Naturalism in Jack Londons To Build a Fire Essay -- Jack London To Bu

Naturalism in Jack London's "To Build a Fire" This essay has problems with format When Jack London wrote "To Build a Fire" he embraced the idea of naturalism because it mirrored the events of daily life. Naturalism showed how humans had to be wary at every corner because at anytime death could be there, waiting for them to make a mistake and forfeit their lives. He used naturalism, the most realistic literary movement, to show how violent and uncaring nature really is and how no matter what you do nature will always be there. London also presented the basic idea of Darwinism and the survival of the fittest, basically if you are dumb you will die. Collectively, London used naturalism to show how in life, humans can depend on nothing but themselves to survive. "To Build a Fire" is a short story that embodies the idea of naturalism and how, if one is not careful, nature will gain the upper hand and they will perish. When the narrator introduced the main character of the story, the man, he made it clear that the man was in a perilous situation involving the elements. The man was faced with weather that was 75 degrees below zero and he was not physically or mentally prepared for survival. London wrote that the cold "did not lead him to meditate upon his frailty as a creature of temperature, and upon man's frailty in general, able only to live within certain narrow limits of heat and cold."(p.1745) At first when the man started his journey to the camp, he felt certain that he could make it back to camp before dinner. As the trip progressed, the man made mistake after mistake that sealed his fate. The man's first mistake was to step into a pool of water and soak his legs to the knees. This blunder forced the man to build a fire to dry his wet socks and shoes so his feet would not freeze and become frostbitten. When the man began to build a fire he failed to notice that he was doing so under a large, snow laden spruce tree where he was getting his firewood. When the man had a small fire that was beginning to smolder the disturbance to the tree caused the snow to tumble to the ground and extinguish the fire. "It was his own fault or, rather, his mistake. He should not have built the fire under the spruce tree. He should have built it in the open."(1750). That minor detail of the critical placement of the fire ultimately cost the man his life. The third... ...t when he began to panic as the second fire extinguished. He seemed as though he had lost all knowledge of his survival skills. He thought about killing the dog and wallowing in its steaming insides for refuge from the cold. "The sight of the dog put a wild idea into his head. He remembered the tale of a man, caught in a blizzard, who killed a steer and crawled inside the carcass, and so was saved."(1752). When the man realized that the dog would not let him come near he was forced to concoct another plan. His idea was that if he ran all the way to the camp, he would be able to survive. Unfortunately, that plan failed as well and the man perished in the cold, numbing snow of the Yukon. Overall, naturalism is the most realistic literary movement. It parallels life more than any other movement because it reveals the fact that nature has not heart and no emotions. Nature feels no compassion for human struggles and will continue on it's path of destruction and harm regardless of the circumstances. Works Cited: London, Jack. "To Build A Fire." Sipiora, Phillip. Reading and Writing About Literature. Ed. Phillip Sipiora. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc., 2002. 149-158.

Is India Still Developing Country Essay

Even after 66 years of independence, India is still labeled as a developing country. I think as a nation, we have miles to go. The question of whether or not India is a developed or developing country is not so simple. To understand the real India, we need to look at many other indicators, such as health and education too. I think the level of development in a country is directly proportionate to the way we choose to treat our children, elderly and the disabled. As far as India is concerned, we might score very highly in terms of growth of physical infrastructure, but most of the public places are inaccessible to people with disabilities. As per the 2011 census, India has about 2.7 million people with disabilities, and only a handful of those enjoy education and/or employment. We are spending less than 4% of our GDP on important areas of education and health. Almost 12% of our children (between 5 and 15 years) are identified as child labor, and we have about 2.4 million people living with HIV/Aids. Almost 25% of my Indians are poor – in the same India where millions use smartphones. Within India, there are many different countries. There is no doubt that in some areas we are a developed country and, as far as people with disability are concerned, we have created facilities and a support system. But in many areas we still have long way to go. Now I leave it to you to decide whether you perceive India as developing or not! We have to focus on the â€Å"safety of women† and â€Å"corruption†. Corruption has mired growth to a great extent, and past and present governments have so far been unsuccessful in finding a permanent solution. The young Indian faces challenges stretching from a poorly administered education system to the lowest average wage rates in the world. The youth of India today lives in a society defined by multiple languages, religions, ethnicities and political thought, among other things. Yet they define their own generation, which is starkly d ifferent from their fathers and grandfathers. This puts them in a unique position to take their country towards positive growth and development.

