<p>This is my first essay that I've practiced. I actually sat down and timed myself, lol. I was originally going to do three examples, but I ran out of room after just two. Please include critique and a score. Thank you. :)</p>
<p>Should we pay more attention to people who are older and more experienced than we are?</p>
<pre><code>The importance of listening to elders may be a trie saying, but the basic concept is incrediblyuseful in our own lives. Although some people may argue that listening to oneself is more important than relying on other peoples experiences, they do not realize that the information that elders may provide to us have their own experiences and lessons embedded inside. Two examples that exemplify this notion is the character of Pip in the novel Great Expectations and the short story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Oates.
In the story Great Expectations, Pip is a young child who starts off under the influence of Mrs. Gargery and Joe, two people who both care deeply for Pip. The result of listening to the wise Mrs. Gargery and Joe provides Pip with a solid upbringing by knowing the difference between right and wrong. As a result, Pip even provides food to a strange convict in the marshes, proving that his adherence to his familys teachings has improved his sense of empathy and kindness. However, when Pip arrives in the city and listens to the advice of Estella, a young girl whom Pip is infatuated with, he falls into sorrow and disappointment which contrasts sharply with his situation back when he was living with his family. Pip ends up spending
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money recklessly and falling deeper and deeper in debt. The influence of his newly made friends, who are all less wise than his parents, serve as a negative influence on Pips life.
In the short story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Oates, the young girl, Connie, is portrayed as a typical American teenager. She does not listen to any of her parents advice and goes out with her friends every night to go to the local restaurant to hang out. As a result of her distaste of her mothers advice, she runs into Arnold Friend, a stranger who eventually stalks Connie and kills her. Before this incident, Connies mother warned her to be more obedient and less superficial. Connie continued to flaunt her beauty, and as a result she fell victim to a killer. If she had only adhered to her mothers wise advice, she may not have attracted the attention of Arnold Friend, thus saving her life.
In the end, listening to people who are wiser results in far fewer stumbles and an easier path to success. If only more kids and teenagers realized this, there would be both a chance for teenagers to improve their lives and a chance for wiser elders to pass on their invaluable information to posterity.</p>