The Strong Beliefs of Aerin from McKinley's Hero and the Crown and Ellen from Gibbon's Ellen Foster
In the 1970's, rock artist David Bowie wrote a hit song entitled "Changes" that included these lines: "And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds/Are immune to your consultations/They're quite aware of what they're going through." These lyrics hint at the numerous weighty issues young teenagers must resolve while going through the "changes" that will lead to a development of adult moral codes. As any young adult will testify, an undefined moral atmosphere can result in difficulty making decisions (to cheat on a test or not to cheat on a test?), a problem that can become even more pronounced with the addition of pressure from peers, media, family, and religion.
However, some teens have experiences that result in the shaping of a strong will and as a consequence can easily form ethical convictions with nary a doubt. Two teens from this year's English Festival book selections fall into the latter category. Both Aerin from Robin McKinley's The Hero and the Crown and Ellen from Kaye Gibbon's Ellen Foster exhibit strong moral beliefs formed during their early teen years. Some of the values and beliefs Aerin and Ellen share are independence, self-sufficiency, and a mistrust for authority. Each girl's unique experiences help shape these beliefs, and both girls manife...
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...o piqued that she develops her own plan to prove she is not just the silly girl everyone thinks she is: She will become a dragon-killer. Aerin's mistrust of the ability of authority figures to judge her capacities correctly will lead her to continually exceed expectations.
Aerin and Ellen have each formed strong moral and ethical beliefs at a young age, beliefs that will likely remain with them throughout their lives. They have come through the changes in their turbulent adolescent years with flying colors, building a firm moral foundation. To borrow another line from the famed Bowie song, Aerin and Ellen are ready to "turn and face the strange" future that lies ahead and the changes it will bring.
... and others whom Levine treats are a different breed of reformers because they are concerned only indirectly with morality. But when Brown laments that today’s youth are intellectually wanting and have no connection with their cultural heritage, he uses bold phrases such as “junk food for the soul,” indicating that the erosion of appreciation for high culture is changing not only the common forms of entertainment but the character of today’s youth. Another parallel exists in Brown’s conception of culture and the Springhall’s reformers’ concept of morality as something that youth can access if they choose to break away from the evil influences of “mass” or “popular” culture – with the help, of course, of their moral or intellectual superiors, who long to inculcate their own (perhaps technologically or culturally outdated) ways of thinking into the next generation.
“Cloning represents a very clear, powerful, and immediate example in which we are in danger of turning procreation into manufacture.” (Kass) The concept of cloning continues to evoke debate, raising extensive ethical and moral controversy. As humans delve into the fields of science and technology, cloning, although once considered infeasible, could now become a reality. Although many see this advancement as the perfect solution to our modern dilemmas, from offering a potential cure for cancer, AIDS, and other irremediable diseases, its effects are easily forgotten. Cloning, especially when concerning humans, is not the direction we must pursue in enhancing our lives. It is impossible for us to predict its effects, it exhausts monetary funds, and it harshly abases humanity.
Between the ages twelve and sixteen, teenagers begin to develop individualism, a social development to identify who they are independently. Hypothetically, individualism is one of the leading cause why teenagers become rebellious because most teenagers are developing patterns of thinking rather than thinking critically. Similarly, when I was in the 6th grade, I decided to walk to the Boys & Girls Club with my friends after my mother specifically told me not to. My purpose was to walk to the Boys & Girls Club without my mother seeing me, and flaunt an image of being “cool” in front of my
Philosophers have struggled with determining the proper role of government. In the absence of government and laws, people could do whatever they wanted, and some of them would try to slaughter others and steal their property. This is the state called anarchy. People have realized that the safety of the people and the country would be in jeopardy in such a state. Thus, it is necessary for a country to have a government and/or ruler. However, a ruler must not have absolute power nor lack authority. But the protection of the people and the country alone is not enough for a country to prosper. The property and the natural rights of the people and the government must also be protected. Thus, the proper role of government is to protect the people’s natural rights, their property, and the people themselves.
Through Hansel and Gretel, as well as many other stories relating to coming of age, we can conclude that the biggest problem in life is the transition from childhood to adulthood. As you grow older and pass through adolescence, you need to start taking responsibility for shaping your life and the world you live in. There are factors that are beyond your control but they can be dealt with. Additionally, you must judge people yourself. As “Hansel and Gretel” clearly shows, people are not always what they seem and help can come from unexpected places. A person’s judgment and morality are
In each day students are not only challenged with the studies of classwork but the social conflicts of societies ever changing fashions. The peer pressures of grade school can be provoking to the point of conforming to certain behaviors; this can have either an optimistic or pessimistic outcome on the well-being of any student. Adolescents attending grade school must take a stand to decide who and what they want to become in life. Every decision that is made in each moment will affect the outcome of one’s life. Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group. (McLeod) Therefore, being conformed shaped and molded by certain behaviors in society and choosing to rebel against the peer pressures of humane will define what type of character a man will have.