The Novel Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck - 1211 Words

In the novel Of Mice and Men, Arthur John Steinbeck successfully creates a timeless literary novel. The novella was first published in 1937 and transcends time with compelling characters and a unique plot, readers easily become invested in the book. Steinbeck takes you on an emotional roller coaster throughout the story with characters that earn the reader s sympathy from the start of the novella. Students usually read Of Mice and Men their freshman year of high school. Some people believe that students should not read Of Mice and Men because of its strong language and mature themes. There are multiple reasons students should read Of Mice and Men. The literary novella introduces students to new literary devices and does not take away from†¦show more content†¦As they talk, she asks him to stroke her hair. She panics when she feels Lennie’s strong hands. When she raises her voice to him, Lennie covers her mouth. In the process, he accidentally breaks her neck and she d ies. Knowing he has done something terrible, he leaves the ranch. When the ranch hands learn that Curley’s wife has been killed, they rightly guess the guilty party. Led by an angry Curley, they all go out to search for Lennie. They plan to murder him in retribution. George guesses where Lennie is and races to the pool. To save him from the brutal assaults of the ranch hands, George mercifully kills his friend himself. Hearing the gunshot, the searchers converge by the pool. They praise George for his act. Only Slim understands the actual purpose of George’s deed. The end of the book leaves readers shocked, but it also opens up discussions. Readers can really relate to how George and Lennie struggle to survive on the ranch. Throughout the novel, Lennie and George struggle with making their dream of owning their own ranch come true. A teacher from an online blog called Chalkbeat spoke about how this relates to the children in his class.† Like George and Lennie, our students have dreams. Yes, they want to be doctors, engineers, firefighters, and teachers, but their dreams don’t consist of the day-to-day work in any of those professions. They dream of curing diseases and building cities; they dream of saving lives, of being heroes, like theShow MoreRelatedThe Novel Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1041 Words   |  5 Pagesdesire companionship, or find a way to cope with loneliness. The purpose of this essay is to explain how the novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, introduces this topic and tells how different characters deal with sacrifice, and soon isolation. In the face of sacrifice and isolation, some confide in others for strength, some oppress those weaker to feel powerful. The theme of this novel is solitude, and how it’s dealt with. The first example is Candy. Candy, an old handyworker, sacrifices hisRead MoreEssay on Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: Film vs. Novel2023 Words   |  9 PagesOf Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: Film vs. Novel The film is severely different from the novel, as the director, Gary Sinise, made deliberate changes to influence the audiences feelings and reactions. He has altered and added scenes as he saw this as necessary to create the right kind of atmosphere and to keep the plot flowing. The whole story is about two men, George and Lennie. These are very two very different characters; the novel describes them as opposites. Lennie is a veryRead MoreHow Does John Steinbeck Portray Loneliness and Isolation in the Novel â€Å"of Mice and Men†?1698 Words   |  7 PagesHow does John Steinbeck portray loneliness and isolation in the novel â€Å"Of Mice and Men†? The novel of â€Å"Of Mice and Men† was written in the time of the great depression in the 1930’s in America, this was the time in which Professional workers became Migrant workers due to the Wall Street crash in 1929. The great depression caused many professional workers to turn to working in farmland harvesting wheat. John Steinbeck published the novel of â€Å"Of Mice and Men† in 1937 it is set in Salinas, CaliforniaRead MoreOf Mice and Men. The question is how does John Steinbeck tackle social issues in the novel through the use of Crooks. Includes direct quotations from the book.782 Words   |  2 PagesOf Mice and Men In the novel, Of Mice and Men, the author, John Steinbeck, takes a strong stance against many social issues. Steinbeck voices his opinions on controversial rights such as women s rights and the treatment of migrant workers. One of the main points that Steinbeck addresses is his dislike for the treatment of African-Americans. He expresses his views through the hardship and turmoil of Crooks, the only African-American character in the novel. Crooks is looked down upon by his peersRead More John Steinbeck Essay1174 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Steinbeck A novelist is someone who writes novels, or writes a fancy work of fiction which often has a complicated plot, many major and minor characters, a significant theme, and