Synthesis Essay Animals by Simon Rich is an outstanding short story which takes a unique perspective on the everyday life in a classroom. The story is written from the point of view of a hamster who spends his tortured life entrapped in a cage. From the first point in this story it is clear that the purpose of the writing is not to understand the hamster, but rather to analyse the different actions of the people, and to discover that how they act towards the hamsters reflects on their character. It is curious to view the everyday interactions of people through a different set of eyes, that is done by humanizing the narrator’s perspective. Based on the actions of the many people and the treatment of the class pet, the author suggests that human nature is very much a product of the financial circumstances a person is subjected to. There are a couple of key characters in this story, the first of which is Simon. He is just one of many strikingly similar students in homeroom 2k. Simon, like many of the students is irresponsible, and unsympathetic towards the hamsters. Simon jeopardizes the lives of the hamsters by attempting to joke around instead of completing his assigned task, which involves giving them food and water. The majority of the story takes place in a private school, and the reader can make the assumption that the student’s parents are wealthy. The author portrays simon as well as the other kids in a bad light, that they are, by default, poorly behaved and somewhat
In the book, “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer. Chapter 10 tells us the body of Chris McCandless was found and for a week they still had not been able to identify the body. On September 10th, the story of a dead hiker was published in the Anchorage Daily News. Jim Gallien saw the article and called the State Troopers and said, “Hey, I think I gave that guy a ride.”(99) At first the trooper did not believe Jim, because there have been already a number of people who said they knew the hikers identity. Jim kept talking to the trooper and described a few items that was not mentioned in the newspaper. Ultimately, what convinced the trooper about Jim’s claim was an entry in Chris’s journal that said, “Exit Fairbanks. Sitting Gallien. Rabbit Day” (99).
Changed Him They Cage the Animals at Night is a true story about the author, Jennings Michael Burch, who tells the story of the loneliness and pain he experiences in his life in orphanages and foster homes during the 1950s in Bronx, New York. Jennings changes a lot throughout this book: becoming more experienced, more carefree, and mentally stronger. Jennings becomes more experienced from all the homes and orphanages he’s been to. One example of this is the “no friend” rule Marc tells Jennings about in the beginning of the book:“‘we’re gonna become friends.
In his article, “Let Them Eat Dog”, Jonathan Safran Foer analyzes the American taboo of eating dog. In doing so, Foer explores the implication of an important question surrounding animal rights – what differentiates a food source from its fellow creatures? Initially, Foer illustrates the differing views of dog consumption around the world, and subsequently questions the logic behind the American conscience. Dog and other companion animals, Foer reasons, are only exempt from consumption based on loose claims of intelligence and affection. He is quick to indicate that livestock, such as pigs, possess an equal level of intellect and provide similar displays of affection. Consequently, Foer proves the differences between food sources and other
In “The Animals: Practicing Complexity”, the idea of morals and ethics is brought to question. Michael Pollan offers the idea of giving animals a better life before they are killed for food. He depicts a farm where the animals are used as a natural sort of farm machinery that never needs its oil changed and when they are done working can be eaten (Pollan 350). This concept makes killing animals for food morally acceptable. By changing the treatment of the animals before they are killed the suffering aspect is eliminated. It is almost as if people would be able to give the animals a purposeful life before being used as a source of nutrition. The morality and ethics could then be justified. However, this simple idea is more complex then it may
In chapter six of “The Social Animal”, David Brooks, through the story of Harold and his teacher, offers us something of a model regarding how we, as students, might effectively study/learn/attain expertise in a given field. Specifically, Brooks argues that students learn best when given time to master new information. As Harold works on this paper, his teacher sets up a guideline for him to follow to eventually achieve the final product, a paper. He first collects resources and reads them, he then rereads them while keeping a writing journal, and then lastly he integrates what he read with his life’s experiences. This process occurs over a large amount of time. As the author himself puts it when learning new material, “there should be a long period of gestation, as [the student] looks at the material in different ways and in different moods.
There are a couple of key characters in this story, the first of which is Simon. He is just one of many strikingly similar students in homeroom 2k. Simon, like many of the students is irresponsible, and unsympathetic towards the hamsters. Simon jeopardizes the lives of the hamsters by attempting to joke around instead of completing his assigned task, which involves giving them food and water. The majority of the story takes place in a private school, and the reader can make the assumption that the student’s parents are wealthy. The author portrays Simon as well as the other kids in a bad light, that they are, by default, poorly behaved and
The tide was coming in and there was only a narrow strip of firm beach between the water and the white, stumbling stuff near the palm terrace. Ralph chose the firm strip as a path because he needed to think, and only here could he allow his feet to move without having to watch them. Suddenly, pacing by the water, he was overcome with astonishment. He found himself understanding the wearisomeness of this life, where every path was an improvisation and a considerable part of one 's waking life was spent watching one 's feet. He stopped, facing the strip; and remembering that first enthusiastic exploration as though it were part of a brighter childhood, he smiled jeeringly. He turned then and walked back toward the platform with the sun in his face. The time had come for the assembly and as he walked into the concealing splendors of the sunlight he went carefully over the points of his speech. There must be no mistake about this assembly, no chasing imaginary. . . .
