Thomas Alva Edison’s life was marked by overcoming numerous obstacles. His overly curious nature forced him to abandon traditional education at a young age. His parents took over the delivery of his education but it was not long before his knowledge and understanding surpassed theirs. After Edison proved insatiable, even under the direction of a tutor, his parents taught him howto use library resources and Edison began to thrive with independent study. He made his own rules. He accepted nothing at face value. Thomas Edison also knew that there was always another layer, a deeper, more complex issue to address.