Conformity In A Day 'And The Man In The Well'

Independence activist and leader, Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Your beliefs become your thoughts”. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.” Gandhi’s words display the idea that one’s actions are influenced by their beliefs and values, but in society, it is common for values to be lost in an attempt to fit in with a crowd or community. When a person changes themselves or blindly follows a leader or crowd, it is called conformity. Themes relating to conformity are found in the short stories, “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury and “The Man in the Well” by Ira Sher. In Ray Bradbury’s story, a group of children in a school
The urge to conform to the group distracted the kids from thinking about how the man felt stuck in the well. Their lack of empathy kept them from feeling so bad for the man that they would have to save him. Due to conformity, people are willing to do anything to stick with a crowd and may change the way they act. These people might not realize that their actions are influenced by their surroundings more than their values. When alone, one’s actions may be different from when a group is present, because “people lose their self-awareness in groups; they become less self-conscious and less inhibited” (Ostergaard 2). A lack of self-consciousness can completely alter one’s thoughts and actions, which is why people act out of line in larger groups. When a person forgets about their values and beliefs, they are less likely to behave like themselves, conforming to a group or community. This explains the insensitivity of the kid's actions in both short stories. In “The Man in the Well” by Ira Sher, conformity leads to a sense of security and safety, but in “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury, conformity leads to an upsetting
In conclusion, one’s actions are influenced by their values, but when conforming, their values and ability to empathize are lost, as this is shown in the short stories “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury and “The Man in the Well” by Ira Sher. Although conformity can be beneficial and hold groups together, it can cause others to forget their beliefs and who they really are. Since one’s actions reflect their values, their actions are unfiltered if they ignore or forget their values. If someone loses sight of their values when in a group, they are slowly losing their individuality. This is why conformity leads to many harmful situations. Since it is so prevalent, awareness of the causes and effects of conformity can ensure that it will be used for good and benefit society instead of tearing it apart. Although the situations in the short stories are unrealistic, they reflect more common situations in society, like a group of teenagers at a party feeling like they have to drink alcohol or smoke like the rest of their peers. This situation is extremely dangerous to the individuals and the people around