The article “Taming the Wild” by Evan Ratliff published in the National Geographic is about a scientific study in southern Siberia that is breeding foxes for domestication. The animals in the experiment are specifically picked due to their traits that make them more perceptible to humans. Scientists have been working to evolve them, much like wolves to dogs, and have had fascinating success. Their group of foxes have significant differences from their undomesticated counterparts.
Throughout the course of history, many people have used the power of language to manipulate audiences to gather support for their personal agenda or gain. Donald Trump speech is an example of using the power of language to manipulate people. President Donald Trump told about two dozen chief executives of major U.S. companies that he plans to bring many millions of jobs back to the United States. When it comes to the topics of bringing jobs back people will readily agree. In the article “A Change Of Heart about Animals”, Jeremy Rifkin, author and president of the foundation of economic trends in Washington D.C, suggests in a seemingly, unbiased fashion, that animals “are more like us than we had ever imagined” (Rifkin). With the support
Characters are a vital element of fiction; without them, a story falls apart because the readers are forced to only focus on its plot, setting, or other aspects of fiction. Characterization is the process in which the author describes the distinctive nature or features of a particular character. A character is often characterized by their own dialogue, actions, thoughts, appearance, and interpretation by the author or by other characters in the story. Through these methods, an author can really bring their characters to life for the reader. In “My Kid’s Dog,” Ron Hansen uses these methods to bring all his characters to life. He portrays the strained relationship an owner has with his ‘daughter’s’ pet dog, and the difficulties overcoming his hardships. Through methods of characterization, Hansen unveils the friction between the dad and the dog and allows the reader to empathize with them, incorporating humor throughout the story, as well.
In David Brooks ' article "Social Animal?" he argues that we operate in two minds, the conscious and unconscious, and that the latter is more important than the first in determining how fulfilled we are with life. Many Americans have been distorted by a cultural bias that prizes career skills, intelligence, and academics- they have been taught how to have the best career based on academic performance and school choice but have not been taught how to make decisions independent of career success. According to Brook’s, “the ability to understand and inspire people; to read situations and discern the underlying patterns; to build trusting relationships; to recognize and correct one’s shortcomings; to imagine alternate futures,” are the traits that make a difference. I agree with Brook’s that I agree with Brook’ main premise that our lives are not a product of our own conscious being but our emotions, social connections, morals and perception are also the key to success. What 's more, society today has become more aware and can use the conscious and unconscious mind in order to have a profound life. In a world that places much more value on measuring an individual 's success, simply using intelligence, school and a career to tell your story just can 't hold up.
I am going to argue in support of Peter Singer’s claims against speciesism. It is right to claim that human suffering and animal suffering should be given equal considerations. Both humans and nonhuman species suffer both physically and emotionally and both deserve equal considerations on the basis of morality.
In the short story “Living Like Weasels” authored by Annie Dillard, the role of a small, furry, brown-colored rodent’s life develops an extreme significance as the story progresses. According to Dillard, the life that a weasel lives is care free and passionate. Weasels are very tenacious creatures and what they have their eye set on something they want, they go and get it. Also, when Dillard says “The weasel lives in necessity and we live in choice” in “Living Like Weasels,” the words can be deeply felt by the reader; we are able to not only feel Dillard’s passion for this underlying opinion of hers, but readers can also develop their own view on what she is saying and find evidence to prove their thoughts (121). The way that everyday
Therefore, they need to work harder to avoid being thrown away. Instead of questioning the unfair treatment, the animals rather think less and do more work. Common animals are naive working class, who are unable or unwilling to question authority, condemning themselves to suffer the full extent of the ruling class’s oppression.
Michael Pollan’s, An Animal’s Place, analyzes the controversial topic of animal abuse while Pollan himself struggles to comprehend the relationship between humans and non-humans. Whether animals are used for food or clothing, Pollan’s impartial view of the moral ethics behind the treatment of animals acknowledges that we as readers are susceptible to influence and he encourages the questioning of our own beliefs. Rather than succumbing to Singer’s, All Animals are Equal demands of making it our “Moral obligation to cease supporting the practice” (pg.4), Pollan conveys the benefits as well as the concerns to the consummation of animals. From the personal connection Pollan establishes with his readers, his progressive beliefs