Essay On Little Women
Hitting a child is percieved to be something of the past, but in reality, students in 19 states are still being struck today. The act of physically punishing a student is banned in all the states except the remaining 19, allowing students to be hit with a ruler, spanked, or even paddled. Some of the states included, but are not limited to, are: Texas, Colorado, and Georgia. The teacher is in all control of the decision to punish and can be unjust whenever they wish. In Amy March's case, she was struck physically and even more so emotionally by an unfair teacher. In “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott, the March family's experience in chapter seven compares and contrasts with “Corporal Punishment Persists in U.S. Schools” by Alyssa Monroe through
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the topics of emotional harm, family support, and the family's reaction. Emotional harm was portrayed in both “Little Women” and “Corporal Punishment Persists in U.S. Schools”. Chapter seven of “Little Women” contains proof of Amy's emotional harm whereas the corporal punishment article talks about emotional harm of students today. In chapter seven Alcott writes, “The smart of her hand and the ache of her heart were forgotten in the sting of the thought” (Page 174). She is saying that Amy was affected more emotionally rather than physically which is what Monroe claims about kids when she quotes, “The prevailing research was that it was detrimental to the student” which Amy March’s experience proved.
Family support was both discussed in each source but differentiated immensely. After Amy goes home, her family is not happy. Alcott scribes, “Mrs. March did not say much but looked disturbed” (Page 175). Mrs. March is the mother of Amy. After Amy is struck, her mother removes her from school which is far from what parents will do today. Monroe writes, “in some areas of the country, parents and teachers still want corporal punishment as an option.”. This portrays that parents nowadays feel the opposite compared to Mrs. March.
The reaction of families differed in both articles.
Mrs. March removes Amy from school in a most daring way without a second thought. She sent her other daughter to deliver the message. Alcott writes,
“Just before school closed, Jo appeared, wearing a grim expression as she stalked up to the desk, and delivered a letter from her mother, then collected Amy's property, and departed, carefully scraping the mud from her boots on the door mat, as if she shook the dust of the place off her feet.” (Page 176).
Jo delivered the message in a discontented yet discreet way. Some parents nowadays would never commit the same actions as the March’s did. Monroe writes, “community pressure can become an issue if a parent chooses to challenge the practice.”. It is hard to stop corporal punishment if the rest of the community supports it, therefore, the parent only has the options to keep their child in that school or find another school that does not have corporal punishment. This law is state-wide, so finding another school can prove difficult. These two pieces of writing can be beneficial to the debate on corporal punishment. Through the writings of the effect emotionally, how the family reacts, and supports the child, one question can be answered. Should corporal punishment be nullified
for
the topics of emotional harm, family support, and the family's reaction. Emotional harm was portrayed in both “Little Women” and “Corporal Punishment Persists in U.S. Schools”. Chapter seven of “Little Women” contains proof of Amy's emotional harm whereas the corporal punishment article talks about emotional harm of students today. In chapter seven Alcott writes, “The smart of her hand and the ache of her heart were forgotten in the sting of the thought” (Page 174). She is saying that Amy was affected more emotionally rather than physically which is what Monroe claims about kids when she quotes, “The prevailing research was that it was detrimental to the student” which Amy March’s experience proved.
Family support was both discussed in each source but differentiated immensely. After Amy goes home, her family is not happy. Alcott scribes, “Mrs. March did not say much but looked disturbed” (Page 175). Mrs. March is the mother of Amy. After Amy is struck, her mother removes her from school which is far from what parents will do today. Monroe writes, “in some areas of the country, parents and teachers still want corporal punishment as an option.”. This portrays that parents nowadays feel the opposite compared to Mrs. March.
The reaction of families differed in both articles.
Mrs. March removes Amy from school in a most daring way without a second thought. She sent her other daughter to deliver the message. Alcott writes,
“Just before school closed, Jo appeared, wearing a grim expression as she stalked up to the desk, and delivered a letter from her mother, then collected Amy's property, and departed, carefully scraping the mud from her boots on the door mat, as if she shook the dust of the place off her feet.” (Page 176).
Jo delivered the message in a discontented yet discreet way. Some parents nowadays would never commit the same actions as the March’s did. Monroe writes, “community pressure can become an issue if a parent chooses to challenge the practice.”. It is hard to stop corporal punishment if the rest of the community supports it, therefore, the parent only has the options to keep their child in that school or find another school that does not have corporal punishment. This law is state-wide, so finding another school can prove difficult. These two pieces of writing can be beneficial to the debate on corporal punishment. Through the writings of the effect emotionally, how the family reacts, and supports the child, one question can be answered. Should corporal punishment be nullified
for