several varied settings. A novelist will use literary devices such as characterization, tone, symbolism, imagery, and figurative language. John Steinbeck, an American novelist, uses many literary devices such as metaphors, similes, imagery, and figurative language along with excellent descriptive words to developRead MoreJohn Steinbecks Greatest Accomplishments973 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Steinbeck, born in 1902 in Salinas California to John Ernst and Olive Hamilton Steinbeck, became one of the greatest American writers of his century. Growing up Steinbeck read vigorously and was fascinated by Sir Thomas Malory’s Morte D’Arthur. It was Malory’s Morte D’Arthur that influenced Steinbeck for the rest of his life. Steinbeck graduated from Salinas High School in 1919 and attended Stanford U niversity. He took courses in science and particularly became interested in marine biology.Read MoreOf Mice and Men by John Steinbeck973 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction: I. Background A. John Steinbeck was born on February 27th, 1902 in Salinas, California. 1. Salinas River was one of the few centers for shipping, farming, and agriculture a. John Steinbeck worked as an employed laborer, digging canals and working beside men similar to characters in his novels. 2. In a discussion John Steinbeck said, I worked in the same country that the story is laid in. The characters are composites to a certain extent. Lennie was a real person. Hes in an insaneRead MorePoor Decision Making In John Steinbecks Of Mice And Men1261 Words   |  6 PagesArts Honors 23 October 2017 Poor decision making can lead to your demise Justice! What does it mean to be justified? Tricking your best friend? Betraying and ending his dream? Gunning him down from behind? Well, in the book â€Å"Of Mice and Men† by John Steinbeck, two men, George and Lennie, shared and worked for the same dream until several problems occurred, when eventually their dream lead to Lennies demise. It was justified when George shot Lennie because Lennie made multiple poor mistakes, itRead MoreAmerica Is Home To Many Great Writers Whom Come Different1709 Words   |  7 PagesAmerica is home to many great writers whom come different backgrounds. American authors like John Steinbeck who add biographical elements into their pieces of writing. John Steinbeck, one of the most honorable authors of time, is known for receiving Nobel Prize, California commonwealth club medal, Pulitzer Prize, and other great accomplishments towards publishing sixteen novels. Steinbeck’s realist style of writing and life experiences impacting his life sh ow the reader he’s been through a lot inRead MoreOf Mice and Men Argumentative Essay1115 Words   |  5 PagesEssay Prompt: John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, has a controversial history. It has been repeatedly banned by school boards. Why might this book have been banned? Is such an action justified? In a five-paragraph essay, take a position for or against banning this novel. Use your three body paragraphs to develop each of three reasons for or against banning the novel. The Lost Portion of Human Society Right from the beginning of human civilization, books had become the vital flame that ignited

Rise of Communism in China - 3062 Words

Rise of Communism in China Introduction The main reason why the Communists came to power in China was because of the failing policies and actions used by Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalists) of which the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) took advantage. However in addition to that, there were also significant factors such as the poor conditions during the beginning of the twentieth century in the Republic of China and the Japanese War (1937 Ââ€" 1945), that led to the insufficiency and weakness of the GMD (Chinese Democratic Party) during the Civil War. Their leader, Chiang Kai-Shek, lost the support of the majority, mainly peasants and intellectuals, to the CCP, which contributed to their success in war. In addition to GMDs actions, Mao†¦show more content†¦At the beginning the GMD sought to bring about a democratic revolution. Their socialist leader, Sun Yatsen, therefore introduced three principles, Nationalism, Democracy and Peoples livelihood. His idea of Nationalism consisted of a strong central government, whi ch would have had to be able to force out foreign influence and restore independence of China. Democracy was Suns attempt to secure liberty and equality, in a country, which previously had a long history of imperial dynastic rule. In addition to this he demanded a fair distribution of wealth such as land and reflection of peoples livelihood. It became obvious that there was no harmony in the Chinese society. Mainly the warlords and foreigners increasingly contributed to the division of the country. In addition, the privileged classes established an opposition. Chiang Kai-Shek After Sun Yatsens death in 1925, Chiang Kai-Shek (also a GMD member) took over GMD leadership, confronting his problems in a more aggressive way than Sun Yatsen