Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin, a French novelist who went by the pseudonym George Sand, claimed “charity degrades those who receive it and hardens those who dispense it.” Those who give to others solely believe they are contributing to the greater good. While those receiving more or less don’t reciprocate the same gratitude. At the beginning of adolescence, we are taught it is important to help others less fortunate than one because it is not about individuality — but community. John Steinbeck explores this theme in The Grapes of Wrath while telling the story of a poor family’s journey to California. In the novel, Steinbeck uses Mae to demonstrate that generosity shown towards suffering people reveals an individual’s underlying morals.
Mae giving discounted bread to a family reveals her needs are less important when helping a suffering family. When Mae is working at her
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The word is ambiguous to everyone in society. Many view charity as giving back to those in need because they feel as though they are “bettering the community” in one small way. However, those receiving can see it as pity or shameful action. We see this throughout The Grapes of Wrath as well, the receiving end of the generosity is interpreted differently than those giving out. In today’s society, it’s programmed into us that if you don’t partake in charitable actions, you aren’t considered a “good samaritan.” If you aren’t helping, what are you doing? Some people today, are being “generous” for all the wrong reasons: to fulfill volunteer hours or to set an image. We need people to check their moral intentions before believing they are “helping” the community. In other words, people cause more damage to others when having the wrong intentions when it comes to charitable work. If we don’t, we create a society that pities those who suffer in order create a positive image for an individual. Now. Reflect on how you are “bettering” the
Hardin brings this complication to light in order to strike a chord in those who find themselves guilty of not assisting the poor. He forces the readers to place themselves in a situation where they must put aside their sympathy and place themselves first if they want to survive. Those who object can get out and yield their spot to others, should they feel guilty (para 9). By suggesting this solution, Hardin eliminates all guilt-ridden consciousness from the lifeboat as the metaphor poses a critical life or death situation for those on board. Ultimately, Harden effectively conveys his reasoning as to why the haves should not tend to the have nots by utilizing a metaphor that prompts the readers to reevaluate the consequences associated with assisting
Although each time someone displayed generosity they had a different motive, all of them wanted to bless another person. They all wanted to connect and show appreciation to a friend. The First Purchase Church Congregation, the Black Community, and Arthur Radley all displayed generosity, despite having different motives behind their actions. Acts like tithing can be performed out of generosity, but they can also be forced by another person. While God wants humans to give out of a generous heart, occasionally people give from a sense of duty.
Compassion can be practiced to create a better world for children and future generations. Compassion is a kind act or an understanding of how others are feeling in a situation. Although it is kind to offer compassion to someone, in some situations, people’s actions can cause them to be undeserving of compassion. In To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Mayella Ewell is part of the lowest-class family in Maycomb. Her family is very poor, never goes to school, and she has to work on her family's farm a lot.
In comparing “I” to “we”, Steinbeck comments that “the quality of owning freezes you forever into “I,” and cuts you off forever from the “we” (152). When a person has something, they worry about their personal possessions and consider others needs but neglect to share their wealth and their mindset. They feel owning a job or their home makes them sperate from others in their struggle to stay in positions of wealth.. During the dust bowl many instances of this selfishness show. In the farmland, a few take what they can when losing their homes.
I can’t figger it. ”(156) In this quote Mae is describing the upper class people that enter her diner, saying they steal and are anxious. This shows how the rich people are so blind to what's actually going on in the country but they too believe they are desperate and suffering, refusing to be comfortable. They are unhappy but unlike the migrants, they have no reason to be.
Every Christian feels compassion for when Jesus leads his disciples to spread the word of God in the toughest conditions. By Steinbeck alluding to this event, he creates the same sympathy felt for Jesus in the Bible. The Joads and Jim Casy went under the same conditions as Jesus and his disciples and kept their faith through thick and thin. As can be seen, by alluding the Joads and Jim Casey to Jesus
In one circumstance, we may feel the need to give to those who are poor to keep them from getting in our personal space; and in other circumstances we feel that we give to others out of the kindness of our heart. I completely agree with Ascher and her views on compassion, because I have been in similar situation where I have questioned why people give money, and whether they give with a whole heart or out of necessity. Furthermore, this essay can teach us plenty of lessons that can be utilized throughout our lives so we can teach others and make them aware of the need to be more
Charles decided to distinguish who to give alms to in order to save money, but still give to those “deserving”. Similarly, Juan Luis Vives a Spanish humanist wrote how poor people “are driven to robbery” and other fiendish acts, and “that [Europeans] have a duty to charity” to help these impoverished people out (Document 1). Vives continues by saying how people are uncertain if they should give “because their good intention is embarrassed by the great number” or “where first or most effectively” to give their money to.
She begins by talking about her college experience of how her own professors and fellow students believed and “always portrayed the poor as shiftless, mindless, lazy, dishonest, and unworthy” (Paragraph 5). This experience shocked her because she never grew up materialistic. She brings up the fact that she is the person with the strong and good values that she has today because she grew up in a poor family. In culture, the poor are always being stereotyped.
In The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck follows the Joad family as they suffer the hardships caused by the Dust Bowl in the 1930’s. The most important lesson people can learn from the novel is the value of a human life. Although the 1930’s was a low point in American society, the ill-treatment of human beings is still relevant today. Just like Jim Casy’s philosophy, it is important to fight for the rights of the people and their dignity. There are several examples of oppression in The Grapes of wrath.
Injustices, tragedies, and unfortunate circumstances have plagued humankind for all of existence. Many of these problems have arisen from the society of man, and could not be found in nature. The hatred, selfishness, prejudice, and maliciousness seen in so many injustices man created unnecessarily, as well as all the suffering it causes does not need to exist. If an individual witnesses a crime or injustice occurring, it is their responsibility to defend the weak and fight for whatever is morally right, even at the cost of themselves.
Grapes of Wrath clearly illustrate the class struggle between workers and the upper class. Steinbeck displays the discrimination between the migrant people and landowners. Migrant workers are handled worse than animals, family’s or “Okies” are starving as food is wasted by the wealthy and the landowners maintain control through violence. “What do you want us to do? We can't take less share of the crop – we're half starved now.
The word altruism may come to mind for some. When performing acts of kindness we
Unselfish concern for the welfare of others without expectation of reward, recognition, or return is the golden rule of humanism. To give is to receive especially when it truly comes from the heart. Giving without expecting anything in return is an art of life. When disaster and hardship strikes, lending a hand without expecting anything in return is doing things for the greater good that drives home the true meaning of humanity. In our society, there is a great level of inequality that creates hardship for some individuals.
If I had the authority to change my community in a positive way, I would attempt to label kindness and good deeds as what is expected, rather than attention-seeking ploys. I find it especially irksome to see how my community as a whole only does anything for attention. This is wrong. I believe that people should do everything out of love and kindness, and be selfless. One of my favorite bible verses is 1 Corinthians 16:14, “Let all that you do be done in love.”