I am taking SAT this June. I am wondering if using too “mainstream” examples in the essay is bad? And what should I include in my conclusion paragraph? Please grade my essay. Much thanks
Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in positions of authority?
Nowadays, individualism is highly advocated in society and there has been a transgression from the control of only one or a group of leaders who makes every decision there is to a collective contribution of many individuals. There have been polarizing arguments regarding whether or not choices made by those in power should be revised or even refute. Opinions may vary, but from a personal standpoint questioning choices of officialdom plays a vital role in ameliorating the society, in a way that it helps eliminate fallacies and errors. To back up my point, I have substantiated a range of examples from history and literature, including the renowned short story the Giver by Lois Lowry and the revolution lead by Martin Luther King Jr, one of the greatest social activists in modern history.
The novel The Giver by Lois Lowry clearly depicts the effects one might have on the community by challenging the authority. The story sets context in a seemingly utopian society, where there is no suffering or pain. However, to be able to reach this state, individualism and creativity are deprived of the citizens unconsciously, along with all the memories in the previous eras. Jonas, the main character who is assigned to be the keeper of all those memories, discovers how a better life where people no longer live as human androids, can be achieved through the recovery of everyone’s memories. He risked his own life, broke many rules and left his community to accomplish this mission. The story ends with his goal fulfilled and this opened up more opportunities for development, on a both individual and social scale, than ever before. It is a short yet meaningful story which admonishes the readers to weigh all choices, even when they come from the more powerful force.
Another compelling archetype which also provokes this theme is the movement of Martin Luther King Jr in his years of being a social activist. Being born in an era where the black community is discriminated and alienated in America, King grew up to be a civil rights activist and organized myriad nonviolent protests to fight for equality and the abolishment of racism. These events attracted national attention and widespread news coverage. He was also the author of one of the most famous speech where he said with great fervor, on behalf of all African Americans: “I have a dream.” His outspoken predication to the government and to the people of America was a key factor that unlocked the chain of racism among black people.
To conclude, the conventional wisdom where all the decisions made by the authority never needs revising has been refuted by two epitomes above. Most of the time, those in power will make the most rational decisions for the good of the society. However, it does not mean that better outcomes can be achieved. This is why we should always consider those decisions.