In the case of Alois Dolejs the crime control model, was swift and took the criminal off the streets. The police had a lot of circumstantial evidence, for example, bloody cloths and two different types of blood. On the advise of his attorney, he was instructed not to disclose the location of the bodies, until after the trial.
Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards lived during a period in time where religion was the basis and foundation of everyday life. Bradstreet and Edwards were both raised in prominent, wealthy, and educated families. Both were extremely intelligent and shared similar religious beliefs. However, the way in which each of them brought forth those beliefs was vastly different.
Every year cigarette smoking is responsible for 500,000 premature deaths (Nugel), you do not want to be just another statistic, do you? America’s first cash crop was tobacco. That means that tobacco has been around for a really long time. It was not until 1865, though, that cigarettes were sold commercially. They were sold to soldiers at the end of the Civil War (Dowshen). From then, cigarettes spread like wildfire, and it was not until 1964 that anyone made a stand about the negative effects of tobacco and cigarettes. People start smoking for all different reasons, some to fit in and some to “escape”. Regardless, it is a horrible habit. 3900 children will try their first cigarette today. Amongst adults who currently smoke, 68% of them began at age 18 or younger, and 85% at 21 or younger (American Lung Association). And of all those people, 70% say if they were given another chance they would never have picked up that first cigarette (Tobacco Free Maine). Smoking is responsible for 1 and 5 deaths in the united states, and is the number one preventable cause of death (NLH). Smoking burns and there is no doubt about that, but before one picks up that cigarette, understand the negative effects on not only oneself, but others affected by ones poor choices, like second-hand smoke. Because of smoking cigarettes, many types of cancer, decrease of life quality, and negative health effects have become all too common in the world today.
The loss of innocence is an occurrence that happens in every life, and it is so easily taken. A traumatic moment is often the thief of innocence, leaving the victim scarred from the experience. Events like these are often the process of paving the road into adulthood, and aid in the metamorphosis of a child to an adult. In “My Father’s Noose” by Grace Talusan, “Dothead” by Amit Majmudar, and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, each of the characters do not understand the concept of negligent personages. Once the protagonist knows that society is not composed of perfect people, their character and personality changes, as it forces them to take a look at their own morals. This prepares the protagonist for the lives
Morality is a necessary aspect of personality. Beliefs about the difference between right and wrong often define one’s daily behaviour.Characters, especially in novels, tend to display their ideas of morality, and often develop a sense of ethical responsibility that ultimately defines their personality. Lloyd Jones’ novel, Mister Pip, follows the lives of the people of Bougainville Island through difficult times. A raging war on the island has resulted in a blockade, leaving the villagers completely isolated. While the villagers are alienated from the outside world, they become a close knit community supported by the intense morality of its members. Despite their isolation, the Bougainvilleans maintain life on the island throughout difficult circumstances because of their
It is also here, in childhood, and even more so in adolescence, where they begin to experiment with defiance of the authority. As they become more a...
As if adolescence isn't already a difficult time in many peoples life, the movement into adulthood is also a difficult and confusing time. The onset of stress amongst people can sometimes drive them into experimenting with ways that help reduce the stress; drug use, high alcohol consumption and risk taking being a prime example. In Janet Belsky’s “Experiencing the Lifespan,” after doing some research, she ended up finding out that many young people in High School are indeed risk takers. The thrill of getting away with doing something bad and illegal and not getting caught with your friends, makes some teens feel invincible. Many believe that if they didn’t get caught the “last couple times” doing whatever they did, then why would they get caught doing it “this time?” It’s a repetitive process that unfortunately keeps on going until they actually get busted, and even after they do get busted, sometimes it still doesn't stop them.
Adolescent students at the middle school level experience a tremendous amount of growth and development during this time in their lives. These adolescents are intellectually and physically developing at different times throughout this stage of development, experiencing a more rapid and complex rate of development than at any other time in their lives. Their social, emotional, and educational experiences affect their development and as well as influence their future decisions. These social experiences can also affect a young person’s moral development and educational experience as they begin to look to their peers for influence instead of their parents.
Teenagers often find themselves going through the motions of doing what they are told when they are told to do it. In conforming to societies norms teenagers begin to feel as if they blend in and nothing is really special about them. John Updike was able to write a coming of age story in which his main character Sammy gets shoved into adulthood rather quickly over spontaneous decision. Through Sammy’s thoughts, intense observations, and his actions we are able to see his deep depravity and his longing to stand out from the crowd.