did. General Chiang Kai-Shek mainly concentrated on the military unification and reforms were regarded of a minor importance. Already, in 1927 he dictated a massacre in the city of Shanghai where 6000 communists were ruthlessly killed. Due to this, the left wing GMD members split. Chiang organized his own nationalist government at Nanjing, in 1928. HeShow MoreRelatedCommunism And Its Impact On The World1583 Words   |  7 PagesCommunism is a system of social organisation which formerly consumed almost a third of countries in the entire world, having originated in Russia. The first official communist state was founded during the Russian revolutions in 1917, due to the inaugural communist political party ‘Bolsheviks’ gaining primal power. Afterwards, the influence of communism spread to other countries with the likes of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and East Germany to name a few. These countries that were governed on communistRead MoreChinas Survival of Crisis Due to Economic Reforms Essay1007 Words   |  5 PagesChinas Survival of Crisis Due to Economic Reforms In the years before 1976, many unwise policies were carried out which brought China into a crisis of communism, or a state in which communism was threatened. The Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution were specifically the main causes of the crisis of communism and the mastermind between these two movements, Mao Zedong, can be held responsible for their initiation. The Great Leap Forward was a great economicRead MoreWoodrow Wilson s Impact On The World And Foreign Relations With Progressive Ideals1109 Words   |  5 Pagesauthoritarian rule (CP 142). Truman as President took international action to keep the world safe for democracy by carrying out his own interpretation Wilsonian foreign policy known as the Truman Doctrine. The Truman Doctrine sought to combat the spread of communism through financial and military counter-forces. Not all of Truman’s efforts for U.S. intervention were as fruitful for the U.S. internationally or economically as his advisors had predicted. Nor did the Truman Doctrine always create the intended andRead MoreConflict Theory Essay1066 Words   |  5 Pagesown version of conflict theory. Karl Marx was a German Philosopher whose works are mainly reflected from his social economic theories. Also, he is well known by the critics against capitalism, and how it was necessary step on the road toward communism. â€Å"Communism is a sys tem in which property and labor are all held in common†. This system took a while to receive fame. Until, nations such as the Soviet Union and many other nations began forming their government and economy based on this idea originatedRead MoreChina Relations DBQ Essay814 Words   |  4 PagesChinese peasant and Communism DBQ: Between circa 1925 and circa 1950, the relations between the Chinese peasants and the Chinese Communist Party became out of hand due to the peasant rebellions/uprising groups present, the tension between Japan and the communist party, and most notable the mass reform during this time period. In 1927 the rising leader of the Chinese Communist party was acknowledging that soon the upsurge of peasant rebellion was soon, and that will soon rise up and overpower theRead MoreThe Threat Of The Korean War889 Words   |  4 Pagesregion. In line with the Truman Doctrine, which called for the defence of nations whose independence is threatened. At the time both concervative and liberal policy makers decided that the Soviet push into Southern Korea was threatening to spread communism as well as great threat to American efforts to democratise Japan. The US government feared that if the Soviet Union was not halted in their expansion that there would be a threat to American democracy. In order to combat this growing threat the NationalRead MoreCommunism Of The Vietnam War And The Cold War1181 Words   |  5 PagesCommunism is an ideology that has a very long history more than one-third of the globe. This ideology is followed by Russia, Cuba, Laos, China, North Korea, and Vietnam. T his ideology is the source of many revolutions and conflicts throughout the history likes the English Civil War, the Bolshevik Revolution, the Vietnam War, the Korea War and the Cold War. However, what makes Communism different from other ideologies is its origin, its policy, and its effects on the poor and the working class. CommunismRead MoreMao Zedong : The Rise Of Communism980 Words   |  4 PagesThe rise of Communism in China is due to a man named Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong was born on December 26, 1893, in Shaoshan, Hunan Province, China. His rise to power began after The Boxer Rebellion. The Boxer Rebellion was an anti-imperialist uprising that took place of 1900. It left China’s citizens experiencing starvation, extreme poverty, and grief. It resulted in the loss of many lives. This set the stage for the acceptance of men like Zedong and the Communistic philosophies. After, many chinese citizensRead MoreChina And China1145 Words   |  5 Pagesclash into war. United States and China have high