In the question surrounding survival, the argument often revolves around selfishness and self-preservation. However, a closer look reveals a more refined perspective, one that challenges the simple comparison between survival and selfishness. Louise Erdrich's "The Leap" and Lane Wallace's "Is Survival Selfish?" offer perspective into the points of survival, showing the role of selflessness and cooperation in the face of hardship. This argumentative essay will show how these texts provide evidence to support the argument that survival is not inherently selfish, but rather a product of selfless concerns and tendencies and combined efforts. In "The Leap," Erdrich presents a narrative that surpasses the points of survival as a purely self-interested endeavor. Through the …show more content…
Anna's preservation to endure hardship for the sake of her child exemplifies the selfless dimension of survival, challenging the criticism that it is seen as selfish. Similarly, Wallace's essay "Is Survival Selfish?" provides strong pieces of evidence to support the argument that survival is an act of cooperation and mutual aid. Wallace tends to show that survival strategies often involve collaborative efforts and instinctual behaviors. With many instances of opposite self-sacrifice and common living among various species, Wallace challenges the assumption that survival is driven solely by individual self-interest. As she says, "Survival is not a zero-sum game; it can be achieved through cooperation and mutual support." This perspective reframes survival as a collective struggle, where individuals rely on each other for survival and well-being, thereby rising above narrow notions of selfishness. Nevertheless, it could be argued that instances of unselfishness in survival scenarios are ultimately motivated by
How far would a mother go for her daughter? In the story “Leap” by Louise Erdrich the daughter describes numerous sacrifices her mother made in order to get the daughter to where she is now. On a shallow analysis, the story is about how the daughter is grateful for her mother. On a deeper analysis, the story expresses how in moments of decision in the characters lives one can choose to change their succession through life. For the duration of the story the daughter tells us how the mother withstood
daughter from the flaming house no matter what the situation is set to be. Anna is willing to do anything to get her daughter out of the house. “He couldn’t make his hands work, so she finally tore it off and stood there in her pearls and stockings” (Erdrich 345). Anna was courageous to take off her close in front of everyone. Anna did not care about what the people watching nearby had to say, all she had in her mind was to save her daughter from the fire. She put her life in hand for her daughter to
“The leap” is a short story by Louise Erdrich which is about the narrator that says that she owes to her mother, Anna Avalon, “her existence three times” because thanks to her she is where she is now. The narrator as well starts to talk about one of the three leaps that has gotten her to where she is. Anna, the mother, is described at first as very coordinated because although she is blind, she doesn’t stumble with anything and leaves the house spotless. The cause of her being so coordinated and
the story “The Leap” by Louise Erdrich, she thrived in the life of a circus performer. In the story, the reader walks through the misfortune of wind striking a circus performance, the narrator defines the astonishing achievement of her mother and how her mother handled her life even after the lightning struck. The narrator likewise demonstrates to the reader why she traveled back home to her mother using the literary element personification. In the story, “ The Leap” by Louise Erdrich, personification
these two stories, different problems are represented. They describe interesting times in the characters’ lives and the risks and choices they went through to solve these problems. The first story is “The Leap” by Louise Erdrich, and the second story is My Left Foot by Christy Brown. In “The Leap,” the narrator tells the reader moments in her life that changed her. She spends a lot of time talking about her mother and the things that have happened to her when she was a trapeze artist as well as how
English AL 12 April 2024 Maternal Influence: Exploring Mother-Daughter Dynamics in Literature Mother-daughter bonds epitomize deep familial connections, showcased in various dimensions within literature. Alice Walker's "Everyday Use" and Louise Erdrich's "The Leap" offer contrasting yet insightful portrayals of the complexities inherent in these relationships, delving into themes of love, identity, and conflict. Through these narratives, we glean a deeper understanding of the profound influence mothers
One insight about human nature in Louise Endrich’s The Red Convertible is that family members always try to heal and support each other, but sometimes it does not work out. In the story, Henry is detained by the Vietnamese soldiers during the war and the readers are unaware of what happened to him during that time: Whereabouts I did not know. He wasn't such a hot letter writer, and only got off two before the enemy caught him. I could never keep it straight, which direction those good Vietnam soldiers
What is courage? Ernest Hemingway, an American author, defines courage as “grace under pressure.” “The Leap” by Louise Erdrich is a story narrated by the daughter of one of its characters, Anna Avalon, a former trapeze artist. Anna displays many acts of what I’d call courage in this story as her daughter claims that her mother has saved her life at least three times. In this story we get to see how her mother saved her life multiple times and just how calm and collected she is. Anna Avalon fits under