As a Man Thinketh is one of the earliest examples of a self-help text. Compare and contrast key elements of the essay to a contemporary self-help book of your choice. What are the similarities and differences?

Examine the relationship between thought, purpose, vision, and ideals. How does Allen intertwine these concepts throughout the text?

Trace Allen’s use of the simile of the mind as a garden throughout the work. How does he develop this simile? What is its impact on his central argument?