economic interdependence as the United Kingdom and Germany before WW I. In short, the fact that both states could go to war is not out of the question. North Korea has been recently menacing the United States in its pursuit of the nuclear military capability. Although that threat is dangerous, it is not the greatest for the United States. Considering the current strategic environment, the rise of a nationalist China is the greatest threat that theRead MoreCommunism And Its Effects On Society1307 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout history, people have pushed for it, fought to get rid of it, and started wars over communism. In its theory, Communism is a moneyless, stateless, and classless dream of society to develop a utopia. Under communism, there is no private property as there is today. Instead communists believe in a form of personal property that is determined by use of an object (as opposed to ideal ownership). An example to use is a house. If you eat, sleep, and just generally live in a house, that house

Essay on The Rainforests of Our Oceans - 2018 Words

The first thing that comes to mind when we think of coral reefs is either an image of Nemo swimming through those finger-like plants in the ocean or a jumble of those plants we see on postcards and on television, thinking that one of them (but which one?) must be a coral reef. On the contrary, however, coral reefs are far from being plants but are in fact, an ecosystem filled with corals, both hard and soft, and endless reef species. The coral itself is made of many coral polyps, delicate limestone-secreting animals, which serve as a skeleton for the coral. The impact of these reefs on both marine life and humans is immense, but as of today, we have lost almost twenty to twenty-five percent of the world’s coral reefs and about another†¦show more content†¦However, alerting us of changes in water salinity and water quality are not the only benefits coral reefs provide us. In addition to their role as indicators of water salinity and water quality, coral reefs also bene fit us by providing our communities, harbors, coastal cities, and beaches with protection from heavy wave action caused by coastal storms (U.S. EPA). Their complex and deep roots help to stabilize our shorelines and protect the inshore area by breaking the impact of waves hurtling towards the shore from the ocean. As a result of healthy coral reefs, coastlines were spared further damage in the disastrous Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. Also, when those living on the Maldive Islands decided to mine away its sand and coral reefs, it cost them about ten million U.S. dollars per kilometer to build a wall to protect their coastline when leaving the reefs alone would protect their coastline more effectively and less costly (Talbot, F. and Wilkinson, C.). If the reefs are left unprotected, they will eventually die out, and it will be more costly for us to attempt to build manmade objects as a replacement for them than to spend a portion of that money to keep the reefs safe from huma ns and healthy. One major aspect of coralShow MoreRelatedThe Sustainability Secret755 Words   |  4 PagesSustainability Secret is a 90-minute film asking why the leading environmental organizations are acting uninterested and ignoring a leading cause of environmental damage. It s co-producers Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn are the leading the argument that our ways of trying to save the world individually by ways like taking shorter showers, not letting the faucet run, changing the lightbulb to fluorescent, riding a bike instead of your car, and many other little way people believe will save the environmentRead MoreNatural Resources and Energy in the Rainforests1550 Words   |  7 PagesNatural Resources and Energy in the Rainforests The beauty, majesty, and timelessness of a primary rainforest is indescribable. It is impossible to capture on film, to describe in words, or to explain to those who have never had the awe-inspiring experience of standing in the heart of a primary rainforest. Rainforests have evolved over millions of years to turn into the incredibly complex environments they are today. Rainforests represent a store of living and breathing renewable natural resourcesRead MoreThe Amazon Rainforest Is A Vital And Spectacular Part Of Our Planet1514 Words   |  7 PagesThe Amazon Rainforest is a vital and spectacular part of our planet. The forest spreads over nine countries on the South American continent which are Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It is the world’s largest remaining rainforest covering over 2.5 million square miles, with 63 percent of it resting in Brazil. (Finer 2008). It is considered the lungs of Earth. Giving the entir e world population daily oxygen and absorbing our carbon dioxide. IndustrializationRead MoreCoral Reefs : A Study From National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration923 Words   |  4 PagesTo our eyes we see a beautiful, diverse, colorful reef that adds beauty to the ocean and to the fishes. Others see a peaceful