In the story Ragged Dick, Dick is a 14 year old boy who lives and works on the streets of New York. Dick is not educated nor does he have any motivation to get educated. He lives day by day polishing shoes and carelessly spending his money. Although he has no education he knows right from wrong. He has never stolen from anyone even during his bad days when he barely had enough to get himself a good meal. All of that changed when he met Frank. For example, Dick started to care more about his appearance, how he spent his money, and most importantly he wanted to be educated. He told himself that he wouldn’t spend his whole life polishing shoes. He started wearing a good suit that was given to him by Frank’s uncle. Throughout the book Dick then…
The cashier at the gas station admires the business man that comes in everyday in his crisp suit, as the janitor of a building admires that famous actress on TV. We are all trying to attain that next material thing; whether it is job or a new set of rims on our car we think things will bring us happiness. We let others put a value to the definition of success, and then we run after that. What we don't realize is that even if we did attain what they define as success, once we attained it they would push the bar up and find something new that would the new measure of success. It is like the saying goes we are always trying to "keep up with the Jones'".…
“I have found always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.” Abraham Lincoln. Captain Vere should not have sentenced Billy Budd to death for three reasons: it was involuntary manslaughter, Captain Vere was under too much pressure to make that kind of decision, and Claggart consistently harassed Billy.…
The belief that a person’s fate can be closely attributed to his or her own efforts is…
Our actions can either make something better, or worse. In the short stories “Abuela Invents the Zero” by Ortiz Cofer and “Home” by Anton Chekhov, both main characters had things going on that changed their lives. Constancia (Ortiz) has made her grandmother feel bad about how she is. Seryozha (Anton) has been smoking at the age of seven. Although both characters don’t go through the same thing, however, they end up with the same problem. Constancia and Seryozha both end up making their lives worse all because of their actions. Constancia actions messed her up and her grandmother, because she was saying rude stuff about her grandmother and her grandmother got offended. Seryozha started to smoke, since he started to smoke, he started to hurt…
Throughout Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, the reader sees that human’s strongest desire is the desire for power. With an American future where books are illegal and everyone happily watches television, one particular character in the book tries his hardest to break free from the culture of society. As a fireman, Guy Montag’s duty was to start fires rather than put them out. Witnessing the experience of an old lady being burned alive with the books she owned became a high motivating force that begins the change of Montag. Ray Bradbury uses Guy Montag and his struggles to free himself from the power of others and society to show that the will of the government is limitless for what is considered to be expedient.…
All of us learn from experiences and are greatly influenced by the people and society around us, through the sociological perspective. Some of us are even told were just like our mothers or fathers, despite not necessarily trying to be. Oedipus accidentally fulfilled the prophecy, despite his efforts not to, that he would kill his father and marry his mother, and would bring disaster to his city and his family. When they discovered what had happened, his wife hanged herself, and Oedipus gouged out his own eyes. They had had four children together.…
Imagine being the person who found a cure for cancer, or found a perfect alternative energy source, or even the one who made the community a better place to live. Each person has the ability to leave a lasting impression on the people around them. This is known as a legacy. The challenge for many people is determining what they want to be remembered for, if anything at all. Sometimes people may not know what they want their future to be. Some are certain that they want to help as many people as possible, and there are many ways to accomplish that. Someone can make a change in the way certain parts of society work. They can also make a difference on those who are suffering. Many people in this world are known for certain things. For example, Edgar Allan Poe is known for his poetry. He didn’t intend on his work becoming some of the most well-known poems of all time. Legacies, no matter how big or how small, can leave a mark on many people. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “be the change that you see in the world”.…
Living is about making choices. The choices people make shape their lives for better or worse. Even the decision not to choose has its effects, often not wanted. But the individual who chooses to make positive choices and to act accordingly is more likely to see his or her life reflect his or her beliefs and desires. Usually the individual who chooses to take action is also willing to face the risks and obstacles that such choices involve.…
people creates a diffusion of responsibility. Because there are other observers, individuals do not feel as…
In Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, Hamlet is easily influenced, he relies on the remarks of his father, mother, and member of the Fortinbras army to make decision on whether to kill his uncle Claudius, who is now King. The ghost of Hamlet’s father influences him to seek revenge and prove Claudius’ guilt. Queen Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, influences Hamlets behaviour, causing him to lash out and attempt revenge. A conversation Hamlet has with the Capitan of the Fortinbras army influences him to finally man up to the situation he is in, ultimately ending it all by killing Claudius.…
Juvenile delinquency is no different from adult delinquency. It is a blatant and often persistent disregard for law and order, for moral and ethical standards and for the rights of others. Gang membership among juveniles is on the rise. And even these juveniles are dangerous. Gangs, according to police experts are much like the better known crime families, usually the leaders do not participate in criminal…
First, the power of words can change people, it can change people’s feelings, views, and opinion. There are so many ways to show that words have the power to change people. For example, a person might have a bad day, and the person is angry with everything. But by listen to some friend’s great “words”, the person would not feel angry anymore, or even can feel the greatness of the day. This is why words can change people’s feelings,views, and opinion.…
The life and novels of Robert Louis Stevenson have impacted the world's culture, literature, and entertainment. Many things that many people take for granted came from the life and novels of Robert Louis Stevenson. He has had an impact on the entertainment industry such as movies, hotels, toys, and even casinos named after his work. Many of the entertainment items were originated after his death by people buying marketing rights from Stevenson's children. His literature such as Treasure Island and Kidnapped created a cultural phenomenon to millions of children and adults reading the wonderful novels.…
Deep down, humans crave to be appreciated. So many times, people hear things they have done…