<p>Here is the prompt,</p>
<p>We are very individually oriented. We see everything in terms of personal independence, personal pleasure, personal fulfillment. "Do your own thing," we say. The idea that people can actually do things for someone or something elsea community, a school, or any other groupis lost. It is important to realize, however, that all people are interconnected. We cannot survive without each other.</p>
<p>Adapted from Willard Gaylin in Bill Moyers, A World of Ideas</p>
<p>Assignment:</p>
<p>Do people put too much emphasis on doing things by and for themselves? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.</p>
<p>MY ESSAY:</p>
<p>Too many people only concerned with themselves. Mind your own business, people say when someone asks what they are doing. Such an approach is not only downright rude, it is also detrimental to the person. We live in cities because we have chosen this particular place on Earth to live together, and rely on each other. The owner of a restaurant relies on its customers to provide him money; the customers rely on the restaurant for nourishment. We all need each other.
One perfect example of this is in the novella, Reliance by Kim Yong-Moo. In the novella, a reclusive girl, Jenna, demonstrates that trying to do everything herself not only alienates her friends, but also harms herself emotionally. She tries to do everything herself from school projects to fixing something because, in her words, I dont want to be seen as weak. By doing so, she alienates all of her friends. Thus, the recluse becomes even lonelier. By rejecting help, she puts more stress on herself and she hands in a poorly done school project to the teacher, getting ridiculed by the faculty, her parents, and her fellow classmates. Overcome with depression and paranoia, she laments at her fate and commits suicide. Ironically, her last words are, I wish someone would have helped me in my hour of need.<br>
One day in my school, a new student was welcomed in my class. He had the same problem as Jenna. He insisted on doing everything himself, not because he was afraid people would perceive him as a weak person, but because he didnt want to be a burden on anyone. When my fellow students and I assured him that he wasnt going to be a burden on anyone, he began to accept our help. We told him that by trying to do everything himself, he would ultimately hurt himself. Now, he has great friends (including myself) and we all ask for each others help when we need it.
By observing Jenna, we see that by trying so hard to be perceived as strong only creates more problems for the individual. Too many people try to do things themselves, either out of a desire to be thought of as a strong person, or just to avoid being a burden to others. We just have to accept that we cant do everything ourselves; sometimes, help is necessary.</p>
<p>I filled both pages with small and legible handwriting. Please score out of 12.</p>
<p>Thank you very much,</p>
<p>WK</p>