bed for the oceans floor. Creature on the other hand see a shelter, and protection from people or bigger animals that lurk for their pray. Coral reefs aren’t made for its scenery, but as an ecosystem for many plants and animals. They do not only help the animals but serve to people as important sources of income, food, protection, and new medicines of mankind. Coral reefsRead MoreTechnology Has Improved The Quality Of American Lives1197 Words   |  5 Pagesefficient we can become the value of a single person’s hour will always remain the same. 10 years ago earning enough money in an hour and only doing 10 tasks is equal to a person doing that same job but completing a 100 of those tasks thanks to technology. Our historical perspectives have definitely been altered by technology. Innovations formed from advances in science and technology fuel economic growth. The influence of innovations in biomedical technology is often overlooked. Technological change inRead MoreDeforestation And Its Effects On The Environment912 Words   |  4 PagesRainforests today are disappearing at an alarming rate as a result of deforestation for commercial purposes such as logging, agriculture, and livestock and the probable solution are becoming far from realistic as the expansion becomes bigger and bigger. Every year, an estimated 18 million acres are destroyed for various reasons, including paper, timber. An average of two football field sizes of precious rainforest are torn down, killing millions of animals and destroying valuable pharmaceutical plantsRead MoreA Report By Jill U. Adams On The Dangers, And Current Regulations Of Air Pollution And Climate Essay836 Words   |  4 Pagesis anyone interested in creating a sustainable future for our planet. Touching on the same issu es, this source is supportive of my source from CQ Researcher regarding climate change. I like how this article introduces innovations in climate change and lays out the pros and cons of each. This source can be found on EBSCO Academic Search while searching for ‘climate change.’ Schwartz, John. Study Finds Rising Levels of Plastics in Oceans: [Foreign Desk]. Http://www.nytimes.com/. The New York TimesRead MoreStop The Destruction of the Rainforest Essay1540 Words   |  7 PagesDestruction of the Rainforest should be prohibited The destruction of the Rain Forest should be prohibited. Planet Earth is accelerating at an alarming rate; moving towards its own self-destruction. What we learned in high school taught us the importance of converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. Without this conversion process, life as we know it today could possibly cease to exist. The rainforest provides much needed oxygen for the planet. Numerous rainforests exist around theRead MoreThe Environmental Problems Of Global Warming1486 Words   |  6 Pagesthe rate of clearing does not decrease or is controlled. The Amazonian is the largest rainforest in the world, spreading across an area of 1.7 billion acres through Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. The forest supplies the world with more than twenty percent of its oxygen and is referred to as â€Å"the world’s lungs† (tropical rainforest facts). The rainforest is being destroyed at a fast and alarming rate with 2,700 million acres being cleared everyRead MoreAnimal Extinction Paper1574 Words   |  7 Pagesand building materials (Overexploitation). Global Climate Change and Pollution Global climate change has a severe effect on the world’s oceans and arctic landscapes. Global climate change is also known as global warming, and it is the average rise of the earth’s oceans and atmospheric temperature; the burning of fossil fuels is believed to be the main reason for the increase of 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900. Research on global warming has established

The Bicentennial Man Free Essays

I would consider Andrew Martin that he became truly a human being. I think that Andrew has fulfilled the characteristics and personalities of a human being. These abilities are things that can only be observed in human, and these abilities are what makes human unique from other creatures. We will write a custom essay sample on The Bicentennial Man or any similar topic only for you Order Now These abilities include consciousness, free will, emotions, feelings, mortality, and other things were all developed and possessed by Andrew. Although Andrew was made up of steels, it is not only the physical features that make us a human being. What more important is our inner features that make us human being; what a person thinks and expressing his actions determine his being. It is by expressing human freedom through his/her will that affirms his/her humanity. Andrew was able to learn and grows that made him fully understand what it is like being a human. It also portray that the used of â€Å"I† by Andrew that I think makes him truly a human being, it is because like what I’ve said he was able to assert his self and we all know that it is only human being who is capable of asserting oneself. In addition with that, it is Andrew’s will that defines his meaningfulness in becoming a human being. But we should also remember not to take for granted on our will; we must be responsible with everything we do, just like what Mr. Martin told Andrew after giving his freedom â€Å"you wish for freedom, you must accept the consequences†. It was Andrew’s will to obtain freedom and he must be responsible with it and accept the consequences. How to cite The Bicentennial Man, Papers

