Individuality and Community

Jasmine Hamada
Professor Marshall
ENG­122­23
22 February 2015 Individuality and Community Adults often have expectations over young adults to match their own interests. It is a struggle growing up into a young adult trying to find purpose and really thinking about what plans he/she wants for the future. Despite hardships, young adults aim to improve their actions and words above expectations. They have the option to improve themselves just like Sherman Alexie improved himself in "Superman and Me". They have the option to act beyond expectations just like Jonathan Swift addressed in "A
Modest Proposal". Being independent is an adult's freedom. Parents are a great power over young adults. They often expect their sons/daughters to grow up as they see fit. This may include parents expecting their child to follow the same career path or only go to a college that they approve of, despite opposition. Such situations are similar to what Sherman Alexie observed from the Indian children in
"Superman and Me". The children were expected to act stupid and helpless although the children acted intelligently outside of the classroom. "They lived up to those expectations... but subverted them on the outside" (Alexie) The same could be said for

young adults who conform to their parent's wishes, despite their personal interests outside of the home. Young adults can decide who they want to be, even if their parents may believe they are too inexperienced to make good decisions. This is the same as how Alexie acted intelligently despite the ridicule from his Indian peers in "Superman and Me". He refused to give in to negative expectations, gained knowledge instead, and eventually became a writer, even though "writing was something beyond Indians" (Alexie). Even if a parent wants his/her daughter to inherit a restaurant owner position, she can still aim to become a doctor if she wishes to. Even if a parent believes his/her son is not competent enough to become a teacher, he can aim for a bachelor degree in education to prove them wrong. The young adult just needs to act on his/her individual wishes accordingly and communicate it clearly. In reality, young adults can aim for any career path that they wish. Some parents feel that their sons/daughters going into adulthood are unable to branch off from the house and become independent. To an extent, parents may feel their child is useless without them. They may assume the outside world is still too harsh for their son/daughter, even as a young adult. This is similar to the opinion of the English to the
Irish as addressed in "A Modest Proposal". The Irish that were dominated by the
English were just considered to be breeders, only good for making children. This is similar to parents who label their offspring as dependent and unreliable. Despite

disapproving parents, just going to college in itself is already an act of independence.
Choosing to work is already an act of self sufficiency. Young adults can still act intelligently even beyond their parent's expectations. Still, it can be overwhelming for a young adult to gain so much responsibility and freedom at the same time. Many young adults either go to work, go to school, live on their own, or perform a combination of these feats. Peers, not just parents, may assume young adults will act immaturely or helplessly in these situations, even if they do not see the whole picture. This is similar to the Irish assuming the role of being helpless, poor citizens to the English, with their children exaggeratedly referred to as food in " A
Modest Proposal" (Swift). "First ask the [citizens] whether they would not at this day think it is a great happiness to have been sold for food... and thereby have avoided... misfortunes" (Swift). If peers care to make expectations of young adults in this day and age, they should first ask the young adults, instead of believing they cannot help themselves. Young adults do not need to sit down and be limited by their peers' expectations.
Instead, they aim to better themselves and rise above those who bring them down. A young adult is an independent. A young adult is capable. A young adult will aim to improve. Works Cited

Alexie, Sherman. "Superman and Me."
Reading Literature and Writing Argument.
Ed.
Missy James and Alan Merickel. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall,
2011. 208­10. Print. Swift, Jonathan. "A Modest Proposal."
Reading Literature and Writing Argument.
Ed.
Missy James and Alan Merickel. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall,
2011. 238­44. Print.