetime before achieving his anticipated goals.
Alva, how his mother referred to him, was a skinny and odd-looking boy that described himself as “a bushel of wheat” (Conot 3). He would always find a way into the middle of conflict and habitually lived life by his own rules.
…show more content…
Young Edison would allow his mind to wonder inattentively during class. His instructors grew very impatient with his overactive brain. His first teacher, Reverend Engle, was well known for his low tolerance of insubordination and high expectation for discipline. Because of the disciplinary environment enforced by Engle, Alva would frequently feel frightened during class (Conot 6). One day after school, Alva stood unnoticed observing a conversation between Engle and a fellow teacher. He overheard Engle calling him “addled” (Egan 11). Instantly frustrated, Alva ran away from the school, with no intention of returning, and eventually became a student at home where he would be educated by his mother (Conot 6). It was during this time his mother gave him a book called “R. G. Parker’s School of Natural Philosophy and it changed Tom’s life” (Egan 14). Even though the book slightly provided a temporary remedy for his seemingly chaotic mind, he continued to act mischievously throughout homeschool and into public school. Now in public school, it would frustrate Alva when he had to share a book with another student. He read very quickly and couldn’t find patience for other children when their reading capabilities were inferior to his. Although Alva read swiftly, his teachers focused more on his disruptive behavior. One time during class, Alva and a younger girl, used a baited hook to catch a chicken from the second story of the public school! (Conot 7). Young Edison continued
His inventions helped everyone out, which improved the standard of living. Thomas Alva Edison
A person that revolutionized the whole world? Benjamin Franklin has a rough childhood. His later years as a business man. He also was an inventor. Although he grew up to be a genius he did not grow up so easily.
Nikola Tesla is truly a man out of time. His inventions changed the world. He could design a device and fix its problems in his head. This ability made most of his inventions work right away. He might not have gotten rich but his inventions laid the basics of modern technology. He even experimented with ball lightning.
Two of the most significant historical figures that overcame failure are Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. Ford’s early businesses failed and left him broke five times before Ford Motor Company finally succeeded, revolutionizing transportation in America. While developing the light bulb, Thomas Edison had to figure out what filament inside the light bulb would light up. After more than 1,000 failed attempts, he finally learned what made the light work, paving the way for electronics and all their
I chose Thomas Edison for my project. I chose Thomas Edison because I’m interested in learning about his life and inventions. I didn’t know much about Thomas Edison, but I had a lot of questions about his life. I also would like to know about more about some of his inventions and how he became a famous inventor. I also wondered what the world would be like if
Who invented the light bulb? Only a few really know the true answer to this question. Most people around the US simply think that Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. The story or “invention myth” behind the bulb varies drastically from the general public’s belief. The belief is that a lone inventor, Thomas Edison, sat down in his workshop and simply created the incandescent light bulb out of thin air. Edison in no way created the incandescent light bulb out of thin air. He used the knowledge of previous researchers and inventors to make a the first commercialized light bulb and gained world-wide recognition as a result.
I believe Edison was edified and Tesla was nearly forgotten due to the fact Edison was a better businessman. In the article The Rise & Fall of Nikola Tesla & his Tower, it clearly expresses that Tesla lacked the business knowledge that Edison and other men in his field did. “But what [Tesla’s] contemporaries may have been lacking in scientific talent, men like Edison and George Westinghouse clearly possessed the one trait that Tesla did not -- a mind for business” (King, pg. 1). Edison’s superior knack for business left a long standing impression on American culture, history, and its memory which Tesla could not do.
The age of the Enlightenment was a time when people were coming together and creating new ideas and inventions to improve the life of the people. Many things were made during this time period, and without them life today would be very different. Examples of some of these inventions are the light bulb and the phonograph that Thomas Edison is credited with inventing. With the light bulb, our days would be cut short due to fact that people can’t see in the dark. Without the light bulb and phonograph things like TVs, cell phones, computer, and other electronic devices that people today can not live without would have never been thought of. The focus of this essay is what caused Edison to become an inventor and some of his inventions like the previously stated light bulb and phonograph.
Although he may not have been born with his greatness he fought for what he wanted and achieved it. Thomas Edison wasn't just an inventor he was also a well known successful manufacturer and businessman. Thomas Edison had received very little education, his mother would teach him at home and he self taught as well as he got older along with reading the books his father had in their library. Even though he didn't have the best education, Thomas Edison got himself out there and made sure people knew of him and what he was creating.
So we all know Thomas Edison, but we didn’t really know what he did for us. So you ask yourself who is Thomas Edison, well he was an inventor and he was well known for it. Was he the greatest inventor of all time? He made the phonograph. Also he made one of the greatest invention and it was the light bulb, but you ask , How did he invent light. What was his childhood like? what was his education like? what inventions did he make? Did he get married? Did he have kids?
Thomas Edison is seen as the grandfather of technology to most but, not all. Edison is seen to some as a villain in history as he has gotten credit for ideas such as the light bulb that had come from someone else. The truth is Edison is both not an angel nor devil. Edison is a hero because of his large amount of inventions, he took challenges and used them for strength over weaknesses, and he is seen as a role model as both an engineer along with a person in general. Edison could also seen as bad from the fact sometimes he let his wealth control him and some of is innovation ideas are believed to have been stolen. The truth is Edison is neither extreme however should be viewed much more positively than negatively.
A dreamer, an inventor, and above all, Thomas Edison was an ambitious and ruthless businessman who manifested the deep determination to take over the electricity market. Edison’s portrayal in Moran’s book “The Executioner’s Current” holds much more realistic and in depth aspects of his personality, than shown in the short excerpt, “They Transformed the World” pertaining to “America’s greatest change-makers.” On top of being an inventor, as shown in the excerpt, Moran’s portrayal of Edison displays him as an aggressive and competitive businessman by using the media and press to influence public opinion, as well as by pushing for the Electrical Execution Act.
Even as a child, Edison was entrepreneurial and scientifically curious, he would sell candy and newspapers for money and run experiments in the train. At the age of 19, Edison became a telegrapher, allowing for close access to this technology.
This is Thomas Edison. Thomas Edison is a famous inventor who invented lots of things that we use today. He was born a very long time ago in the United States of America.
I decided to do my report on Thomas Alva Edison because he brought a lot of things into our world. He invented the light bulb, the alkaline battery, the phonograph, and many other things. Many of our modern electronics origins came from Thomas A. Edison. I thought he was very interesting. That is why I chose him.