Rebellion or Conformity free essay sample

An Evaluation of the Two Throughout life, an individual is faced with many instances of change and reform that he or she can adapt to, rebel against, move beyond, or conform to. Although conforming may be the quickest, safest and easiest route to take, it may not always be what is best. But what is a person to do when everything that he or she came to know and love is morphing into a new, unrecognizable world? I think what it comes down to is a personal choice, a decision that should be made based on an individuals preferences and needs. In The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa and Chen Village Under Mao and Deng, the authors write about times of change and reform in Japan and China, and how individuals of different backgrounds, education levels, and wealth classes cope with and respond to these changes. In Chen Village Under Mao and Deng, a Chinese village experiences great deals of conflict when the government sends a group of representatives called a work team to break down whole structure and set up a new, modern, and stronger government within the village. In Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa, the narrator is a scholar who takes trips to America and Europe as a studier to gain knowledge on their ways of life to help improve Japan. However, at that time Japan was filled with an anti-foreign attitude because the country felt exploited by other more advanced countries and wanted to show that it could industrialize and improve on its own. There are three main reasons why someone would rebel or conform: fear of being persecuted, possibility of gain/loss in status and protection for self or the one’s they love. In both books, a fear of being persecuted is solely the reason for conforming and adapting to the change. Typically, a sense of power in numbers or strength causes many of those opposing a group to conform. When Yukichi came back home he wrote about how he felt that Western culture could and was helping Japan, but he did not really speak up because of the anti-foreign attitude that was instilled within the minds of the majority of the country. As a matter of fact, he actually feared for his life and states it in this passage: â€Å"Until now, this anti-foreign movement had only been something existing in society, separate from my personal life†¦even some of the merchants engaged in foreign trade closed up their shop for fear of these lawless warriors†¦I thought if I avoided all dramatic utterances and behaved very cautiously, I should escape the ire of the ronin† (The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa 141-142). The reforms that the country was making towards foreigner tolerance caused many to just go with the flow and join arms. Some did not want to be seen as weak or unchanging. Similarly, many changed their beliefs after being overwhelmed with those who are advocating a certain belief or idea. For example, Yukichi writes about how his friend Murata went back to Choshu and had become a fervent supporter of anti-foreignism. Him and his friends were shocked that their friend- now opposite them- had once held the same views and were puzzled whether he was just pretending to hold that attitude for fear of attack from his clansmen or had converted to the other side due to the heavy influence there (The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa 159). Murata illustrates a person conforming to change for fear of persecution because of the number of people supporting the belief. There are common instances of persecution in Chen Village as well. Many of the villages attitude on 82-83 sum up the how important it was to have power on one’s side: â€Å"Peasants and cadres alike did not like being hectored by a band of righteous youngsters. Many of the villagers were not enthusiastic about restraining their personal and family interests in favor of the collective’s. But no one dared criticize directly the sacred messages of Mao thought† (Chen Village Under Mao and Deng). As expressed in this passage, many of the peasants and cadres did not fully agree with the reforms that were taking place, but feared of being persecuted by the work team, who had the power of Mao on their side. Fear of persecution is not the only feeling driving people to rebel or reform. In a different way, when a person in a position of higher status sees a possible gain/loss of status could result from the new changes, he or she must decide to conform or revolt. For starters, the cadres in the village were getting greedy with power, enjoyed special privileges, and mistreated the people of the village (Chen Village Under Mao and Deng 47). However