3rd Period
AP Lang/ Ms. Catienza
Yellow – Student
Green – Teacher
Argumentative Essay – Neal Gabler
To avoid the exposure of entertainment would be difficult. Whether it’s the Hollywood blockbusters, the television sitcoms, the young adult novels or the music pumping through your speaker, entertainment is everywhere, serving as the portal to the world around us. Neal Gabler’s assertion that entertainment has the capacity to ruin our society holds some truth, but I believe that it is more beneficial than detrimental. The impression that entertainment will bequeath on an individual depends on the intention and extent in which it is utilized.
Entertainment can be a great educator. Television is a notorious enjoyment for the young. Whilst enjoying programs from channels like Nick Jr. and Disney Junior, toddlers can amass a pool of knowledge before they begin formal schooling. My brother is a beneficiary of those programs. Thank to “Little Einsteins”, he is exposed to classical music, renowned artists and the scenery of other countries. “Team Umizoomi”, fortified his math skills by introducing him to counting, addition and subtraction, and patterns. In addition, the storylines of an episode constantly include problem solving. Often minor yet essential life lessons, like the wrongs of lying, are present, adding to the value of the TV programs.
The stress and dilemmas of reality can drive an individual to the brink of insanity. At times, what one needs is a break; an alternative world to escape to. Entertainment provides a diversion to occupy one’s thoughts for a short period of time. In movies, novels and dramas, we immerse ourselves in the lives of fictional characters. We laugh at the jokes they tell, share in their setbacks, cry for them, berate their stupidity, and admire their courage. We befriend them, fall in love with them and behold their happy endings. I’ve vicariously roamed the expansive prairies of the American West in Little House on