The Balance Within By Estherna Sternberg Analysis

When lost in the confusing and lonely nature of the world, relationships will be the guiding light to emotional security. Soothing interactions chart the way to peaceful waters. In Esther Sternberg’s book The Balance Within, she uses prominent diction and a subtle allusion to convey her point about the physical and emotional connections that affect daily life. The clear diction choices intrigue the reader. All people have felt the warm feeling of safety when they are with a familiar person. Sternberg calls this feeling “cradled,” “rooted,” and “connected” while other social psychologists name it “embeddedness.” Upon reading these words, the reader feels the connotations of warm and safe. All these synonyms help better describe the relatable feeling of comfort in society. Without these synonyms, the opposite – loneliness – would be more abstract to the reader. In addition, she lists phrases such as “ties that bind,” “family ties,” and “bonding” to accentuate that people feel a tangible closeness to their loved ones. The emotional bonds have a physical benefit of improved health. Therefore, all the relations kept with people are not simply imagined—they are as real as what one can see. Synonyms and

In the novel, Jay Gatsby threw lavish parties that elites would attend. However, Gatsby had no close friends and was alone despite being surrounded by dozens of people. Sternberg references Gatsby’s paradoxical loneliness to add credibility to her argument. While most people have a support system, others are alone and feel disconnected. Sternberg notes that “many pieces of great literature” draw out the uncomfortable feeling of alienation. Without supportive relationships, one ends up as a Gatsby and other tragic heroes whose lives end in loneliness. With this brief allusion, Sternberg calls forth previous knowledge that strengthens and makes her argument credible according to famous