Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos

Ben’s fur cap is a motif that highlights The Humanity of Heroes. Amos hides and rides in Ben’s hat, giving Ben directions on everything from how to avoid mud puddles to how to thwart his political enemies. Amos says, “Ben soon became so dependent on my advice that he seldom ventured abroad without me. The fur cap, which formerly he had used only in inclement weather, he now wore constantly” (20). Ben’s reliance on Amos and the extent to which Amos’s instructions guide him is suggested by the mouse’s location in Ben’s hat, as close to Ben’s brain as another creature could get. Ben then begins to wear this hat everywhere, another indication of how much he relies on Amos. In fact, Amos’s intelligence and advice are so crucial to Ben’s success in France that Ben admits losing him would pose a “grave” danger. In many ways, Amos is as instrumental to Ben’s thinking and decision-making as is possible.

At the same time, Amos’s descriptions of the alterations Ben makes to his hat demonstrate that Ben could be more capable than Amos believes. Amos admits that Ben is “well-skilled with the needle” and “contrive[s] many ingenious little improvements in the fur cap” (18).