the narrator described the submissive attitude the village people had: â€Å"Most of the masses were afraid. The cadres were like emperors†¦If you complained about them, they might want to take revenge, something very frightfulâ€Å"(Chen Village Under Mao and Deng 47-48). The narrator then goes on to say that the villagers started accepting the advantages that a cadre had because of is post and it became natural. They had adapted to the change that had taken place, but had a negative feeling towards the cadres. When the work team arrived, it threatened the power and position of cadres. In response, some of the cadres conformed and cooperated with the work team in hopes that their good behavior would help them retain their positions. Next, Qingfa is a perfect example of someone who suffered and succeeded because of change and reform. Initially, he was considered the village emperor, but when the work team arrived, he quickly was dispelled of that position. However, he responded negatively towards and challenged the work team by continuing to use his power to force those below to perform favors for him. Another big example of a personal gain motive is the sent-down urban youths. They were a group that ushered in change and struggled in their relationships with the other villagers. The bottom line is that most people do not want to change unless they are positively sure it results in some sort of gain for themselves and their families. Even when they know it will better them, they still want to change as little as possible. People become so infatuated with the world they live in and become so consumed by the daily routines of their lives that change sometimes scares them. The last example is the actions of Longyong. He had served as a step down from Qingfa and used his strength of character, along with knowledge and skills. to gain the support of most of the village. As a result, his relationships with the commune’s cadres suffered because they knew that with all the support of the village he had that he would not easily be ousted. In the same way, Longyong ruined the relationship he had with Shorty because of his position and support. He saw Shorty as an opponent for high positions in the village and needed him lowered. So, he spread a rumor that Shorty had an affair with another woman, therefore crushing his credibility and image. Anybody in politics knows that you will always have people oppose you no matter what you do. Lastly, force and violence have grown to become a common demonstration of power and persuasion in a person achieving their goals. Most times, the realization of harm coming to loved ones or yourself is enough to conform or give in. Starting off, Yukichi decided not to discuss any social or political matters with anybody he did not know well and lived as discreetly as possible, while still translating and writing (The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa 143). Although he didn’t necessarily conform, he gave in to the power that the anti-foreign movement in Japan had and did not rebel. Similarly, a passage in Chen Village discussed how Longyong had learned that it was impolitic to oppose higher political levels on any issues that were pushed by the national party (Chen Village Under Mao and Deng 101). Longyong finally realized that the force behind the national party was to powerful to fight. On the other hand, threatening someone’s family could cause rebellion too. When a new collectivization method was started by the work team in Chen village, a lot of the families did not work their fields because what they would produce would be siphoned out to be split with other village member families, but in the end they were forced to join. As a result, the poorer families, whose assets were fewest and situation most precarious, were getting a break at the expense of the middle and upper class families (Chen Village Under Mao and Deng 23). It was a waste to jeopardize the hunger of the family for the betterment of the village. A similar situation took place when the radically new agricultural techniques that the work team proposed were met by a healthy reluctance by the peasants because they could not afford to risk their basic food crops in experiments (Chen Village Under Mao and Deng 95). The leaders of the family rebelled because they did not want the family to starve. Family matters most in the spectrum of political and social turmoil. In summation, change and reform are necessary parts of any society and happen eventually, one way or another. Personal relationships can be jeopardized or even lost, people can be hurt and those in power will most likely succeed. Those too weak to stand up for what they believe in will conform and turn their backs on the few brave enough to fight. In addition, personal gain/loss will be a major factor in whether or not someone will conform or revolt. With this in mind, a person considered family and loved ones over anything else when making the decision to conform or revolt. What it boils down to is how much a person is willing to lay on the line in order to maintain their way of life.