Culture and Anarchy Analysis 
Liam LaBute
September 2, 2014
ENG4U
Mr. D. Greenham
Culture and Anarchy Analysis
In this short snippet from Culture and Anarchy Matthew Arnold tries to explain total perfection in society and ones self. Arnold explains that in order to strive for total perfection the person must first recognize the problem at hand. The person must realize that taking action and changing their regular routine is the only way to fix the problem. If you are aware of a problem but do nothing you are not helping at all you are just turning a cold shoulder and the problem will continue or become a greater conflict. For example, if you see a child playing with matches and do nothing you could later find a greater problem has occurred. This problem could range from not having matches to light a candle in a storm; to having a fire started, burning down the building and killing the child. In order to reach total perfection you need to take the initiative to changing your routine. Matthew talks about how we act loyal to our stock notions and habits but have rather fallen into a mechanical working were we are stuck on the tracks of our habits. In order to get off these tracks of habit we need to stop looking at them as loyalty and look at them as a boundary or stubbornness. These stock notions and habits are not helping us get to a state of total perfection. In fact, these notions and habits are holding us back from changing our mindsets and trying to solve the problem at hand. Once the problems are solved, if ever, then we reach the state of total perfection.
September 2, 2014
ENG4U
Mr. D. Greenham
Culture and Anarchy Analysis
In this short snippet from Culture and Anarchy Matthew Arnold tries to explain total perfection in society and ones self. Arnold explains that in order to strive for total perfection the person must first recognize the problem at hand. The person must realize that taking action and changing their regular routine is the only way to fix the problem. If you are aware of a problem but do nothing you are not helping at all you are just turning a cold shoulder and the problem will continue or become a greater conflict. For example, if you see a child playing with matches and do nothing you could later find a greater problem has occurred. This problem could range from not having matches to light a candle in a storm; to having a fire started, burning down the building and killing the child. In order to reach total perfection you need to take the initiative to changing your routine. Matthew talks about how we act loyal to our stock notions and habits but have rather fallen into a mechanical working were we are stuck on the tracks of our habits. In order to get off these tracks of habit we need to stop looking at them as loyalty and look at them as a boundary or stubbornness. These stock notions and habits are not helping us get to a state of total perfection. In fact, these notions and habits are holding us back from changing our mindsets and trying to solve the problem at hand. Once the problems are solved, if ever, then we reach the state of total perfection.