<p>Please somebody grade my essay. I think it's really horrible. :(</p>
<p>BB Test 5 section 1; Prompt:</p>
<p>Do we need other people in order to understand ourselves?</p>
<p>Response:</p>
<p>Humans by nature are social creatures; we feel a need to interact with others. Socialization, however, not only fulfills emotional needs, but also the need to understand ourselves better. By knowing other people, whether in our lives, through literature, or history, we can confirm our own humanity.</p>
<p>History is imbued with interesting characters, even though we can never know them first-hand. Our understanding of ourselves, the present, can be deepened by studying the lives of others. Mahatma Gandhi of India, for example, is a quintessential representation of a philanthropic man; his teachings in civil disobedience are still revered today. Through his teachings, we can learn about how we in our modern age can lead better lives. Gandhi was a benevolent man in an age of domination and abuse by the powerful and he symbolizes that humanity and benevolence can still exist in the midst of negativity. In the same way, we may feel that we are less than perfect or that we are spiritually impoverished, but that flicker of light is still within the depths of our souls.</p>
<p>Knowing people, even through literature helps us to better our understanding of ourselves. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, the protagonist, Janie, learns her own self-worth after three marriages. By understanding her trials and tribulations, we can learn from her. Janie learns that she is worthy of love, even if there is no one to give it to her. Instilled in her is a sense of self-worth, a feeling of independence that only comes with experience. We can learn that about ourselves just by reading and understanding her story. No only do we understand ourselves better by her story, but Janie also gains a better understanding of herself through others in the story. With Jody Starks, she learns that she cannot be satisfied with someone who restricts her to running a store. Janie learns that she cannot be happy with a man that views her as a jewel rather than a woman. With Teacake, however, Janie learns her own self-worth, and we too get a glimpse of our own self-worth through her story.</p>
<p>Learning about others is undeniably a valuable tool for learning about ourselves. We of course can discover ourselves amongst the people we interact with daily, but it is a more radical idea to examine ourselves through those people who we never get to meet, but feel a strong connect with nonetheless.</p>